McCarty v. McCarty
Court of Special Appeals of Maryland
807 A.2d 1211 (2002)
Mr. McCarty (plaintiff) sought joint legal and physical custody of the couple's three-year-old daughter, while Ms. McCarty (defendant) counter-filed for sole legal and physical custody. The trial court awarded Ms. McCarty sole physical custody but delayed its legal-custody ruling for six months, ordering the parents to work with a parent coordinator; despite an 'abysmal' communication history, the coordinator reported optimism after six months that the parents could resolve their differences, and the trial court ordered joint legal custody. Ms. McCarty appealed, arguing she never agreed to joint custody and that the parents genuinely could not communicate effectively.
Whether joint legal custody may be appropriate despite a history of poor communication between the parents, as long as the parents are deemed able to communicate effectively moving forward.