Legal Question in Family Law in Maryland

Custody Modification

The father of my child obtained custody in 2002. As part of a CINA hearing we awarded joint legal custody and I got a visitation schedule. He found out that my other children had been removed by DSS shortly after obtaining this order and immediatly went back and filed to modify visitation. I have not seen my son in over 15 months now. Because I failed to file an answer, he got sole legal and physical custody. They also took away my visitation until I file a form requesting it, and at that time is to be supervised at a center on a schedule and have to pay for these services. I will get 1 hour. What is sole legal custody? Other then the right to pay child support, is there any other rights I have to this child? Am I legally allowed to obtain medical records, school records, etc? Thanks for any advise you can give


Asked on 3/01/04, 9:59 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Alton Drew Alton Drew, LLC

Re: Custody Modification

Having custody of a child can mean legal custody, which is the right to make major decisions affecting the child's life, or physical custody, which is the actual possession and control of the child. "Joint custody" can mean joint legal custody (parents share the decisionmaking, but the child remains with one parent), joint physical custody (child divides time between both parents' homes), or both. Unless you have joint custody, I don't see you having any rights to medical records since this may fall within the father's right to make the major decisions.

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Answered on 3/01/04, 11:35 pm


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