Maryland Divorce Lawyer Blog

On Saturday, November 12, 2011, the Carroll County Times provided commentary on the differences between celebrity divorces, such as Kim Kardashian, and divorces for residents of Maryland. As we reported in our April 18, 2011 blog, as of October 1, 2011, Maryland has eliminated the 2 year waiting period to seek a divorce, making obtaining a divorce in Maryland a bit easier, although not as easy at it is for Kim K.

Previously, one filing for a divorce had to specify whether both parties, or just the moving party was seeking the divorce. If both parties were seeking a divorce, then only a one year separation period was required, if only one party was seeking the divorce, then a two year separation period was required. This distinction is no longer as of October 1, 2011 and separation, whether mutual or non mutual is only required to be one year to file for a divorce. As we mentioned in our April 18, 2011 blog, proponents of this legislation believe that it is one step closer to reducing the waiting period to obtaining a divorce, making a Kim K. divorce a future reality for Marylanders.
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In our June 28, 2011 blog we discussed how Courts in Maryland seem to be divided on whether same sex couples legally married in other states should be granted a divorce in Maryland. To confuse matters even more, as reported by the Maryland Daily Record on June 24, 2011, a criminal Judge has ruled that same sex couples are permitted to assert their spousal privilege in criminal matters. So while some family law Judges may not recognize same sex couples as spouses, it appears that some criminal Judges are. In the Washington County case, the lesbian partners were married in Washington D.C. Recently, one has threatened the other with violence, and therefore was charged with assault. However, in criminal matters spouses can invoke their right not to testify against their spouse. In this case, the victim of the alleged threat has asked to assert her privilege not to testify against her partner. The Judge has recognized the partners as spouses and allowed her to do so. The Judge specifically ruled that “Maryland generally recognizes a marriage as valid as long as it was valid in the jurisdiction in which it took place.”

Many clients come to me unclear as to their rights to their marital home. If your home is owned and was purchased during your marriage, it is a marital home. Martial property is defined as “the property, however titled, acquired by 1 or both parties during the marriage.” Maryland Code, Family Law § 8-201(3). Therefore, absent a protective order, discussed in our August 2009 blog, no one has the authority to make their spouse leave the home. If your home is rented and both names are on the lease then no one has superior rights over the other and therefore, no one has the authority to make their spouse leave the rented home.

As a follow up on our June 10, 2011 blog more regarding adultery and introducing a new relationship to your child(ren), we thought it may be best to touch on dating during your divorce proceedings. Typically, we advise clients to refrain from dating while their divorce is pending and we do so for several reasons.

First, as explained in the previous blog, it could be considered adultery to be dating while married if your spouse can prove the elements necessary to establish adultery. Although parties may be separated while waiting for a divorce, they are still technically married and therefore, it is still considered adultery, which is both a ground for divorce and a crime in the State of Maryland.

Second, it may not be what is in the best interest of your child(ren) and if you are not putting your child(ren)’s best interest first then you may be facing an uphill battle if custody is an issue in your matter. While dating may not offend a Judge, it will not be helpful to your case if the Judge feels that your children are being negatively affected by your dating life and you have still chosen to partake in it. Even if the individual you are dating is wonderful and wonderful to your child(ren), your children are still going through a major adjustment period and to have one or possibly two new individuals then become a part of their homes and time with their parents may not be what is best. Additionally, while your children may not overtly be exhibiting problems as a result of your pending divorce, it is best to be able to focus all of your attention on them during your time with them to be aware of any issues they may be experiencing.

Third, it is always better to do the right thing, even if your spouse is not, while a divorce is pending. Many clients are frustrated by their spouse’s continued misbehavior and feel that it will continue to go unnoticed. If and when it is noticed and considered by a Judge, then it is much better to be on the “clean hands” side of that dispute. Two wrongs never make a right.
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A bill has been proposed in Massachusetts that would prevent parents from having sex in their home until their divorce is final, Fox News Reported on May 19, 2011. More specifically, the bill would prevent divorcing parents from “conducting a dating or sexual relationship within the home” until their divorce is final. Those who favor the bill have stated that the bill is meant to shield children from unnecessary problems or domestic violence while their parents divorce is underway. Those who oppose the bill say it is infringing on parents rights.

Currently, not only is adultery a ground for divorce in Maryland, it is still codified as a crime in the Maryland Criminal Code. In our experience, it is wise to consult a mental health professional before introducing your child to a new relationship, especially while a divorce is pending. The effects of a divorce on children vary from child to child, however a mental health professional can provide some guidance and advice based on the child’s developmental, emotional, and physical age.

