Legal Question in Family Law in Maryland

Re: Child custody hearing

At times the master or judge will have the children come to his or her chambers and hear from the children personally. The parent can ask during the hearing that the master or judge hear from the children by letting him know that the children are available for testimony. This hearing may be enough after which an order spelling out child custody will be provided.

Re: Child custody hearing

If your hearing is before a master, if either parent is dissatisfied with the master's recommendation after the hearing, he/she can file exceptions and the matter will be reviewed or possibly reheard by a judge. Of course, if the hearing is before a judge, there are rights of appeal, but it would be rare that an appeals court would reverse a custody decision made by a judge unless legal errors were committed.

Your friend should be prepared to demonstrate the living situation in his home for the children, who supervises them when he's at work, how they are doing in school, what other activities they're involved in, etc. An experienced family law attorney would bring in friends, teachers, counselors, other family members as appropriate to testify on his client's behalf, to indicate how well the children are doing under his supervision.