How to Prepare for a Maryland Custody Scheduling Conference Without a Lawyer

Your Maryland circuit court will schedule a scheduling conference within 60 days of service of process. This is the moment the court assigns your case to a Differentiated Case Management track, sets discovery and hearing deadlines, and orders you to complete the Maryland Parenting Plan Tool (CC-DR-109) in good faith. Walking in prepared — with your proposed schedule drafted, overnights calculated, and evidence organized — is the single most important thing you can do as a self-represented parent.

Here's exactly how to prepare.

What Happens at a Scheduling Conference

The scheduling conference is not a custody hearing. The judge or magistrate won't make a custody determination at this stage. Instead, the court:

1. Assigns your case to a DCM track — Maryland's Differentiated Case Management system routes cases based on complexity. Simple uncontested cases get a faster track; contested or high-conflict cases receive extended discovery timelines.
2. Sets deadlines — discovery cutoffs, mediation dates, settlement conference dates, and trial dates are established here
3. Issues the CC-DR-109 parenting plan requirement — both parents are ordered to complete the Maryland Parenting Plan Tool and make a good-faith effort to agree on decision-making authority and parenting time
4. May refer you to mediation — many Maryland circuit courts order mediation before allowing a contested custody case to proceed to trial

The scheduling conference is typically brief — 15 to 30 minutes. But the decisions made here set the trajectory for your entire case.

Pre-Conference Preparation Checklist

1. Draft Your Proposed Parenting Schedule

Before the conference, draft a specific weekly schedule. "Reasonable visitation" is not a schedule — it's a phrase that cannot be enforced through a Petition for Contempt because it doesn't specify transition times, pickup locations, or holiday rotations.

Choose a concrete schedule pattern:

• 2-2-3 rotation — child alternates every 2-3 days; high transition frequency, works for young children near both homes
• 5-2-2-5 rotation — more stability within each week; child spends weekdays consistently with one parent
• Alternating weeks — simplest to track; works best for older children comfortable with longer stretches
• Alternating weekends — one parent has primary physical custody; the other has every-other-weekend and one midweek evening

2. Calculate Your Overnight Count

Maryland's child support formula has a critical threshold at 92 overnights per year. If the non-custodial parent has 92 or more overnights (at least 25% of the year), the court uses the shared physical custody child support worksheet under Family Law § 12-204. A few overnights can shift monthly payments by hundreds of dollars.

Count the overnights in your proposed schedule carefully. Include regular weekly time, holidays, school breaks, and summer vacation. The Maryland Custody & Parenting Plan Guide includes an overnight tracker worksheet that maps these calculations.

3. Document Your Position on the 16 Best-Interest Factors

Since October 2025, Maryland judges evaluate custody using 16 codified best-interest factors under House Bill 1191. Before the scheduling conference, prepare a written summary of your position on each factor:

• Your caregiving history and daily involvement
• The child's adjustment to home, school, and community
• Each parent's mental and physical health
• Your willingness to facilitate the child's relationship with the other parent
• Any history of domestic violence or child abuse
• The child's preference (if age-appropriate)

You won't present this at the scheduling conference itself, but having it organized positions you for mediation and any hearings that follow.

4. Organize Your Evidence (Maryland's Print Rule)

Maryland circuit courts require that all digital evidence be physically printed. Judges will not view text messages, emails, or photographs on your phone or laptop. Before the scheduling conference:

• Print all relevant text message screenshots with dates and sender identification
• Print email chains showing communication patterns
• Print photographs showing your home environment, child's room, and daily routines
• Organize everything in a labeled binder with section dividers

5. Know Your Deadlines

If you and your co-parent cannot agree on a parenting plan using CC-DR-109, you'll need to file a Joint Statement (CC-DR-110) under Rule 9-204.2. The deadlines are rigid:

• 30 days before filing: exchange proposed joint statements
• 15 days before filing: plaintiff serves unified statement on defendant for signature
• 10 days before settlement / 20 days before trial: file the Joint Statement with the court

Missing these deadlines can trigger sanctions. Map them to your actual hearing dates immediately after the scheduling conference.

What to Bring to the Conference

• A printed copy of your proposed parenting schedule with specific days and times
• Your overnight calculation for the proposed schedule
• A list of questions about the DCM track and upcoming deadlines
• CC-DR-109 (completed or in progress) showing your good-faith effort
• Your work schedule and any constraints affecting availability
• Pen and notepad — the court will give you specific dates and instructions

Common Mistakes Self-Represented Parents Make

Showing up without a proposed schedule. The court ordered you to make a good-faith effort on CC-DR-109. Arriving without any proposed schedule signals non-compliance.

Using emotional arguments. The scheduling conference is administrative. Save custody arguments for mediation or trial. Focus on logistics, dates, and demonstrating cooperation.

Agreeing to vague terms under pressure. If the other parent proposes "we'll work it out," push for specifics. Vague agreements cannot be enforced and will create problems later.

Ignoring the DCM track assignment. The track determines your entire case timeline. Ask the court what track your case is assigned to and what deadlines follow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to bring a lawyer to the scheduling conference?

No. Many parents attend scheduling conferences without an attorney. The conference is procedural — the court sets deadlines and assigns your case track. Having your proposed schedule and a basic understanding of the process is more important than having representation at this specific hearing.

Can custody be decided at the scheduling conference?

Typically no. The scheduling conference establishes the case timeline and refers parents to mediation or settlement conferences. A custody determination happens later — either through agreement, mediation, or a contested hearing.

What if my co-parent doesn't show up to the scheduling conference?

If the respondent fails to appear after proper service, the court may proceed with scheduling and set default deadlines. In some cases, the court may reschedule or issue a show cause order. The petitioner should be prepared to proceed regardless.

How long does the scheduling conference take?

Usually 15 to 30 minutes. The judge or magistrate reviews the case status, assigns the DCM track, issues deadlines, and addresses any immediate procedural issues. Come prepared and organized — the more focused you are, the smoother it goes.

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