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 | Aggressive Custody Lawyer 410-486-1800
An experienced, aggressive, custody lawyer, who fully understands the Maryland court system and detailed court procedures, often makes the entire difference between winning and losing your child custody case and avoiding the common mistakes. Our mission is to maximize your rights and options for custody, visitation and child support. We welcome difficult and challenging cases. We feel equally comfortable representing mothers or fathers in every Maryland county. We can render a second opinion if your existing case is not proceeding in a proper direction. Each case is different and past records are no assurance that the Lawyer will reach a favorable result in any future case.
Client Comments
"Thanks for taking over my case and bringing my case to a prompt conclusion and getting everything I wanted. The biggest mistake I made was to file papers on my own because all I did was to waste my time going back and forth to court and nothing ever happended until I retained your office. I was not aware that the court clerks were not lawyers and could not provide legal advice after I filed the initial papers."~~S.W.
"Your representation was outstanding throughout a hard fought contested custody case and getting sole legal and sole physical custody of my daughter, having visitation supervised and getting the mother to pay child support. If anyone needs a father?s rights lawyer you?re the lawyer they should call.~~" A.L.
"You delivered exactly what I wanted, getting my children back from another state, sole custody, having visitation supervised and child support."~~L.I.
" Thank you again for your aggressive and persistent representation in a hard fought custody battle that resulted in getting my children back". ~~D.M.
"My expectations were exceeded when I heard I was awarded primary legal and primary physical custody of my child all visitation was supervised. All of your answers to my questions were directly on target. Many thanks.""~~ K.K.
Although I had my doubts about grandparent's or third party's rights for custody, your representation was excellent in having the court award me sole custody of my grandson. Thanks again." J.C.
"I appreciate your efforts in completing my difficult case resulting in me getting sole custody, having all visitation completely supervised and full child support. If anyone needs assistance in a child custody case, you are the lawyer they need to call"~~S.M.
"Your aggressive and relentless representation was outstanding in defending and knocking out the complaint for custody filed against me so we did not even have to go to court. Thanks."~~M.H.
" I was thrilled to learn from reading the court's opinion that your representation resulted in my getting primary custody after a hard contested trial against the mother. If anyone needs a father's rights lawyer, you are the lawyer they need to call.""~~B.C.
"Thank you for the conscientious way you represented me in my custody case and dealing with the unusual issues that came up throughout my case. As the result of your tireless and persistent representation, you were able to get my two sons back for me in a case that seemed to be a constant uphill battle. Your representation was excellent and you are truly an outstanding dedicated lawyer. "~~H.S.
" Thanks for filing an extremely forceful contempt action which resulted in the entire child support arrearage being promptly paid in full.~~M.Q.
"I was skeptical about father's rights until you were able to get sole legal and physical custody awarded to me after a contested trial. Your strategy was brilliant throughout the case."~~C.J.
"Your representation was excellent in obtaining sole custody of both children, having all visitation supervised and getting child suport in my Anne Arundel County custody case. Thanks.~~K.C.
"I wanted to express my thanks for the concern you have shown in representing me with an emergency petition for modification of the existing custody order. It is not often an attorney will devote Saturday and Sunday hours to be sure all documents are promptly filed and serviced to meet last minute time conditions. I felt comfortable as your answers to my questions were understandable."~~D.J.
"Many thanks for a job well done and accepting my divorce case as your tough, persistent and hard nosed representation resulted in protecting my pension"~~M.M.
"Thanks for being there in my time of need and for your aggressive and persistent representation. Your representation was outstanding throughout the case"~~L.M.
"The documents you drafted and filed with the court seemed so forceful and intimidating they seemed to be like a knockout punch resulting in our obtaining a judgment by default. Many thanks for a job extremely well done." ~~S.T.
"Thank you for taking over my case and promptly resolving the difficult issues. Your aggressive representation and clear answers to my questions were excellent throughout the case"~~P.O.
"Your strategy and representation in getting full custody of our granddaughter was outstanding since taking over the case."~~D.B.
"I am glad I selected you to defend my protective order case as your answers to my questions were directly on target, you advised me not to settle and after a hard fought trial you got the case thrown out of court."~~M.O.
"Thank you for taking over my Harford County custody case. Your representation resulted i exactly what I hoped for."~~N.C.
Many thanks for getting my child support reduced."~~L.M.
