As everyone knows, a divorce is the legal termination of a marriage. The divorce process is almost always emotionally devastating for both parties. It may involve losing a spouse who one still loves or leaving a spouse from whom one has grown apart. It may involve losing the ability to raise children in the way that was planned. Above all, it involves breaking emotional ties and plans that have developed over the years or decades. Regardless of the reason, it’s always painful when something to which you have devoted so much time and energy ends. Our best Annapolis family law attorneys around your location will help you get through this hard process.
My mission is to use my legal knowledge and experience to counsel my clients to understand the legal system and to advocate for them with passion and grit to make the strongest case to the court possible. In this way, I hope to provide them with peace of mind and the best chance of obtaining their desired outcome for themselves and their family.
Patrick Crawford
A divorce legal case can also be financially excruciating. It may require that a person suddenly become self-supporting. It usually requires that parties divide accounts, houses, and other assets. After the divorce is finished, both spouses may feel poorer because they each have a fraction of what they previously had. And in some cases, one spouse may be required to have child support, child custody, or pay spousal support.
Maryland no longer recognizes “limited divorce.” Today, Maryland law provides for an absolute divorce based on one of three grounds:
- Irreconcilable differences
- Separation for at least 6 months
- Mutual consent (a written agreement resolving all issues)
A party that attempts to represent himself or herself, without an Annapolis divorce attorney, in a divorce case is taking a huge risk. That party will likely make a less persuasive case and receive a less favorable outcome than otherwise. After the process is completed, an unrepresented party will likely wonder if a better outcome could have been obtained with legal representation. He or she may later hire divorce lawyers and spend years and substantial legal assistance fees attempting to undo the damage that was done by failing to have an attorney from the beginning.
Having one of the best Md divorce lawyers from the start is extremely important. Only a Crawford law firm near your location has the necessary understanding of the family law and the court process. The best divorce attorney will guide you through the process, advocate for you at every opportunity, and make a forceful case for you at trial if necessary. When the process ends, you will likely have peace of mind and a much better result.
Patrick is not like other divorce lawyers. Patrick has a boutique law office in which he provides high-quality service to a small number of clients. His practice is small, and that is how he likes it. He is the only divorce attorney in his office. Having a small practice allows Patrick to provide a highly personalized service in which he gets to know each client and delivers representation that is tailored to achieve that client’s unique goals. He has spent the last 14 years handling divorce cases. He has represented his clients in all stages of their cases, including settlement, trial, and appeal. He is aggressive while also being careful to avoid wasteful efforts and strategies that usually serve only to increase the client’s legal fees. Patrick directs his efforts in a focused and intelligent way on things that are most important to the client and that are calculated to bring results. He invites his clients to participate meaningfully in setting the case direction, he is friendly, and he is responsive.
