From C.M. v. J.M., decided Friday by the Appellate Court of Maryland, in an opinion by Justice Alexander Wright, Jr.:
The Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County entered a final protective order against C.M. ("Father") on grounds that he was mentally abusive to his 12-year-old son ("N.") regarding his son's sexual orientation….
Father and J.M. ("Mother") were married for about five years and had two children before divorcing in 2012. As part of the divorce settlement, the parties agreed to joint legal custody of their two children with Mother to have primary physical custody and Father to have visitation every other weekend from Friday to Sunday.
Roughly three years later, on June 15, 2022, Mother filed for a protective order for herself and her children, then aged 15 and 12, alleging that Father had caused her and the children mental injury based on abusive texts and emails he had sent to them….
As to their older child, "S.", Mother testified that about three years ago, S. told her that he believed he was transgender. {We shall refer to the parties' oldest child as "S." which is the first letter of the name the child prefers to be called rather than his given name. We shall also refer to S. with his preferred pronouns, he/him/his.} Mother denied steering S. toward identifying as transgender but has actively supported S. by arranging for therapy and attending meetings of Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays ("PFLAG"). When S. told Father that he identified as transgender, Father "opposed" his decision and refused to call him by his preferred name. S. subsequently engaged in the self-harming behavior of "cutting." On March 4, 2022, Father sent the following text messages to S.:
What is your email address? I'm sending you an email and I'm copying your mother and my lawyer. I'm t[ir]ed the BS manipulations. Your grandmother doesn't call you S[.] and neither does either one of your aunts and uncle up here and for some reason my Christian beliefs are being attacked, so the intent is for a trial, so that everyone can understand what your mother that has manipulated a wedge after you and I had already came to an agreement [to call you a shortened version of your given name]. Thanks[.]
Mother testified that S. is "scared" to be around Father because "he doesn't feel support; doesn't feel that S[.] can be himself, … his true self[.]"
As to their younger child, N., Mother testified that about five months ago N. told her that he believed he was gay. On June 11, 2022, Father sent N. the following text:
You can text me anytime. Just between us and call if you ever need to talk. I will tell you like I told you before—you are being heavily manipulated and influenced by your mother and sister. Son. Listen to your dad and our father who created us (God) in this matter. Please please do not allow these demons you are surrounded by influence you. Pray my son. For protection. I love you. Dad.
