Seven Ways Montgomery County Circuit Court Enables Custodial Interference

For years, I have filed petitions, provided evidence, and begged for enforcement of my custody rights in Montgomery County Circuit Court. My son has never had a predictable or stable schedule since birth. Today, I haven’t seen him in nearly two years.

What happened to me is not just bad luck or a single bad judge—it is the product of a system that routinely enables custodial interference instead of stopping it. Here are seven ways the court does it:

1. Treating Violations as “Disputes”

When one parent willfully ignores a custody order, the court often frames it as a “co-parenting dispute.” Judges lecture both parents equally, creating a false equivalence and allowing the violating parent to escape consequences.

2. Failing to Enforce Contempt

Maryland law allows judges to hold parents in contempt for violating custody orders. But in Montgomery County, contempt is treated like a last resort the court never wants to use. As a result, court orders become meaningless.

3. Prioritizing ADR Over Enforcement

Instead of enforcing orders, judges funnel parents into Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) programs—mediation, parenting coordination, supervised visitation. These services cost money and drag out cases, but do little to stop interference.

4. Hiding Behind “Best Interest of the Child”

Judges claim that punishing the custodial parent might destabilize the child’s home. In practice, this means the interfering parent is shielded from consequences, while the child loses their relationship with the other parent.

5. Ignoring Patterns of Alienation

Parental alienation—when one parent systematically blocks the child’s relationship with the other—is psychological abuse. But Montgomery County judges dismiss it as “drama” or a phase, ignoring the lasting harm it causes.

6. Blaming the Targeted Parent

Parents who bring evidence of interference are often told they are “litigious” or “hostile.” Instead of protecting the targeted parent’s rights, judges flip the narrative to make them look like the problem.

7. Lack of Transparency and Oversight

Family court hearings are often closed, with no cameras, limited court watchers, and no accountability. Judges know they won’t be scrutinized for refusing to enforce custody orders, so the cycle continues unchecked.

The Result: Erased Parents and Harmed Children

In Montgomery County, the refusal to enforce custody orders doesn’t just harm parents—it devastates children. A child raised without stability, denied access to a loving parent, is left with emotional scars the court itself helped create.

The Fix: Real Accountability

If Montgomery County wants to protect children, it must:

• Mandate contempt enforcement when violations are proven.
• Recognize parental alienation as child abuse.
• Bring transparency to family courts with cameras, remote access for court watchers, and public reporting of judicial records.
• Hold judges accountable for consistent non-enforcement.

Montgomery County Circuit Court has allowed custodial interference to flourish by refusing to act. Until that changes, custody orders will remain worthless, children will lose parents, and the cycle of alienation will continue.