Family Court

Scheduling
Hearings are usually scheduled automatically. In pro se cases, hearings are scheduled at a scheduling conference. If you must request a hearing, use Form 59.

Settlement Conferences
The Court does not always hold a settlement conference in cases where both parties are pro se. However, that is the goal. Settlement conferences are always held if one or both parties are represented by an attorney.

Length of Time to Get a Hearing
Pendente lite: within a month.
All other cases: depends on how busy the schedule of cases is.

Emergency Hearings - Pro Se Litigants
In order to request an emergency hearing, you must have an attorney. It is possible to see the judge the same day as your attorney files the request.

Source: A joint project of the Women's Law Center and MLAN, along with interviews conducted with Family Law Court Coordinators, court clerks and local advocates practicing in this county. Updated by the Maryland State Law Library (MSLL).

Date of Last Review: 10/3/08 (PLL/M.A.J.)

Is this legal advice? This site offers legal information, not legal advice. We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information and to clearly explain your options. However we do not provide legal advice - the application of the law to your individual circumstances. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney. See our section on Finding Legal Help.

About this website. The Maryland State Law Library, a court-related agency of the Maryland Judiciary, sponsors this site. The website was developed (1999-2007) as part of an access to justice initiative by the Maryland Legal Assistance Network (MLAN) in collaboration with a number of legal services providers serving low and moderate income Marylanders. In the absence of file-specific attribution or copyright, the Maryland State Law Library may hold the copyright to parts of this website. You are free to copy the information for your own use or for other non-commercial purposes with the following language “Source: Maryland's People’s Law Library – www.peoples-law.org. © Maryland State Law Library, 2007.”

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