For the past 37 years Jack I. Hyatt has concentrated in:
Frequently, specific knowledge of specific child custody court decisions and Maryland State statutes makes the entire difference between wining and losing. Filing documents with a court is meaningless without incorporating the specific legal authorities into the documents prior to filing. Busy trial judges who hear many different types of child custody cases may not be as knowledgeable as a dedicated child custody Attorney who can bring specific knowledge to a case which can make all of the difference between wining and losing. Many cases that have a high potential to win are lost because the correct specific authorities were not set forth in the documents filed with the court and not properly argued to the court. "He who represents himself has a fool for a client." "Abraham Lincoln" This quotation is especially true in child custody cases because a specific knowledge and awareness of specific court decisions and statues is essential prior to any documents being filed with a court. As a former Assistant State's Attorney, he has gained experience in prosecuting over 20,000 cases for the State of Maryland and has a detailed understanding of all Maryland court procedures. His extensive, training and experience will fully maximize your rights and potential to win your child custody case. Mr. Hyatt's practice is in, and he is fully licensed to practice in, all Maryland counties and Baltimore city. We will conduct a detailed examination of all facts in your child custody case including, the relationship between all parties, how the conflict arose, who caused the conflict, what laws were broken, what witnesses are available, what evidence is available, the credibility of all parties, what resources are available to best help you and we will pinpoint the very best course of action to win your child custody case. If your child custody case is not being aggressively pursued, we will render a second opinion. Once your case is accepted, all legitimate issues will be aggressively and vigorously pursued, without compromise. You will be kept informed of the progress of all aspects of your child custody case. He accepts referrals from attorneys who do not feel comfortable aggressively or vigorously pursuing custody, support or family law issues. Our office represents numerous parties around the country who do not reside in Maryland. If you reside outside Maryland, or more than twenty miles from our office, you can begin your case be mail. Whether you begin your child custody case by scheduling an office appointment, or by mail, what will be done, every sequence, every procedure and the end result will be identical.
If you are looking for a knowledgeable, experienced and aggressive custody Attorney, you have just found that Attorney.
410 - 486 - 1800
Sole Custody One parent can have either sole legal custody or sole physical custody of a child. Courts generally won't hesitate to award sole physical custody to one parent if the other parent is deemed unfit -- for example, because of alcohol or drug dependency, a new partner who is unfit, or charges of child abuse or neglect. Call Maryland Child Custody Lawyer Jack Hyatt 410-486-1800. However, in most states, courts are moving away from awarding sole custody to one parent and toward enlarging the role a divorced father plays in his children's lives. Even where courts do award sole physical custody, the parties often still share joint legal custody, and the noncustodial parent enjoys a generous visitation schedule. In that situation, the parents would make joint decisions about the child's upbringing, but one parent would be deemed the primary physical caretaker, while the other parent would have visitation rights. It's understandable that there may be animosity between you and your ex-spouse. But it's best not to seek sole custody unless the other parent causes direct harm to the children. Even then, courts may simply allow supervised visitation, while still ordering joint legal custody. Types of Child Custody Physical Custody Physical custody means that a parent has the right to have a child live with him or her. Some states will award joint physical custody to both parents when the child spends significant amounts of time with both parents. Joint physical custody works best if parents live relatively near to each other, as it lessens the stress on children and allows them to maintain a somewhat normal routine. If you have quesitons, call Jack I. Hyatt 410-486-1800. Where the child lives primarily with one parent and has visitation with the other, generally the parent with whom the child primarily lives will have sole physical custody, with visitation to the other parent. Legal Custody Legal custody of a child means having the right and the obligation to make decisions about a child's upbringing. A parent with legal custody can make decisions about schooling, religion, and medical care, for example. In many states, courts regularly award joint legal custody, which means that the decision making is shared by both parents. If you share joint legal custody with the other parent and you exclude him or her from the decision-making process, your ex can take you back to court and ask the judge to enforce the custody agreement. You won't get fined or go to jail, but it will probably be embarrassing and cause more friction between the two of you -- which may harm the children. What's more, if you're represented by an attorney, it's sure to be expensive. If you think you have circumstances that make it impossible to share joint legal custody (the other parent won't communicate with you about important matters or is abusive), you can go to court and ask for sole legal custody. But, in many states, joint legal custody is preferable, so you will have to convince a family court judge that it is not in the best interests of your child. Call Maryland Child Custody Lawyer Jack Hyatt 410-486-1800. joint legal custody joint physical custody (where the children spend a significant portion of time with each parent), or joint legal and physical custody. It is common for couples who share physical custody to also share legal custody, but not necessarily the other way around. Joint Custody Arrangements When parents share joint custody, usually they work out a schedule according to their work requirements and housing arrangements and the children's needs. If the parents cannot agree on a schedule, the court will impose an arrangement. A common pattern is for children to split weeks between each parent's house or apartment. Other joint physical custody arrangements include: alternating months, years, or six-month periods, or spending weekends and holidays with one parent, while spending weekdays with the other. There is even a joint custody arrangement where the children remain in the family home and the parents take turns moving in and out, spending their out time in separate housing of their own. This is called "bird's nest custody." Pros and Cons of Joint Custody Joint custody has the advantages of assuring the children continuing contact and involvement with both parents. And it alleviates some of the burdens of parenting for each parent. There are, of course, disadvantages:
Children must be shuttled around. Parental noncooperation or ill will can have seriously negative effects on children. Maintaining two homes for the children can be expensive. If you do have a joint custody arrangement, maintain detailed and organized financial records of your expenses. Keep receipts for groceries, school and after-school activities, clothing, and medical care. At some point your ex may claim she or he has spent more money on the kids than you have, and a judge will appreciate your detailed records. Joint Custody Parents who don't live together have joint custody (also called shared custody) when they share the decision-making responsibilities for, and/or physical control and custody of, their children. Joint custody can exist if the parents are divorced, separated, or no longer cohabiting, or even if they never lived together. Call Maryland Child Custody Lawyer Jack Hyatt 410-486-1800. Prior to our office accepting any case, we will be forward a prompt package that will match your case. This document will prompt you to provide the required factual data so we will be able to understand the relationship between the mother and child, father and child, the relationship between the mother and father and the financial issues. This form will also enable you to list what the present problems are and exactly what your objectives are.Once this is completed we will be able to explain what your rights and options are for sole custody, joint custody, shared custody, supervised visitation, unsupervised visitation, child support, what our projection will be for time and fees and if we will be able to accept your case on a flat fixed fee rather than the usual hourly fees charged by many lawyers. Depending upon the facts in your case, in some situations we can resolve a case by writting letters and not having to appear in court and other cases are hard fought proceedings.
