When parents separate or divorce, one of the most important issues they face is determining custody arrangements for their children. In Maryland, child custody is divided into two separate categories: legal custody and physical custody. Understanding the difference can help you make informed decisions about your child's future and protect your parental rights.

What Is Legal Custody?

Legal custody refers to a parent's authority to make major decisions about a child's upbringing. These decisions often include:

• Education and school selection

• Medical and dental care

• Religious upbringing

• Mental health treatment

• Participation in significant extracurricular activities

Maryland courts frequently award joint legal custody, allowing both parents to participate in making these important decisions. However, when communication between parents is extremely difficult or one parent has demonstrated poor judgment, the court may award sole legal custody to one parent.

Even when one parent has sole legal custody, the other parent may still have visitation rights and remain involved in the child's life.

What Is Physical Custody?

Physical custody determines where the child lives and who is responsible for the child's day-to-day care.

Physical custody arrangements can vary depending on the family's circumstances and the child's best interests. Common arrangements include:

• The child primarily lives with one parent while spending scheduled time with the other.

• Parents share physical custody under a schedule that allows substantial parenting time with each parent.

• A customized parenting schedule designed to meet the child's unique needs.

There is no "one-size-fits-all" custody schedule. Maryland courts focus on creating an arrangement that promotes stability, consistency, and the child's overall well-being.

How Do Maryland Courts Decide Custody?

Maryland judges make custody decisions based on the best interests of the child. No single factor determines the outcome. Instead, the court considers many aspects of the family's situation, including:

• Each parent's ability to care for the child

• The child's relationship with each parent

• The willingness of each parent to encourage a healthy relationship with the other parent

• The child's emotional, educational, and developmental needs

• Each parent's physical and mental health

• Stability of each parent's home environment

• Any history of domestic violence, abuse, or neglect

• The child's preference, when appropriate based on age and maturity

Every custody case is unique, and the court carefully evaluates the specific facts before entering a custody order.

Can Custody Orders Be Modified?

Yes. A custody order may be modified if there has been a material change in circumstances since the previous order and changing custody would be in the child's best interests.

Examples of a material change may include:

• A parent's relocation

• Significant changes in a child's educational or medical needs

• Concerns about a child's safety or welfare

• Changes in a parent's ability to provide care

Because modification cases can be legally complex, it is important to seek legal advice before filing a request with the court.

Why Legal Representation Matters

Custody disputes are often emotionally challenging and can have a lasting impact on your family. Whether you are negotiating a parenting agreement or preparing for a contested court hearing, having an experienced Maryland family law attorney on your side can make a significant difference.

An attorney can help you gather evidence, present your case effectively, protect your parental rights, and work toward an arrangement that serves your child's best interests.

Contact the Law Office of Neveen Kurtom

If you have questions about child custody or are involved in a custody dispute anywhere in Maryland, the Law Office of Neveen Kurtom is here to help. We provide compassionate, strategic representation for parents facing divorce, custody modifications, visitation disputes, and other family law matters.

Contact us today at (301) 356-4423 to schedule a confidential consultation and learn how we can help protect your rights and your relationship with your child.

For many families, summer is a season of vacations, camps, pool days, and a welcome break from the school year routine. For co-parents, however, summer can also bring scheduling challenges and disagreements if expectations are not clearly communicated in advance.

Whether you share custody under a court order or a negotiated parenting plan, taking time to prepare for the summer months can help reduce conflict and create a more enjoyable experience for your children.

Review Your Custody Agreement Early

Many custody agreements contain specific provisions addressing summer parenting time. These provisions may include:

• Extended vacation periods for each parent

• Deadlines for providing vacation dates

• Summer camp schedules

• Holiday schedules that overlap with summer months

• Transportation arrangements

Put the Children's Needs First

Summer often presents opportunities that may not be available during the school year. Children may want to attend sleepaway camp, participate in sports programs, travel with extended family, or spend additional time with relatives. While parents may have differing opinions about how summer time should be spent, courts generally expect parents to prioritize the child's best interests over personal preferences or convenience.

Communicate Vacation Plans Clearly

Vacation disputes are among the most common summer custody issues. To minimize conflict:

• Provide vacation dates as early as possible

• Share travel itineraries when appropriate

• Discuss transportation arrangements in advance

• Provide emergency contact information

• Confirm plans in writing

Good communication helps build trust and reduces misunderstandings that can quickly escalate into larger conflicts.

Document Agreements in Writing

Even when parents have a positive co-parenting relationship, verbal agreements can lead to misunderstandings. If you agree to modify a schedule, swap weekends, or adjust vacation time, confirm the agreement through email, text message, or a co-parenting application.

Final Thoughts

Summer should be a time for children to make memories, explore new experiences, and enjoy meaningful time with both parents. Planning ahead, communicating openly, and focusing on your children's best interests can help co-parents navigate the season more successfully.

If you have questions about your custody order, summer parenting schedules, relocation concerns, or modifications to an existing custody arrangement, contact us at 301-356-4423 and we can help you understand your rights and options before conflicts arise.

In child custody disputes, a Maryland trial judge must determine legal and physical custody based on the best interest of the minor child. As of October 1, 2025, judges now have 16 factors that must be evaluated when determining child custody based on the best interest standard. These factors include:

1. Stability and the foreseeable health and welfare of the child;

2. Frequent, regular, and continuing contact with parents who can act in the child’s best interest;

3. Whether and how parents who do not live together will share the rights and responsibilities of raising the child;

4. The child’s relationship with each parent, any siblings, other relatives, and individuals who are or may become important in the child’s life;

5. The child’s physical and emotional security and protection from exposure to conflict and violence;

6. The child’s developmental needs, including physical safety, emotional security, positive self-image, interpersonal skills, and intellectual and cognitive growth;

7. The day-to-day needs of the child, including education, socialization, culture and religion, food, shelter, clothing, and mental and physical health;

8. How to:

• Place the child’s needs above the parents’ needs;

• Protect the child from the negative effects of any conflict between the parents; and

• Maintain the child’s relationship with the parents, siblings, other relatives, or other individuals who have or likely may have a significant relationship with the child;

9. The age of the child;

10. Any military deployment of a parent and its effect, if any, on the parent-child relationship;

11. Any prior court orders or agreements;

12. Each parent’s role and tasks related to the child and how, if at all, those roles and tasks have changed;

13. The location of each parent’s home as it relates to the parent’s ability to coordinate parenting time, school, and activities;

14. The parents’ relationship with each other, including:

• How they communicate with each other;

• Whether they can co-parent without disrupting the child’s social and school life; and

• How the parents will resolve any disputes in the future without the need for court intervention

15. The child’s preference, if age-appropriate; and

16. Any other factor that the court considers appropriate in determining how best to serve the physical, developmental, and emotional needs of the child.

To schedule a consultation with our experienced family law attorney, please contact us at (301) 356-4423. We would be happy to meet with you to discuss your family law matter and find the best strategy for you and your family.