A Maryland court will not likely ban such behavior if asked to do so by a litigant during their divorce proceedings, but will often consider a parents behavior and the effects of that behavior on the child(ren) when looking at what is in the best interest of the child(ren) in a custody determination.
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A divorce or separation is much more than two people parting ways, as there are often many other items that arose out of the marriage that must be resolved in order for parties to legally part ways. These items can be addressed in a separation agreement or are eventually resolved in divorce litigation. It is important to consider each of the following items at the beginning stages of pursuing a Maryland divorce:
• Child Custody – If you and your spouse have children, then custody of the children will need to be decided. Custody is comprised of two parts in Maryland, legal custody and physical custody. Legal custody involves decisions regarding the child involving health, education and religion. Physical custody is the time spent with each parent. Both forms of custody can be shared by parents, or awarded to only one parent. For more information see our September 10, 2010 blog.
• Child Access Schedule – Not only does custody of the children need to be decided but also when each parent will have access with the children. You need to consider the school year, summer vacation, holidays and school breaks. Also many parents designate how their children will communicate with the other parents when not in their care • Child Support-Child support is awarded in many cases to account for a difference in time sharing of the children, or a difference in income of the parties. For more information on child support, see our September 11, 2009 blog
• Dependency Exemption for Child(ren)- You need to consider who will designate the children for purposes of the tax dependency. Will you and your spouse alternate, each take one child, etc?
• Health Insurance – You need to consider who will cover the children on their health insurance. Also, if you are currently covered by your spouses insurance, or covering your spouse, will you continue to do so until your divorce is final?
• Uninsured Medical Expenses for Kids-Typically parties may divide this evenly or in proportion to their incomes. If one parent is bearing the whole expense, and it is significant, it will be used for child support calculations.
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As we have previously discussed in our blogs, many family law matters are decided outside of Court, with the assistance of attorneys. However, what happens when the parties, who have employed attorneys to assist in their divorce litigation, decide to take matters into their own hands? As the Maryland Daily Record reported on June 2, 2011, the Baltimore law firm of Tydings and Rosenberg is facing such a situation right now. The firm’s client, Julie Zorzit, after employing the firm to do a substantial amount of work, met privately with her husband, John Zorzit, and waived all rights for her attorney’s fees to be paid by her husband. The firm is now seeking the fees, as Ms. Zorzit can not afford to pay for the work that has already been done, but Mr. Zorzit can. The Circuit Court for Baltimore County denied the firms request for the fees, the case was appealed to the Maryland Court of Appeals, and a decision is awaited.

Many clients inquire as to their rights to have their spouse pay for their attorney fees in their divorce matter. The Maryland Code, Family Law Article § 7-107 provides that “at any point in a proceeding under this title, the court may order either party to pay to the other party an amount for the reasonable and necessary expense of prosecuting or defending the proceeding….[however] before ordering the payment, the court shall consider: (1) the financial resources and financial needs of both parties; and (2) whether there was substantial justification for prosecuting or defending the proceeding.” Parties should not rely on the possibility of such an award when employing counsel, as in our experience, attorney fees are often denied. However, there are cases where attorney fees are absolutely justified and the Court makes an appropriate award.
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As many of our clients are aware, going through a divorce process once is enough, let alone having to do it all over again. As the New York Times reported on May 30, 2011 , a New York man, Mr. Steven Simkin, is seeking to revise the divorce settlement him and his wife, Ms. Laura Blank reached in 2006, as the funds he was awarded were lost as a casualty to the Madoff disaster. As we have previously discussed, many parties reach a separation agreement or settlement agreement outside of court which resolves their marital issues.
When the parties reached their settlement in 2006, Ms. Blank chose to keep her funds out of the Madoff account, while Mr. Simkin chose to keep his with Mr. Madoff. Mr. Simkin argues that the settlement agreement, aka a contract, should be voided as the funds with Mr. Madoff did not even exist at the time of the divorce settlement. His argument relies on the “doctrine of “mutual mistake,” a well-established principle that allows for the cancellation of contracts, including divorce agreements, when both parties are innocently mistaken about an essential term. The case is currently with New York’s highest court and it is said that they are divided, as are many attorneys on the issue. The case could not only affect New York law, but the way that marital settlement agreements are handled throughout the country. Those who are against the revision of the agreement believe that it would allow for do-overs whenever an agreement does not go as planned. Many enter into these divorce agreements with no idea what the future holds, but it is a way of making a clean break from your spouse and moving forward.
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