A Parent’s First 24 Hours Guide
Immediate steps, avoidable mistakes, court questions and a one-page checklist for Maryland parents.
Get the guide →MARYLAND LEGAL RESOURCE CENTER
Clear next steps.
Built for real life.
Practical Maryland guides, checklists and tools from Cochran & Chhabra Law Group.
FEATURED PARENT RESOURCE
A Parent’s First 24 Hours Guide
If your teenager has been arrested, detained or charged, the first few hours can shape what happens next. This practical Maryland guide helps parents slow the moment down and focus on the right actions.
What to do immediately
What not to text, post, delete or sign
Juvenile court versus adult court
Information to gather for an attorney
A printable one-page parent checklist
Why now: Maryland’s Youth Charging Reform Act changed where certain qualifying cases involving 16- and 17-year-olds begin for offenses committed on or after October 1, 2026. The guide explains the issue without assuming every case stays in juvenile court.
FREE DOWNLOAD
Keep the parent guide close.
Download the guide for immediate access to practical checklists and questions to discuss with counsel.
Download the parent guide →Need help with a specific matter? Request a consultation or call 410.268.5515.
Educational information only. Downloading the guide does not create an attorney-client relationship.
RESOURCE LIBRARY
Start with the question in front of you.
Each resource is designed to answer one urgent question, then point to the next useful step. Choose a topic to find the guides and tools that fit your question.
First 24 Hours Maryland Defense Toolkit
A comprehensive fillable planning toolkit for organizing deadlines, documents, questions and next steps after an arrest or charge.
Open toolkit →Maryland DUI & MVA Quick Guides
Saveable reference pages covering urgent license, hearing and preparation questions.
Open quick guides →When Can a Maryland Teen Be Charged as an Adult?
A parent-friendly explanation of starting jurisdiction, transfers and why age alone does not answer the question.
Read the explainer →Maryland DUI: Court Case or MVA Case?
Understand the two-track process, which deadlines may be separate and what documents to locate first.
Use the MVA tool →Preparing for a Criminal-Defense Consultation
What to bring, what to write down and the questions that help make the first conversation more useful.
View checklist →After a Maryland Crash: Evidence Checklist
A planned saveable guide for photos, medical records, insurance communications, expenses and deadlines.
In productionWhat Happens After an Arrest in Maryland?
A plain-English overview of initial appearance, release, charging documents and the next court date.
Read common questions →OFFICIAL MARYLAND RESOURCES
Maryland Court & Family Resources
Useful public tools for finding court information, forms and family-law resources. These links open external websites.
Maryland Judiciary Case Search
Search publicly available Maryland court case information. Some records are restricted or unavailable online.
Search court cases ↗Maryland Child Support Services
Find state child-support services, payment information and agency contacts.
Visit child support services ↗Maryland Family Law Forms
Find official financial statements, marital-property statements and other family-law forms. Ask counsel which forms apply to your case.
Find family law forms ↗Understanding Maryland Child Support
Read the Maryland Judiciary overview of child support, with links to forms, guidelines and further explanations.
Read the child support guide ↗Maryland Real Property Data Search
Look up property assessment data and ownership information through SDAT. This is separate from recorded deeds and land records.
Search property data ↗Court records and forms do not replace legal advice. Confirm the current requirements with the court or your attorney before filing.
GUIDED PATHS
Not sure where to begin?
01
My child was arrested or charged
Start with the parent guide and immediate-action checklist.
Start here → 02I am worried about my license
Review the separate MVA track and time-sensitive decisions.
Open the MVA tool → 03I need to organize a new case
Use the fillable defense toolkit to gather the essentials.
Open the toolkit →QUICK ANSWERS
Questions Maryland families ask first.
These brief answers are starting points, not substitutes for advice about a specific matter.
Should I ask my child to explain everything immediately?
Focus first on safety, location, deadlines and access to counsel. Avoid pressing for a detailed account that may be repeated in messages or to other people.
Does a juvenile case always stay in juvenile court?
No. Where a case begins and whether it can move depends on age, allegations and Maryland law. Have counsel review the specific charges and dates.
Should we delete social posts or messages?
No. Preserve potentially relevant information and avoid creating new posts or discussions. Ask counsel how to protect and provide electronic material.
Is an MVA matter the same as the criminal DUI case?
No. Maryland DUI matters can involve separate court and administrative processes with different consequences and deadlines.
Does downloading a guide make the firm our lawyer?
No. Downloading information or contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Representation begins only after conflicts review and a written agreement.
NEED CASE-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE?
A resource can help you prepare. A lawyer can evaluate the facts.
Speak with Cochran & Chhabra Law Group about a Maryland criminal, DUI/DWI, juvenile or serious-injury matter.