Blogs from November, 2025

From making joint decisions, coordinating schedules, and communicating effectively, co-parenting can be an emotional and logistical challenge. However, there are a number of co-parenting apps that are available to help co-parents manage communication, stay organized, and keep emotions out of the equation. These tools can provide co-parents with a neutral platform to reduce conflict and prevent misunderstandings, even in contentious child custody matters.

Some of the major benefits of using a co-parenting app to navigate your custody situation can include the following:

Help Keep Co-Parents Organized

Sharing parenting responsibilities across two different households can be difficult. Parents need to be on the same page about scheduling and child-related finances. They also need to have access to important information about the child’s education and healthcare to be able to make shared decisions.

Co-parenting apps with the following features can help reduce some of the stress that can come with trying to stay organized:

• Shared calendar: Shared calendars can help ensure both parents are kept in the loop about the child’s after-school activities, appointments, and special events. It can also ensure parents can easily track custody exchanges and parenting time.
• Expense tracking: Parents can log and track all child-related expenses to ensure fairness when splitting costs for things such as medical bills, tuition, extracurricular activities, and other costs.
• Document storage: Co-parenting apps can be used to store medical records, school records, and other documentation so that both parents can easily access the information.

Some apps also have an “info bank” that can allow for quick access to important information regarding a child’s allergies, immunizations, photos, and medical history.

Minimize the Need for Direct Communication Between Co-Parents

One of the biggest benefits of using a co-parenting app is that it minimizes the need for direct communication between parents. Not only can communicating with a co-parent through an app reduce the potential for conflict, but it can also help prevent misunderstandings. In addition, if tone is an issue in texts or emails, there are co-parenting apps available that use artificial intelligence to detect whether a message sounds too confrontational or contains hostile language.

Keep Emotions Out of Day-to-Day Custody Issues and Decision-Making

Co-parenting apps can allow parents to keep emotional distance from each other. Rather than a parent reacting in the moment to their co-parent over the phone or through text, an app can serve as a “digital buffer.” By providing a platform to structure (and limit) communication, a parent can take the time they need to craft a thoughtful response that focuses on their child, rather than on the conflict with their co-parent.

Increase Accountability for Co-Parents

By maintaining a log of all communications between co-parents, an app can help ensure each parent is held accountable for their responsibilities and actions. All activity in the co-parenting app is time-stamped and cannot be edited, reducing the potential for one parent to claim the conversation was different than the one that occurred. Some apps even provide “read” receipts to prevent ignored messages.

Create a Record for a Contentious Custody Case

Co-parenting apps can create a documented record of all communications and interactions between co-parents. These records can be used in court in the event of a custody dispute to demonstrate what was said and when. Co-parenting apps can offer crucial evidence against false claims. They can also be used to substantiate a claim. Specifically, co-parenting apps can provide an unalterable and objective record that shows either proof of compliance with the parenting plan or a parent’s violation of the custody order.

Keep a Child Out of the Middle of Parental Conflict

Co-parenting apps can facilitate direct communication between co-parents without the need for involving the child. By centralizing communication and ensuring it remains private, a co-parenting app can help keep a child from witnessing conflict between their parents. It can also prevent parents from using the child as messengers to relay information between houses, which can cause stress, anxiety, and confusion for the child.

Promote a Healthy Co-Parenting Relationship

By providing a structured platform, ensuring transparency, and reducing the potential for misunderstandings that can lead to conflict, a co-parenting app can help to promote a healthy co-parenting relationship. Co-parenting apps can help encourage respect, improve communication, and create a supportive environment for a child.

Contact an Experienced Maryland Family Law Attorney

If you are facing an issue concerning child custody or parenting time, a knowledgeable family law attorney can help you find solutions and ensure the best interests of your child are met. At the Law Office of Shelly M. Ingram, our Fulton, Maryland family law attorneys provide compassionate counsel and reliable representation for divorce and a wide range of family law matters. All of our attorneys are trained in collaborative divorce, mediation, and traditional divorce litigation. To schedule a confidential consultation, call us at (240) 652-2596">(240) 652-2596 or contact us online.

