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Recent Blog Posts
What to Do when A Dog Bites or Attacks You
A classic joke in cartoons is the antagonistic relationship between dogs and mail deliverers. While of course, this is rooted in truth, mail deliverers are not the only ones who face bites and attacks from canines. Your neighbor’s furry friend that you have known for years may end up being a danger to you or your children.
With spring here and the sunshine calling everyone outdoors, you need to prepare so you will know what to do if a dog bites or attacks you.
Get Medical Treatment
Your first worry should be to get medical treatment, especially after a vicious attack. Infection and rabies are the highest risks you face after a dog bite. If the wound is only broken skin, you can simply wash it, apply antibiotic ointment and place a bandage over it. Watch for signs of redness, swelling, oozing or continued pain, which mean you should see a doctor. Keep medical bills, reports and other documentation as evidence.
What to Expect at Your Relocation Hearing
Last week, we discussed in broad terms what happens when one member of a divorced couple decides to move away and the couple has minor children in common. This week, we’ll delve into what happens in the event that the non-relocating ex-spouse does not agree to the relocation request: a court relocation hearing.
At the hearing, the court will examine the current custody arrangement—which was originally drafted with the best interest of the child in mind. If one parent is planning to move to a location far enough away that it would inhibit visitation or shared custody by the other parent, then the court must consider whether the move is in the best interest of the child. There is no precise formula to determine what is best for a child, but some factors the court might consider are:
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Does the move have any ulterior motives (i.e., is the moving parent trying to thwart the other parent’s visitation)?
If You Move Away from Your Ex and You Have Shared Child Custody
You just landed your dream job! The only problem is, it’s in Virginia Beach. That’s a long way from Baltimore, where, your son and your ex-husband currently live. How does your move affect your child custody arrangement?
Under Maryland law, you can’t just up and move without getting consent from your ex or the court. The first thing you need to do is give notice of your move. Under most circumstances, you have to give your ex-spouse and the court written notice of your relocation at least 90 days before your move. There are a couple exceptions to this rule: If you can demonstrate to the court that providing such notice would lead to harm to you or your child, it’s possible that this requirement may be waived. Additionally, the court may show some flexibility with the 90-day notice if your circumstances require you to move sooner than that, but you make a good-faith effort to give as much notice as possible.
Three Common Driving Mistakes to Avoid
We may be getting smarter as a species, but we’re not becoming any safer at driving. At least that’s what the data says. In 2015, the number of traffic deaths in the U.S. spiked by 8 percent—the biggest jump in half a century. By 2016, that statistic increased again, resulting in more than 40,000 traffic fatalities. As 2017 draws to a close, let’s take some proactive steps to being safer on the road.
Traffic accidents are usually the result of human error, but which driving errors most frequently result in accidents? In this week’s post, we examine the three most common instigators of car accidents.
Driving Blind
When you drive without being able to completely see ahead of or around you—perhaps due to weather conditions, a blind curve in the road or another vehicle obstructing your view—and you assume the coast is clear, these are example of blind driving. Such mistakes account for about 12 percent of car accidents.
Landmark Case to Define Child Support Rights in Same-Sex Divorce
The Hawaii Supreme Court is currently considering a case that raises the question of how consent to having a child is determined in same-sex marriage, as well as the implications of this determination on parental rights. It represents the first Supreme Court case in the country addressing the issue of child support for same-sex couples.
The case involves a lesbian couple that was married in 2013. Between January and September of 2015, one member of the couple was deployed on military duty. While she was away, her then wife got pregnant. After returning from military duty, the woman filed for divorce and sought to relinquish her parental rights.
The debate now is whether the woman in question gave consent to her wife about getting pregnant. Under the Marriage Equality Act in Hawaii, if a woman gives birth to a child, her spouse is presumed to be the parent—irrespective of their gender.
Tips for Avoiding Distracted Driving
Distraction on the road can have serious consequences. A mere moment of losing focus at a critical time can lead to an accident and serious injury.
While you obviously cannot guarantee yourself a ride completely free of any distraction whatsoever, you can take steps to minimize the chances of your attention wandering. Advance planning to avoid distraction can make your commute much safer.
