For Maryland parents who are either divorced or in the process of a divorce, there are worries about being able to balance their jobs against the demands of their custody schedule. Parents still want to be able to see their children even when they have sole responsibility for them during their custodial times.
Many times, the parent who has the less demanding work schedule will use this to argue to the court that they should have physical custody. However, both parents have the right to see and spend time with their children. Nonetheless, parents should be mindful of the fact that their work schedule can be a consideration in how much time a court would award them with their children.
When it comes to their jobs, parents must be able to be flexible about scheduling and arrangements. They need to find a way to arrange for pickups and drop-offs if they are not able to do it themselves. They also must be mindful of not asking for too much custody time if they are not able to accommodate it with their work schedule. Courts want both parents to spend time with the children, but they also look closely at the parents’ work schedules when deciding on the physical custody arrangement. Parents must expect that the court will look at the best interests of the children.
A family law attorney might advise their client on the specific arrangements that would be necessary for them to maintain their job and their custody schedule. If the other parent does not agree to a schedule that allows for both parents to spend a suitable amount of time with the children, then the attorney may present the case to the job with the hope of arranging as much time with the children as possible.
