Maryland > Statewide > Circuit Court > Family Law > Domestic Relations (Pro-Se) > Custody-Visitation
Complaint For Custody DR-4 - Maryland
| Complaint For Custody Form. This is a Maryland form and can be used in Custody-Visitation Domestic Relations (Pro-Se) Family Law Circuit Court Statewide . |
|
||||||
 Get this form for FREE as a print-only pdf |
|||||||
|
COMPLAINT FOR CUSTODY INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING DOM REL 4 If there is no court order granting custody of a child, you may initiate a case to obtain custodyof that child, filing either through an attorney or by yourself. DOM RE L forms were developed to assist persons deciding to proceed alone, but you are urged to consid er carefully the importance of getting an attorney to help you. Custody, if contested, i s one of the most difficulttypes of cases and you should consider seriously using an attorney. Use this form only if there isno previous custody order. See General Instructions - Dictionary for an explanation of custody. There are 6 steps you must follow in order to proceed with the case your self: > STEP 1 Completion of Form DOM REL 4. Page 1 of DOM REL 4: Court: Fill in the name of the County (or Baltimore City) where you intend t o file your case. See General Instructions. Case No.: DO NOT write anything where it says Case No. The Clerk of Court will fill in this blank and, at that time, you should make note of the number for future reference. Plaintiff: Fill in your name, as Plaintiff, and your current address and t elephone number. Defendant(s): Fill in the other persons name, as Defendant No. 1, or, if you are not a parent of the child(ren), fill in the name of one parent, as Def endant No. 1, and the other parent, as Defendant No. 2. List the current address and telephone number for each defendant. If you do not have an address for a defendant and you have done everything you can to find the address, call the LegalForms Helpline (1-800-818-9888) to see whether resources are available in your county to help you. Item 1: Print your name in the space provided and state your relationship to the child(ren) by checking mother or father or naming your relationship in the blank. List the child(ren)s full name(s) and date(s) of birth. Page 1 of 3 DRIN 4 - Revised 9 Jan 2004<<<<<<<<<********>>>>>>>>>>>>> 2 Item 2: Fill in the name of Defendant No. 1 and state his/her relationship to t he child(ren) by circling mother or father or naming the relationship in the blank. If there is a Defendant No. 2, circle mother or father as a ppropriate. Item 3: Enter the full address where the children are currently living. Enter the name of the person with whom the child(ren) is(are) living at this time. Item 4: List all other places the child(ren) have lived in the last 5 years. Include the time period, place lived, person with whom they lived and that person s current address. Page 2 of DOM REL 4: Item 5: List all other cases in any court that have involved any of the child( ren). Attach the most recent court order for the listed cases. Item 6: List all other cases you have participated in as a party, witness, or i n any other way, that concern the custody of the same child(ren). Include the sta te in which the case took place, the court, case number, year filed and results. Attach the most recent court order for the listed cases. Item 7: List any person, not a party to this case, who has physical custody of the child(ren) or claims to have custody or visitation rights with respect to the child(ren). Item 8: Explain fully why you believe it would be best for the child(ren) to be in your custody. Page 2 and 3 of DOM REL 4: FOR THESE REASONS: Check off everything you want but remember that the court need not give you what you asked for. Visitation: You can ask the court to allow the Defendant(s) unrestricted visitati on with the child(ren) or to allow the Defendant(s) visitation on a certain schedule or with supervision or to deny visitation by the Defendant(s). You should have a good reaso n for asking to deny visitation, and the reason(s) should be stated after th e word because. Health Insurance: You can ask the court to order the parent(s)/other parent to include the child(ren) on his/her/their health insurance. Child Support: You can ask the court to order the parent(s)/other parent to pay chil d support. If you want child support, you must complete a financial state ment (DOM REL 30) and file it along with form DOM REL 4. See Step 6 below also. Page 2 of 3 DRIN 4 - Revised 9 Jan 2004<<<<<<<<<********>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3 Other Requests: If you wish the court to order anything else that relates to the child(ren), you should list it here. Date and sign form DOM REL 4. > STEP 2 Filing Forms and Paying Filing Fee. Take your completed form(s) to the Clerk of Court. Payment of a filin g fee generally is required at this time. See General Instructions. Make sure to note the case number assigned by the Clerk, as you will need the number as the case progresses. > STEP 3 Service. You will need to have the other party(ies) properly served with a copy of all the papers youare filing AND with a Writ of Summons which is provided by the Civil Clerk of this Cou rt. See General Instructions. > STEP 4 Request for Default if No Answer Filed. If a defendant is served: The defendant should answer within: in Maryland 30 days after service in another state 60 days after service in another country 90 days after service If a defendant does not file an answer by the required time, file a Requ est for Order of Default (DOM REL 54). > STEP 5 Request for Hearing or Proceeding. The Complaint for Custody alone will not get you into court. You MUST f ile a Request for Hearing or Proceeding (DOM REL 59), so that a court date will be set. See General Instructions. > STEP 6 Scheduling Conference, Hearing or Trial. See page 5 of General Instructions - What Happens in Court? If you have asked for child support/alimony, you must bring to the sched uling conference, hearing or trial, copies of any financial statements that you have compl eted (DOM REL 30 or 31) and copies of your last three paystubs or other income verification. Custody is one of the most difficult types of cases. IF CUSTODY IS CONTESTED, YOU SHOULD CONSULT AN ATTORNEY. Page 3 of 3 DRIN 4 - Revised 9 Jan 2004<<<<<<<<<********>>>>>>>>>>>>> 4Circuit Court for Case No. City or County Name Name VS. Street Address Apt. # Street Address Apt. # ( ) ( ) City State Zip Code Area Telephone City State Zip Code Area Telephone Code Code Plaintiff Defendant No. 1 Name Street Address Apt. # ( ) City State Zip Code Area Telephone Code Defendant No. 2 COMPLAINT FOR CUSTODY (DOM REL 4) I, , representing myself, state that: My name 1. I am the Qmother/Qfather or (Check One) Relationship (for example, aunt, grandfather, guardian, etc) of the
|
|||||||
