Heather is the firm’s managing partner and divorce law guru. Heather knows all the ins and outs of divorce in Maryland and DC, and she knows exactly what to do to put her clients in a position to accomplish their goals.
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Posts by Heather McCabe
What Determines if a Parent Is Unfit for Custody?
One of the more challenging parts of the divorce process is the decision of child custody. Both parents generally want to spend as much time as possible with their child, or children, and the court takes a number of factors into consideration when making their determination on parenting time. In extreme cases, one parent may…
Read MoreWhat Is a “Pet-nup” and Should I Have One in My Marriage?
We are all familiar with the idea of a pre-nuptial agreement. These are agreements, or contracts, couples put together before marriage to protect themselves and each other in the event of a divorce later down the road. Pre-nups are simply a fact of modern life, and shouldn’t be seen as an unromantic gesture or a…
Read MoreSigns You Might be Facing a High-Conflict Divorce
Under even the best of circumstances, divorce can be an emotional process. When you enter into divorce proceedings with good faith and intentions, if your spouse does not do the same, you may be dealing with what’s called a “high-conflict divorce.” High-conflict divorce, however, doesn’t have to take you by surprise, if you know what…
Read MoreIs a Domestic Partnership Right for Me?
A recent article in the New York Times highlighted a new trend in the area of love and marriage – domestic partnerships. Although the idea of domestic partnerships is nothing new, especially in the LGBTQ community pre-marriage equality, a movement toward platonic marriage is yet another way we can look at how we define “family.”…
Read MoreUPDATED: Do You Know Your Divorce Goals? Planning for Your Divorce
We meet with a lot of clients who are just beginning to think about divorce and their divorce goals. Some of our clients are the ones seeking to end the marriage, and some of them are responding to a spouse’s announcement that the marriage is over. Whatever the case, there is usually one spouse is…
Read MoreKeeping the House in the Divorce May Be More Costly Than You Think
The divorce is almost final, and it turns out you are getting the house, which is great news! It’s the house where your children grew up and made happy memories, and now they don’t have to leave their friends or switch schools. You don’t have to worry about packing up your things and trying to…
Read MoreWhat Are Child Support Payments Supposed to Cover?
Whether you pay or receive child support, that monthly payment is financially important to everyone in your family. On average, according to the United States government, people pay around $5,760 per year in child support. When going through a divorce or split and determining child support, both parents should have a good understanding about how…
Read MoreHow the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed Divorce
The world is forever changed since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold last year – the way we interact with each other, the way we work, and the way we do business have all evolved as the pandemic forced us into different ways of living. Even as more Americans are vaccinated, it’s likely to be a…
Read MoreWhat to Do if Your Spouse Has Borderline Personality Disorder
Living with someone who has borderline personality disorder (BPD) can feel confusing and cause anxiety in your relationship. It often leads to rifts in personal relationships and even poses problems in maintaining employment, which can lead to further turbulence due to financial woes. Understanding BPD will go a long way in determining whether your marriage…
Read MoreMeet Raylynn T. Best-James, McCabe Russell Divorce and Child Custody Lawyers’s New Associate!
McCabe Russell Divorce and Child Custody Lawyers is proud to introduce Raylynn T. Best-James, one of our new Associate Attorneys! Raylynn’s experiences practicing estate planning & administration, personal injury, and other civil matters, along with family law, give her a unique advantage in the courtroom and during negotiations. Her proactive approach and attention to detail…
Read MoreReligious Extremism and Seeking Divorce: What You Should Know
When you and your spouse no longer share the same beliefs as a result of him or her subscribing to what you consider to be radical ideals, sharing a household can become beyond difficult. We aren’t talking about a slightly different view on something or a difference of opinion on one issue; we are talking…
Read MoreCivil Unions Vs. Marriage in Government Retirement Plans
Relationships are complicated, but even more complicated can be making a relationship official by law. We don’t mean that the actual ceremony can be tough to maneuver; we mean that all of “fun” administrative issues that come along with life can become more complicated by legally merging your lives. Part of that complication comes in…
Read MoreWhat to Do When a Spouse Is in Rehab
The pressures of life can be difficult to handle and for some people, marriage can add unexpected stressors. Financial troubles, insecurities that your spouse could be getting attention elsewhere, and arguments that you aren’t holding up your end of your partnership can send a spouse into a downward spiral that includes substance abuse and addiction.…
Read MoreHow Does My Divorce Affect My Stimulus Check?
In December, legislators agreed to a second coronavirus relief package, with direct payments of $600 to eligible adults, plus $600 per child dependent. Many individuals and families have already received their stimulus payments, and other payments are on their way. However, for couples in the process of divorce or child support disputes, this stimulus check…
Read MoreFalsifying Drug Tests for Child Custody Cases
How many times have you heard your child’s other parent claim he or she is sober, but you’ve seen the same signs of being under the influence so many times that you know it’s a lie? You have concerns about your child being around that parent but your fears have fallen on deaf ears so…
Read MoreHow to Help Your Kids Through the Holidays After Divorce
Kids of divorce experience the holiday blues at least as much as newly single parents do. It can feel “weird” to split a holiday, or to only see one parent instead of both. This can leave kids feeling angry and frustrated at one (or both) parents and feeling guilty for not somehow making it all…
Read MoreWhat Documents Should I Bring To My First Meeting With My Divorce Lawyer? A Checklist.
You should not put a lot of pressure on yourself when you visit with your lawyer for the first time, but some documents can be helpful to your new attorney in assessing the issues in your case. Remember the military adage, “Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance.” While the documents can seem personal,…
Read MoreWhat is a Scheduling Conference In A Family Law Matter? Pro Tips to Be Prepared
Every piece of paper you receive in the mail regarding your divorce can cause anxiety, but when you receive the notice of your scheduling conference, don’t fret. A scheduling conference is what it sounds like: it’s an opportunity for the court to hear what the issues are, decide how complex your case is, and schedule…
Read MoreWe moved!
We outgrew our old space! But we love Howard County and we love Maple Lawn, so we didn’t move far. We’re one building over from our old location. You can find us now at our new address: 8171 Maple Lawn Boulevard, Suite 350, Fulton, Maryland 20759. For our friends familiar with Maple Lawn, we’re in…
Read MoreDo I have to wait to get divorced? Do I qualify for a Mutual Consent Divorce?
Once you’ve decided you want to be divorced, you don’t want to have to wait. But divorces can take a bit of time, and separating so that you live under separate roofs can be expensive. The mutual consent divorce ground has been around in Maryland for nearly two years now and can alleviate the strain…
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