When a Maryland divorce court makes decisions about child custody in Maryland, the legal standard used is what is in the best interests of the child. Generally, Maryland divorce courts consider involvement by both parents to be in the best interests of any child. This assumes, of course, that both parents want some involvement in the upbringing of their kids.

It should be noted that parents have, in the majority of divorces, agreed in advance on what is the best custody arrangement for the children. And, unless the agreement is inappropriate or unlawful under Maryland’s Family Law Code, Maryland divorce courts generally approve what the parents have agreed to.

So, what do most parents agree to? Most often, it is agreed that one parent will have primary physical custody of the children, with the other parent having visitation rights. This is the typical arrangement for more than half of Maryland divorces. That being said, visitation rights can mean many things depending on the family and the facts of the case. If you have questions about Maryland child custody and visitation rights, call for a consultation with the attorneys at the Law Office of Robert Castro at (301) 870-1200. You can also use our contact page. We are top-rated Maryland divorce and family law attorneys with offices in Waldorf, Maryland. Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about visitation rights.

Q. Are visitation rights only for fathers?

Maryland’s family law code is gender neutral, which means that there is nothing that restricts visitation rights to fathers. Visitation rights are given to the parent who does not have primary physical custody of the children. However, as a matter of practice, fathers tend to end up with visitation rights while mothers tend to end up with primary custody. This is largely a function of agreements made between parents in advance of their divorce.

Q. What are visitation rights?

Visitation rights mean that the Maryland divorce court has ordered that the non-custodial parent have the ability to visit with his or her kids.

Q. What are the visitation arrangements?

Since every situation is unique, there are no set visitation arrangements. Those arrangements can be whatever “works best” for the family in question.

Q. What are some typical visitation arrangements?

Many visitation arrangements involve what are called “overnights.” These are days and nights when the non-custodial parent has physical custody of the kids. Typical arrangements might include “overnights” for two weekends a month, or alternating weeks, or two nights a week, etc. Visitation arrangements might also include solid blocks of time, like a month in the summer.

Q. Can a court order supervised visitation?

Yes, if the circumstances warrant supervised visitation. In general, supervised visitation is only ordered if there is a fear for the safety of the children involved. Some history of neglect, abuse, addiction, or criminal behavior is generally required for the Maryland divorce courts to order supervised visitation.

Q. Can custody and visitation arrangements be modified?

Yes. When there has been a material change in circumstances — which can be many things — it is possible to ask the court to modify the custody and visitation arrangements.

Contact Waldorf, Maryland, Family Law and Child Custody Lawyer Robert Castro Today

This article has been provided by the Law Office of Robert Castro. For more information or questions, contact our office to speak to an experienced Maryland family law and divorce lawyer at (301) 870-1200. We are Waldorf, MD, Family Law lawyers. Our address is 11701 Central Avenue, Suite 200, Waldorf, MD 20601.