The purpose of child support is to allow children to benefit from the resources of both parents, even when the parents do not live together. Child support generally consists of two components—a monthly payment from one parent to the other and the sharing of significant child-related expenses. Expenses that are typically shared are: health insurance,…

Why do couples need prenuptial agreements? Because it is so much easier to get into a marriage than it is to get out of one.  Many people enter into the most important contract of their lives — marriage — without an appreciation for the obligations and commitments they are undertaking.  A former client once suggested…

Beginning with the passage of marriage equality legislation by the D.C. Council in 2010 and by the Civil Marriage Protection Act in Maryland in 2012 after a ballot referendum approved this measure, members of the LGBTQ+ community in the District of Columbia and Maryland began getting married in larger numbers. The Supreme Court’s opinion in…

Separation and family restructuring is incredibly difficult, but it doesn’t have to be damaging. The single greatest gift you can give your children is to reduce conflict.  Every day of your children’s lives you’ve made decisions, big and small, that impact their well being, development, and future. And as parents, you’ve undoubtedly done your best…

Our many years of experience inside and outside of the courtroom have led us to conclude that most family law matters can be effectively handled through mediation. Unlike a more traditional court procedure where a judge issues a final ruling after advocates on both sides present evidence, a mediation is typically facilitated by a trained…

People decide to leave a marriage when the second-most impossible choice is to stay.  The realization that a divorce is inevitable is an incredibly difficult prospect to face, whether you are the spouse initiating it or not. It can be a time of ceaseless confusion, conflicting emotions, and feels intensely overwhelming.  When faced with one…