Types of Child Custody Learn the difference between legal custody, physical custody, sole custody, and joint custody. Physical Custody Physical custody means that a parent has the right to have a child live with him or her. Some states will award joint physical custody to both parents when the child spends significant amounts of time with both parents. Joint physical custody works best if parents live relatively near to each other, as it lessens the stress on children and allows them to maintain a somewhat normal routine. Call Maryland Child Custody Lawyer Jack Hyatt 410-486-1800. Where the child lives primarily with one parent and has visitation with the other, generally the parent with whom the child primarily lives will have sole physical custody, with visitation to the other parent. Legal Custody Legal custody of a child means having the right and the obligation to make decisions about a child's upbringing. A parent with legal custody can make decisions about schooling, religion, and medical care, for example. In many states, courts regularly award joint legal custody, which means that the decision making is shared by both parents. Call Maryland Child Custody Lawyer Jack Hyatt 410-486-1800. If you share joint legal custody with the other parent and you exclude him or her from the decision-making process, your ex can take you back to court and ask the judge to enforce the custody agreement. You won't get fined or go to jail, but it will probably be embarrassing and cause more friction between the two of you -- which may harm the children. What's more, if you're represented by an attorney, it's sure to be expensive. If you think you have circumstances that make it impossible to share joint legal custody (the other parent won't communicate with you about important matters or is abusive), you can go to court and ask for sole legal custody. But, in many states, joint legal custody is preferable, so you will have to convince a family court judge that it is not in the best interests of your child. Sole Custody One parent can have either sole legal custody or sole physical custody of a child. Courts generally won't hesitate to award sole physical custody to one parent if the other parent is deemed unfit -- for example, because of alcohol or drug dependency, a new partner who is unfit, or charges of child abuse or neglect. However, in most states, courts are moving away from awarding sole custody to one parent and toward enlarging the role a divorced father plays in his children's lives. Even where courts do award sole physical custody, the parties often still share joint legal custody, and the noncustodial parent enjoys a generous visitation schedule. In that situation, the parents would make joint decisions about the child's upbringing, but one parent would be deemed the primary physical caretaker, while the other parent would have visitation rights. It's understandable that there may be animosity between you and your ex-spouse. But it's best not to seek sole custody unless the other parent causes direct harm to the children. Even then, courts may simply allow supervised visitation, while still ordering joint legal custody. Call Maryland Child Custody Lawyer Jack Hyatt 410-486-1800. Joint custody has the advantages of assuring the children continuing contact and involvement with both parents. And it alleviates some of the burdens of parenting for each parent. There are, of course, disadvantages: Parental noncooperation or ill will can have seriously negative effects on children. Call Maryland Child Custody Lawyer Jack Hyatt 410-486-1800. Maintaining two homes for the children can be expensive. If you do have a joint custody arrangement, maintain detailed and organized financial records of your expenses. Keep receipts for groceries, school and after-school activities, clothing, and medical care. At some point your ex may claim she or he has spent more money on the kids than you have, and a judge will appreciate your detailed records. Joint Custody Parents who don't live together have joint custody (also called shared custody) when they share the decision-making responsibilities for, and/or physical control and custody of, their children. Joint custody can exist if the parents are divorced, separated, or no longer cohabiting, or even if they never lived together. Joint custody may be: joint legal custody joint physical custody (where the children spend a significant portion of time with each parent), or joint legal and physical custody. It is common for couples who share physical custody to also share legal custody, but not necessarily the other way around. Joint Custody Arrangements When parents share joint custody, usually they work out a schedule according to their work requirements and housing arrangements and the children's needs. If the parents cannot agree on a schedule, the court will impose an arrangement. A common pattern is for children to split weeks between each parent's house or apartment. Other joint physical custody arrangements include: alternating months, years, or six-month periods, or spending weekends and holidays with one parent, while spending weekdays with the other. There is even a joint custody arrangement where the children remain in the family home and the parents take turns moving in and out, spending their out time in separate housing of their own. This is called "bird's nest custody." Call Maryland Child Custody Lawyer Jack Hyatt 410-486-1800. Pros and Cons of Joint Custody
MUST READ MARYLAND CASES ON CUSTODY Taylor v Taylor 508 A2d 964 Montgomery County v Sanders 381 A2d 1154
Nagle v. Hooks 460 A2d 49
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