Experienced in Child Custody and Child Support Matters
Experienced Guidance for Maryland Families
Few legal matters are more important than those involving children. Whether parents are separating, divorcing, seeking to modify an existing custody arrangement, or addressing child support concerns, the outcome can have a lasting impact on a child's daily life and future well-being.
Attorney Neveen Kurtom represents parents throughout Maryland in child custody, visitation, and child support matters. From negotiated parenting agreements to highly contested custody litigation, Mrs. Kurtom helps clients navigate difficult family transitions while keeping the focus where it belongs—on the best interests of the child.
Understanding Child Custody in Maryland
In Maryland, custody is generally divided into two categories: legal custody and physical custody.
Legal Custody
Legal custody refers to the authority to make major decisions affecting a child's life, including decisions regarding:
Education
Medical care
Mental health treatment
Religious upbringing
Significant extracurricular activities
Legal custody may be shared by both parents or awarded solely to one parent depending on the circumstances of the case.
Physical Custody
Physical custody refers to where a child resides and how parenting time is shared between parents. Physical custody arrangements can vary significantly from family to family. Some parents share custody equally, while others have a primary residence with one parent and scheduled parenting time with the other.
Because every family is different, Maryland courts do not rely on a standard schedule. Instead, judges focus on creating arrangements that promote stability, consistency, and the overall welfare of the child.
How Maryland Courts Decide Custody Cases
Many parents enter a custody dispute believing the court is searching for a "winner" and a "loser." In reality, Maryland courts are focused on determining what arrangement serves the child's best interests.
When evaluating custody, courts consider numerous factors, including:
The child's emotional and physical needs
The fitness of each parent
The child's relationship with each parent
The ability of the parents to communicate and cooperate
The child's educational and developmental needs
The child's relationship with siblings and extended family
The stability of each proposed living arrangement
Any history of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
The child's preference when appropriate
No single factor determines the outcome of a custody case. Instead, judges examine the totality of the circumstances and evaluate how each proposed arrangement will affect the child moving forward.
What Judges Often Focus On in Custody Cases
After handling custody matters throughout Maryland, Attorney Neveen Kurtom has observed that courts frequently focus on practical parenting issues rather than personal disputes between parents.
Judges often want answers to questions such as:
Which parent is more likely to support the child's relationship with the other parent?
Which parent has demonstrated an ability to place the child's needs above the conflict?
Can the parents effectively communicate regarding important decisions?
Which parenting arrangement provides consistency and stability?
How have the parties historically shared parenting responsibilities?
Parents are often surprised to learn that a custody case is not necessarily about proving the other parent is imperfect. Instead, courts are generally focused on identifying the arrangement that best supports the child's long-term well-being.
Common Custody Issues Handled by the Firm
Initial Custody Determinations
Whether parents are married, divorced, or were never married, establishing a clear custody arrangement can provide important structure and predictability for children.
Parenting plans often address:
Weekly parenting schedules
Holiday schedules
Summer vacation schedules
Transportation responsibilities
School-related issues
Medical decision-making
Communication between parents
Custody Modifications
Children's needs change over time. A parenting arrangement that worked when a child was five years old may no longer be appropriate when that child becomes a teenager.
Maryland courts may modify custody when there has been a material change in circumstances and a modification is in the child's best interests.
Examples may include:
Relocation
Significant educational changes
Ongoing co-parenting conflicts
Changes in a parent's availability
Concerns affecting the child's welfare
Emergency Custody Matters
Certain situations require immediate court intervention. Cases involving allegations of abuse, neglect, substance abuse, parental instability, or serious safety concerns may warrant emergency relief. Attorney Neveen Kurtom assists parents in seeking prompt action when circumstances place a child's well-being at risk.
Relocation Cases
A parent's decision to move can significantly affect an existing custody arrangement. Relocation cases often involve complex questions regarding parenting schedules, transportation, schooling, and maintaining meaningful relationships with both parents. These cases require careful planning and strategic advocacy to protect both parental rights and the child's interests.