If you’re considering parting ways with your spouse, you may be wondering what the difference is between an uncontested and a contested divorce. While the result is ultimately the same in that a judge will issue a decree that legally terminates your marriage, the type of divorce you choose will determine how your case moves forward. With an uncontested divorce, spouses reach an agreement on issues that need to be decided between themselves — in a contested matter, a judge determines the outcome for any issues that cannot be agreed upon by the spouses.

What is an Uncontested Divorce?

An uncontested divorce is one in which spouses agree on all the issues that need to be determined to legally end their marriage. Even if a divorce begins as a contested matter, it can be completed as an uncontested case if spouses reach a settlement after the initial paperwork has been filed. Mediation and the collaborative process are two forms of alternative dispute resolution that can allow you and your spouse to resolve the issues of property division, alimony, child custody, and child support outside the courtroom. In the event any issues cannot be resolved without judicial intervention, the case will be considered a contested matter — and proceed through the litigation process.

Mutual Consent Divorce

Couples who agree on all the issues that need to be determined before filing their divorce complaint can proceed with a “mutual consent divorce” in Maryland. This streamlined process is a type of uncontested divorce that is cost-effective and efficient — it can also allow you to divorce more amicably. In addition, there are no fault grounds that need to be established or waiting periods. However, there are specific requirements in order to qualify for this form of uncontested divorce, including the following:

• You must include a signed, written settlement agreement with your divorce filing.
• The agreement covers the issues of property division, alimony, and if applicable, child custody and support.
• You must show the court that neither spouse changed their mind between the time the settlement agreement was signed and the date the divorce hearing is scheduled.

After the mutual consent hearing in court, a judge will issue the Judgment of Absolute Divorce. The terms of the settlement agreement you entered into with your spouse cannot be altered once it has been entered, except where there has been a “material change in circumstances” concerning child custody or support. It’s essential to consult with a divorce attorney before signing a settlement agreement or proceeding with a mutual consent divorce to ensure your legal rights and financial interests are protected.

What Does a Contested Divorce Mean?

A contested divorce is one in which the spouses do not agree on one or more of the major issues that need to be determined in order for a judge to sign the final judgment. Since it can involve a considerable amount of discovery, the process for a contested divorce is typically much longer and more costly than that for an uncontested matter. If the issues can’t be resolved through negotiation attempts during the litigation process, a trial will be held. At trial, a judge would decide any disputed issues based on the evidence presented and the testimony of the parties.

Notably, alternative dispute resolution is still available in contested divorce cases — and these methods can often help spouses transition from a contested matter to an uncontested divorce. In fact, judges encourage the parties to settle the issues in their case between themselves.

Is an Uncontested vs. Contested Divorce Better for My Situation?

Whether an uncontested vs. contested divorce is better for your situation will depend on the specific facts of your case. Under the right circumstances, there can be many advantages to proceeding with an uncontested divorce. Importantly, it allows you and your spouse to remain in control of the outcome of your case, rather than letting a judge decide. Moving forward with the uncontested process can also reduce the costs associated with litigating your divorce, save you time, and minimize the stress that can often come with a lengthy courtroom battle. It can be better for your children as well — by working together with your spouse to part ways amicably, you can demonstrate positive role modeling, conserve financial resources, and minimize disruptions to your children’s routines.

Although it can offer a number of advantages, uncontested divorce isn’t right for every case. If your spouse isn’t willing to cooperate, refuses to settle, or there is a power imbalance, a contested divorce may be your only option. Filing for a contested divorce can ensure you have the legal protections you need if you suspect your spouse is concealing assets or if domestic violence has been an issue in the marriage.

Contact an Experienced Divorce and Family Law Attorney

If you’d like to learn more about uncontested vs. contested divorce — and which type of divorce is best for your situation — a knowledgeable divorce and family law attorney can help. At the Law Office of Shelly M. Ingram, our Fulton, Maryland divorce attorneys work closely with our clients and help ensure they understand their options. All of our attorneys are trained in collaborative divorce, mediation, and traditional divorce litigation.

To schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced Maple Lawn divorce attorney, call us at (240) 652-2596">(240) 652-2596 or contact us online.

