On average, a family law attorney in Maryland charges between $250 and $500 per hour for their services. However, it's crucial to remember that attorneys' fees can vary. Many times, investing in the services of a Montgomery County family law attorney can save you money, hassles, and heartache in the long run.

Typically, each parent is liable for paying their own legal costs in child custody cases. However, sometimes one parent can be ordered to pay the court and legal costs of the other parent.

If one parent fails to negotiate or act reasonably or responsibly when it comes to family court matters, the judge may order that parent to pay the court costs of the other. For example, if one parent keeps dragging the other back to court without valid concerns or claims, the judge can order them to pay the other parent's court or legal fees. If you believe you are entitled to reimbursement of such fees from the other party, it's important to discuss the matter with your attorney.

Depending on the specifics of the situation, it's often better to mediate and negotiate matters of family law instead of heading to court to litigate them. When you hire a Montgomery County family law attorney from our firm, we can explain the advantages and disadvantages of the various options for managing your case.

The disadvantages of going to family court include the following:

• Going to court can take months or years. – Some family matters can take between one and two years to be resolved in court.
• Going to court can be costly. – Not only will you pay more attorney fees if your case drags on for years, but filing court documents, applications, and affidavits also costs money. Settling your differences outside of court can save a lot of money for both parties.
• Going to court can be highly emotional. – It's common for family matters to be emotional, but even more so if they are drawn out by going to court and a judge determines their case's outcome. The involved parties must also often testify in court and be cross-examined— increasing the stress of going to court.

Going to court takes away the autonomy of both parties. – When you decide to litigate your family matters, neither party gets a say in what happens. You are at the mercy of the court's schedule, requirements, enforcement, and rulings. Keeping these matters out of court gives both parties much more control over the entire situation.

Whenever possible, avoiding court is usually in the best interest of all involved parties. Ultimately, the alternative to going to family court is negotiating an agreement with the opposing party—typically an ex or soon-to-be ex-spouse or your child's other parent. There are several ways doing so can happen.

Sometimes the parties can work out a settlement on their own as their relationship is amicable. Other times, they need the help of a trained mediator who can help them see where the other party is coming from. And still, other times, their attorney can work out a negotiated agreement. However, no matter how the parties go about settling their differences, they each must have their own Montgomery County family law attorney who can protect and represent their individual interests.

It's also essential to note that even after the parties reach an agreement, the family court judge must still approve it and sign off on it for it to be enforceable, even if the parties decide to make changes to any of their already court-approved agreements.