High-Conflict Child Custody Cases in Maryland
Some custody disputes involve more than disagreements over parenting schedules. High-conflict custody cases may involve years of communication problems, competing allegations between parents, repeated disputes over major decisions, or concerns about one parent's relationship with the child.
Attorney Neveen Kurtom represents parents in complex and highly contested custody matters throughout Maryland. These cases require careful preparation, a strong understanding of the family's history, and a strategy focused on presenting credible evidence rather than simply escalating the conflict.
High-conflict custody cases may involve:
Persistent disagreements regarding education, medical care, mental health treatment, or extracurricular activities
Allegations of parental alienation or gatekeeping behavior
Interference with parenting time or parent-child communication
Repeated violations of existing custody orders
A child's resistance or refusal to spend time with a parent
Custody evaluations or involvement of mental health professionals
Appointment of a Best Interest Attorney or other attorney for the child
Parenting coordinators and other court-appointed professionals
Requests for sole legal custody or tie-breaking authority
Allegations of abuse, neglect, substance abuse, or other safety concerns
Requests to modify an existing custody arrangement
In these cases, documentation and credibility can be particularly important. Communications between the parents, parenting-app records, school and medical records, testimony from professionals and other witnesses, prior court orders, and the history of each parent's involvement with the child may all become relevant.
Maryland courts remain focused on the best interests of the child, even when the conflict between the parents is significant. A successful custody strategy therefore requires separating issues that are legally important from the personal disagreements that frequently accompany a difficult separation or divorce.
Attorney Neveen Kurtom works with clients to identify the issues that matter, organize the evidence, anticipate disputed allegations, and present a clear picture of the child's circumstances to the court. When appropriate, the firm also works with clients whose cases involve parental alienation concerns, custody modifications, Best Interest Attorneys, and other professionals involved in complex custody litigation.
Child Support in Maryland
Maryland law requires both parents to contribute financially to the support of their children. Child support is generally calculated using Maryland's Child Support Guidelines, which consider factors such as:
The number of children
Health insurance expenses
Work-related childcare costs
Extraordinary medical expenses
The parenting schedule
While guideline calculations may appear straightforward, disputes often arise when parents are self-employed, receive bonuses or commissions, own businesses, or disagree regarding income and expenses. Attorney Neveen Kurtom regularly assists clients with both straightforward and complex child support matters.
Does 50/50 Custody Eliminate Child Support?
One of the most common misconceptions in family law is that equal parenting time automatically means no child support will be paid. In reality, child support and custody are separate issues.
Even when parents share physical custody equally, child support may still be appropriate depending upon:
Each parent's income
Childcare costs
Health insurance expenses
Other child-related costs
The court's focus remains on ensuring that children receive appropriate financial support from both parents.
Enforcement of Custody and Child Support Orders
When a parent refuses to comply with a court order, legal remedies may be available.
Common enforcement issues include:
Denial of court-ordered parenting time
Failure to comply with decision-making provisions
Nonpayment of child support
Failure to reimburse agreed-upon expenses
Depending on the circumstances, the court may impose sanctions, modify existing orders, award attorney's fees, or hold a party in contempt.
Why Families Choose Neveen Kurtom
Child custody disputes are often among the most emotional and stressful experiences a parent will face.
Attorney Neveen Kurtom combines compassionate client service with strong courtroom advocacy. She understands that no two families are alike and that successful outcomes require more than simply knowing the law. They require understanding family dynamics, anticipating challenges, and developing practical solutions that work in the real world.
Whether a case involves a negotiated parenting agreement, a contested custody trial, a relocation dispute, or a modification action, clients receive personalized representation focused on protecting both their parental rights and their children's future.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is for general educational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading this guide does not create an attorney-client relationship. Because every case is unique, you should consult with an attorney regarding your specific circumstances.