Minimize or Cut out Cell Phone Use
Today, cell phones pose a major distraction hazard for drivers. In Maryland, the law prohibits drivers from using a handheld phone to talk or text. While the law allows motorists with unrestricted licenses to use a phone via hands-free technology such as Bluetooth, these uses can also be quite distracting. They still occupy your mental focus, if not your hands. The safest practice is to avoid any type of phone use while driving.
Before you set out, consider any reason you would feel compelled to interact with your phone. Make any necessary calls before you leave, or save them for afterward. Muting call, text and update alerts can help you refrain from "just quickly" checking your phone. Using your phone to play music or get directions? Select your playlist before you go and place your phone securely on your dashboard. Check your route and turn on voice directions to minimize visual distractions.
How Distractions Lead to Car Accidents
It is not uncommon for you to see people texting and driving when you are on the streets in Bowie. It happens so often that you probably think you can do it, too. As boring and tiresome as driving can be, it is not worth risking your life or the lives of others because of distractions. You should avoid distractions and pay attention to the roads and traffic around you.
Each year, the number of motorists who die in car accidents where distractions are a factor increases. In order to drive your vehicle safely, you must have your eyes on the roads and hands on the steering wheel. When you use distractions, you cannot drive safely. Each day you make through traffic to your destination without incident is one where you were fortunate. Here is a brief overview of how dangerous distractions are.
Distracted Driving Is a Common Activity
Distracted driving car accidents happen all the time. Unlike drunk driving incidents that are more likely to occur at night and on the weekends, people use distractions all day. Keep in mind that texting is not the only form of distraction that motorists use. Eating, putting on makeup, looking at something outside of the road and on the inside of vehicles, reading, talking on phones, playing games on cellphones and using social media are other popular forms of distractions that drivers tend to use when operating their vehicles.
Will Maryland Eliminate Parental Rights for Rapists?
The Maryland Senate is poised to pass some landmark legislation early next year—which many say is long overdue. The proposed bill has failed nine times before, but this time, members of the General Assembly are optimistic that the bill has built up sufficient support to pass. The subject of the bill: paternal rights for rapists.
It could be said that Maryland is behind the times when it comes to developing laws surrounding rapists’ paternal rights. It is one of only six states with no official law on the subject. Under the proposed legislation, a woman who becomes pregnant due to a rape would not be forced to give any parental rights to her attacker. Regardless of whether the attacker is convicted, the rape victim can expunge his parental rights.
Both chambers of the General Assembly approved different variations of the bill earlier this year but were unable reach an agreement. Some items in the bill that still need to be ironed out include:
A New Way out Of Marriage in Maryland: Mutual Consent Divorce
In a recent law that was enacted in Maryland, couples seeking to dissolve their marriage now have a quicker option: mutual consent divorce. Under the terms of this amendment, couples have an easier way of divorcing amicably without extended waiting periods.
Under the previous law, divorce could be a fast process for marriages in which one spouse committed serious offenses—such as adultery, cruel treatment, or excessively vicious conduct—against their partner. Understandably, the court determined that a spouse in a potentially dangerous partnership should be able to dissolve their marriage as quickly as possible.
However, under less egregious circumstances—in situations where couples simply grew apart, for example—the law required them to spend a full year living in separate residences before they could legally begin the process of moving on with their lives. Under the new law, a couple doesn’t have to be separated for any amount of time before they can file for divorce.
How Do I Pay Child Support in Maryland?
If you’ve been ordered to pay child support in Maryland, here are the basic steps for submitting payment:
If You’re Employed
If you are employed, Maryland law requires you to pay child support through wage garnishment. This is to say that the amount you owe for child support will automatically be deducted from your paycheck and redirected to your child’s custodian.
When you submit your child support income withholding notice to your employer, they should deduct the necessary amount from your paycheck beginning on the following pay period. It is your responsibility to monitor that this withholding goes into effect. For any pay period in which your employer has not withheld the requisite amount, you are required to pay the necessary child support directly to the address below, including your nine-digit case number with your payment:
Maryland Child Support Account
P.O. Box 17396
Baltimore, Maryland 21297-1396
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