If you remarry after a divorce, you may be wondering how child custody or child support might be impacted. While remarriage alone does not automatically change a custody order already in place, a court might grant a request for modification of custody if there has been a “material change in circumstances” that affects the child. Similarly, when it comes to child support and remarriage, any existing child support obligation will not change based on remarriage alone. However, if there are material changes in either parent’s financial situation because of the remarriage, or the financial needs of the child, the change in financial circumstances prompted by the remarriage may be grounds for a modification of support.

Remarriage and Child Custody

The best interest of the child is the legal standard that is applied to all child custody matters in Maryland, including those involving child custody or child custody modification and remarriage. While remarriage itself does not affect custody, a judge might determine that a custody arrangement should be altered if there are certain factors that would negatively affect your child’s health, safety, or welfare. If your new spouse was abusive toward you or your child, or has a substance abuse issue, a judge might order that the current custody arrangement be modified.

To modify an existing custody order, the parent requesting the change must establish that there has been a material change in circumstances since the last order was entered. Some of the factors a judge would consider when determining whether a custody order should be changed after a parent’s remarriage can include the following:

• The child’s relationship with the new spouse
• Whether the new marriage provides a less stable environment for the child
• A parent’s relocation and how it impacts the child’s relationship with the other parent
• Any changes regarding the fitness of either parent
• The willingness of the parents to cooperate when it comes to custody matters
• Whether the child’s needs are being met
• The preferences of the child (if they are old enough)
• The existence of other children in the household

In many cases, a parent’s remarriage can be beneficial for a child. Stepparents develop strong bonds with their stepchildren —and a child may be provided with increased emotional stability and physical well-being.

Relocation and Remarriage

Relocation can be a significant factor when it comes to modifying child custody arrangements. If the distance between you and your former spouse changes significantly due to remarriage, it may trigger a need to review your existing custody order and access arrangements.

Under Maryland law, if the custodial parent is planning to relocate with the child to a location that would impact the existing access schedule, he or she must provide at least 90 days’ notice to the other parent and provide an opportunity to object in court. If the noncustodial parent does not consent to the child’s relocation, a judge would determine the outcome of the case by applying the best interests of the child standard. Keep in mind that it can take months for a custody modification to process through the Court’s system.

Child Support and Remarriage

When it comes to child support and remarriage, a new spouse’s income is not considered unless they legally adopt the child. However, this would require the biological parent to relinquish their parental rights. The non-custodial parent would still be required to make child support payments to the custodial parent if either remarried. The amount of child support ordered would not be reduced based on a new spouse’s income.

There is a narrow exception to the general rule that remarriage does not impact child support obligations. If the paying parent’s new spouse pays a parent’s financial obligations (for example, health insurance for a minor child), the parent may have more financial resources available — and a court may award a modification based on their ability to contribute more toward child support.

Maryland’s Multifamily Adjustment

As of October 1, 2025, a new law went into effect in Maryland that could impact child support if you or your former spouse decides to remarry after divorce. The multifamily adjustment permits a parent to receive an allowance for children living in their home who they are legally obligated to support — and are not included in the current child support order. In order to receive the adjustment, the child must spend at least 92 overnights a year with that parent.

For instance, say a parent is currently in court for a child support matter, and they have two younger children from a previous relationship living with them who are not subject to a child support order. They would have their income reduced by an allowance for those two children before support is calculated for the child in the pending case. The intention of the new law is to provide for a more realistic calculation of payments by considering a parent’s overall financial obligations. However, it may potentially result in some families seeing smaller payments.

Contact an Experienced Maryland Divorce and Family Law Attorney

If you have concerns about child custody or child support and remarriage, it’s important to consult with a knowledgeable family law attorney who can best advise you regarding the facts of your situation. At the Law Office of Shelly M. Ingram, our Fulton, Maryland family law attorneys provide compassionate counsel and trusted representation for a wide range of family law matters. All of our attorneys are trained in collaborative divorce, mediation, and traditional divorce litigation and will discuss the options available to you. We will work closely with you in your case to reach the best possible outcome for you and your children.

To schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced Maple Lawn divorce attorney, call us at (240) 652-2596">(240) 652-2596 or contact us online.