Legal Question in Family Law in Maryland

Re: Unwed father wants to make support payments for child in Maryland

Your son will have to wait until the child is actually born to pursue insurance and visitation. If he puts the child on his health insurance it will lower his child support payments somewhat because he does receive a credit for those payments, put it is not a 100% credit for the insurance amount. Child support is based on the combined income of mom and dad and then the ratio each contributes to the combined income. That percentage is then applied to the state's child support amount. Maryland is the proper jurisdiction to file for support and visitation since that is will the child is living with Mom.

He should file for visitation in the county in which the mother and child live. There will be a hearing. That being said the best thing to do is to settle on visitation out of court and have that agreement turned into a court order. That will allow him visitation. Without a court order she can deny him visitation without trouble. Settling out of court obviously saves him a legal fees and also animosity with the other parent, but if she refuses to sign an agreement he will have to take it to trial.

I hope that I have answered your questions. If you have further questions or concers, please call me at either my MD office at 301-652-0663 or my VA office at 703-968-3974.