Legal Question in Family Law in Maryland

Re: child support guidelines

If nobody questions the accuracy of a parent's claims regarding income, day care costs, or any other number relevant to a calculation of child support, the court will accept the unchallenged testimony of the parent. It is up to you to challenge the claim and ask for evidence. As a general rule parents are expected (or required) to produce income tax returns and pay stubs as evidence of income. Because the person claiming day care expenses as an adjustment to the basic child support numbers, that person should be required to produce evidence to support the claim. It could be cancelled checks, receipts, or a printed statement of charges from a da care center, pre-school, etc. I would want more proof than a note from grandma saying that she watches her grandchild and is paid huge sums by her daughter to do so. If you have good evidence of your transportation costs, including air fare and hotels and the difference between restaurant meals in California and the cost of meals, presumable often at home, in Maryland, that should results in a significant adjustment to the child support indicated by the guidelines. There is no formula for calculating the effect on the final numbers of your travel costs, but they should be factored in in some way.

Re: child support guidelines

Income, costs, and other financial matters are accepted into record and the guidelines are applied unless there is a proper challenge brought against an item under consideration.

The guidelines are simple where there are simple issues. Your issues are not as straight forward. The move to California presents costs and other matters that need to be developed and presented.

You would be best served by hiring an attorney if not just for the purpose of providing you with consultation and advice so that you can better proceed with the case yourself.

G. Joseph Holthaus III

(410) 799-9002