In July 2022, a series of amendments made to the Maryland statutes concerning child support went into effect. The Code of Maryland calls on state officials and lawmakers to review child support guidelines on a quadrennial basis, and the various changes made this time reflect a climate of reform that has been unfolding in other states since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
To a Bethesda child support attorney, all the 2022 changes made to the Maryland Family Law Article are highly relevant, but most clients are paying attention to section 12-202(b), which is commonly referred to as the “no-support” order. In essence, this amendment gives family court judges legal standing to decline a request for child support under certain circumstances. This change marks a new era in the history of family law for Maryland residents because judges were not previously allowed to reject child support requests.
The change to section 12-202(b) is significant for parents who either request child support or argue against having to pay it. No-support orders in Maryland can now be entered if the parent from whom support is demanded is already making financial or material contributions. The same applies to parents who live with disabilities that force them to receive SSI payments because they can’t work. Incarceration and hospitalization are other circumstances that the judge may consider when issuing a no-support order.
Te learn more about recent changes to family law in Maryland, visit Law Offices of Sandra Guzman-Salvado, a bilingual Bethesda child support attorney with additional offices in Frederick, Greenbelt, and Rockville.
