Maryland Divorce Law Lawyers
Maryland Divorce Law Lawyers
When a married couple divorces, that couple must generally divide their marital property and assets evenly. With few exceptions, assets, and property acquired during the period, the couple was married are generally considered to be marital property. There are many ways a couple may divide their marital property. Sometimes spouses choose to sell off most of their assets and split the profits. Sometimes a couple chooses to divide their assets roughly in half while keeping all of those assets intact. And sometimes a couple will choose to divide their assets in a way that leaves one spouse with a more significant “chunk” of marital property, while the other receives a lesser “chunk” in addition to spousal support payments received over time. Spousal support is sometimes referred to as alimony.
When an unmarried couple, who has been together for a significant amount of time, decides to end their relationship, they must divide their shared property as well. It is therefore important for unmarried couples to consult with divorce lawyers Rockville, MD residents trust when they go their separate ways. Although unmarried couples do not need to formally file for divorce, they benefit from working with experienced Maryland divorce law lawyers in regard to property division, child custody, pet custody, child support, and related matters. Without experienced guidance from the team at the Law Office of Daniel J. Wright, you may not receive the separation “settlement” that you deserve. When appropriate and allowed by law, the division of property between unmarried partners may include so-called palimony payments. Palimony functions much like alimony does. Payments are either agreed upon by the couple or ordered by the court and are made over time. And just as spousal support orders are, palimony payments are subject to modifications under certain circumstances. For example, if the individual receiving palimony decides to marry, the individual paying palimony will likely be granted legal permission to halt future payments.
It is usually more difficult to secure palimony payments than alimony payments, simply because there is not as much law governing the property division of unmarried couples as there is the property division of married couples. This is one of the reasons why it is important to connect with experienced Maryland divorce law lawyers if you and your cohabiting unmarried partner are no longer romantically involved. However, courts are increasingly inclined to recognize the rights of unmarried couples in this way. As the number of Americans choosing to cohabitate continues to skyrocket, this area of law is almost certainly going to continue evolving as well.
Legal Assistance Is Available
If you have questions about palimony specifically or the legal rights and ramifications associated with splitting from a long-term romantic partner more generally, please do not hesitate to schedule a consultation with our firm’s Maryland divorce law lawyers today. While married couples are granted numerous rights and tied to numerous legal obligations by virtue of their legally-recognized unions, long-term unmarried couples are also empowered by certain rights and saddled with specific obligations under the law. As a result, it is important to learn about these rights and obligations from an experienced attorney in Maryland. Each state handles the dissolution of a long-term unmarried relationship differently, so learning about how Maryland approaches such relationships will allow you to make informed decisions about your legal options moving forward.
It is important to understand that speaking with an attorney does not commit you to take any kind of legal action. For example, discussing palimony with a family law attorney will not obligate you to formally request this benefit. Consultations are designed so that clients can learn about their options and make informed decisions accordingly. And should you decide to pursue any sort of legal action, our team will be able to help provide support and guidance throughout that process.
