Fait, Dorothy R.

Current Employment Position(s)

Partner

Lawyer Overview

Dorothy R. Fait is the founding partner of Fait, Wise & DiLima, LLP. She was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court in 1977, and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit in 1979. She received her J.D. from the University of Maryland in 1973 and is a graduate of George Washington University.

Dorothy is a member of the Montgomery County, Frederick County, Maryland State and American Bar Associations, serving on and chairing a number of committees for each. She is also a member of the District of Columbia Bar and the Womens Bar of Maryland/Montgomery County.

During her long and illustrious career, Dorothy has served as President of the Montgomery County Commission for Women, Commissioner of the Maryland State Lottery, and Commissioner for the Governor's Citizen's Commission on Crime Prevention.  Dorothy is a member of the Governors Task Force on Family Law and is currently a Bencher and past-President of the Montgomery County Inns of Court where she serves as the Membership Chair.  Dorothy was a Commissioner on the Maryland State Ethics Commission, from 2000 to 2005, was its Chair, and she was also Chair of the Montgomery County Spouse Abuse Task Force for many years.

Currently, Dorothy is serving as Legislative Chair on the Maryland State Bar Family Law Section Council and is a member of the Montgomery County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council.

Dorothy's considerable commitment to her community has garnered her the Woman of Valor Award from the Greater Washington Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse in 2003, and she was named as one of Marylands 100 Top Women by The Daily Record in 2004 and again in 2007.  Law & Politics, a local publication, has named Dorothy one of the area's Super Lawyers in Maryland and in D.C. for 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009.  Also, Dorothy has been named a Maryland and DC Superlawyer for 2010.

Dorothy's reported cases include Sininger v. Sininger, 300 Md. 604, 479 A.2d 1354 (1984), a landmark case on the rights of adult disabled children; Dorsey v. Dorsey, 302 Md. 312, 487 A.2d 1181 (1985), concerning the law of gift between spouses; Wilson v. Wilson, 87 Md. App. 547, 590 A.2d 579 (1991), regarding the impact of out of state decrees on a pending domestic Maryland case; Weathersby v. Kentucky Fried Chicken Natl Management Co., 86 Md. App. 533, 587 A.2d 569 (1991) concerning standards for employment discrimination claims; Caldwell v. Caldwell, 103 Md. App. 452, 653 A.2d 994 (1995), concerning factors to consider in indefinite alimony; Geramifar v. Geramifar, 113 Md. App. 495, 688 A.2d 475 (1997), concerning equitable adoption; Crabill v. Crabill, 119 Md. App. 249, 704 A.2d 532 (1998), regarding whether the Court will consider part time employment in addition to retirement income in an alimony determination; Sczudlo v. Berry, 129 Md. App. 529, 743 A.2d 268 (1999), regarding imputation of income to people who fall outside of the Child Support Guidelines Income limits; Collins v. Collins, 144 Md. App. 395, 798 A.2d 1155 (2002), regarding military pensions and their divisibility in a divorce action; Richards v. Richards, 166 Md. App. 263, 888 A.2d 364 (2005), regarding monetary awards and equitable distribution; and Mills v. Mills, 178 Md. App. 728, 943 A.2d 677 (2008), regarding the revisory power of the Courts pertaining to Qualified Domestic Relations Orders.

Areas of Practice

• Family Law 90%
• Civil Litigation 10%

Representative Cases

• Sininger v. Sininger, 300 Md. 604, 479 A.2d 1354 (1984)
• Dorsey v. Dorsey, 302 Md. 312, 487 A.2d 1181 (1985)
• Wilson v. Wilson, 87 Md. App. 547, 590 A.2d 579 (1991)
• Weathersby v. Kentucky Fried Chicken Natl Management Co., 86 Md. App. 533, 587 A.2d 569 (1991)
• Caldwell v. Caldwell, 103 Md. App. 452, 653 A.2d 994 (1995)
• Geramifar v. Geramifar, 113 Md. App. 495, 688 A.2d 475 (1997)
• Crabill v. Crabill, 119 Md. App. 249, 704 A.2d 532 (1998)
• Sczudlo v. Berry, 129 Md. App. 529, 743 A.2d 268 (1999)
• Collins v. Collins, 144 Md. App. 395, 798 A.2d 1155 (2002)
• Richards v. Richards, 166 Md. App. 263, 888 A.2d 364 (2005)
• Mills v. Mills, 178 Md. App. 728, 943 A.2d 677 (2008)

West Practice Categories

Family Law, Litigation & Appeals

Bar Admissions

• Maryland, 1973
• U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1979
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1977

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Montgomery County Bar Association (Member)
• Frederick County Bar Association (Member)
• Maryland State Bar Association (Member)
• American Bar Association (Member)
• District of Columbia Bar (Member)
• Womens Bar of Maryland (Member)
• Womens Bar Montgomery County (Member)

Honors and Awards

• Bencher and President, Montgomery County Inns of Court
• The Woman of Valor Award, Greater Washington Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse, 2003
• One of Marylands Top 100 Women, 2004
• One of Maryland's Top 100 Women, 2007
• Named a Super Lawyer of Maryland and DC, 2006 - 2010

Past Employment Positions

• Montgomery County Commission for Women, President
• Maryland State Lottery, Commissioner
• Governors Citizens Commission on Crime Prevention, Commissioner
• Governors Task Force on Family Law, Member
• Maryland State Ethics Commission, Commissioner, 2000 - 2005
• Montgomery County Spouse Abuse Task Force, Chair

Education

• University of Maryland School of Law, Baltimore, Maryland, 1973
  J.D.
• George Washington University

Accepts Credit Cards

Address

One Church Street
Suite 800
Rockville, MD 20850-4158

Office Hours

Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Phones

(301) 251-0100

Faxes

(301) 424-7865

Emails

Contact Us

Websites

http://www.faitwisedilima.com