It’s October again, which means that it’s domestic violence awareness month. Before I started working in family law, I’m not sure I realized how prevalent domestic violence actually is. It’s not all dramatic cases where there are protective orders, either. I can’t get over – even now, after over 12 years in practice – how many women aren’t even aware that they’re victims of domestic violence. They sit there, casually explaining physical, emotional, or sexual violence, without a clue of the severity of what they’re discussing.
No one wants to be labeled as a victim. I understand that completely. I also understand that, when you’re close to something for so long, you stop thinking of it as an anomaly and start thinking about it as just one of the facets of a normal life. Sure, he yells and insults you and sometimes throws things, but he doesn’t mean it. He’s a really great dad, after all. It’s just that sometimes he drinks too much and gets carried away, and his job is really stressful, and… on and on it goes.
Marriages – and relationships – end for all sorts of different reasons, both with and without abuse. And, when you’re getting a divorce, it’s a good idea to make sure that you understand as much as possible about the process, your options, and your specific rights and entitlements under the law.
It’s difficult to do, because even a pretty basic internet search will turn up a lot of different results, whether good, bad, or indeterminate. It can be hard to tell the difference between good, bad, out of date, or half right/half wrong information (trust me, it’s ALL out there).
Where can I learn about Virginia divorce?
It’s a good idea, whenever possible, to get your information directly from a Virginia licensed attorney. But maybe you’re not that far along in the planning process, or you’re not sure whether you’re even going to hire an attorney. Maybe you have $73 in your checking account until you get paid again and, in any case, you’re not even sure whether you could afford to meet with, let alone hire an attorney.
For the past 30+ years, we’ve been teaching seminars on what Virginia women need to know about divorce. We’re a Virginia based family law firm dedicated to representing women exclusively in divorce, custody, and support cases.
The seminar is a great way to begin to gather information before you get too far along in your case, so that you know that the decisions you’re making are legally sound and backed up by law. It will help you understand what you’re entitled to receive under the law, so that you can make decisions with this in mind.
What will I learn at the divorce seminar?
At our monthly divorce seminar, you’ll learn all about divorce law in Virginia, including:
- What separation means (and whether you’re separated);
- How to live separate under the same roof;
- The different ‘types’ of divorce;
- How custody and visitation is determined, and how child support is calculated;
- How spousal support guidelines work and how support is calculated;
- How retirement (including military pensions) are divided in divorce;
- How property (including debt) is divided in Virginia;
- And tons more!
How much does it cost?
This month – for domestic violence awareness month – we’re waiving the $40 registration fee for our divorce seminar. Its absolutely free to you, but for this month only.
Who will be teaching the seminar?
We have six attorneys – all women – who teach the seminars on a rotating basis. If you’re looking to see a particular attorney, you can give our office a call to find out who is expected to present at the next seminar. If you don’t care, just pick a seminar time that suits your schedule.
We’re all licensed, experienced Virginia family law attorneys with years of experience, so we can give you the up to date, Virginia specific information you need to make important decisions about your family’s future.
When are the seminars?
We offer the seminars three times a month – on the Second Saturday, the Third Tuesday, and the Third Thursday of the month. The Saturday seminar is in the morning, the Tuesday seminar is in the evening, and the Thursday seminar is at lunchtime; that way, almost everyone can find a convenient time to attend. (Except, of course, that nothing is ever easy with as many things as we’ve all got on our plates to manage every single day.)
I have a specific question. Can I be sure to get it answered?
Yes. We offer live Q&A with the presenting attorney. Just fill your question in the Q&A box, and send it to the attorney who will answer live on air.
Is it confidential?
It’s not confidential in the sense that a traditionally protected attorney conversation contains just the attorney and the client.
A seminar contains multiple people, and we can’t really guarantee exactly who’ll attend.
It’s on Zoom. Only the attorney is featured through the webcam; no other participants will be invited to share their screens or be expected to appear on camera at any point. We do handle questions through a live Q&A function, but you can click to ask your question anonymously, if you like – though honestly, it doesn’t much matter because we read the questions aloud and answer them live to the entire group. Obviously, even if you didn’t ask the question anonymously, we wouldn’t read off your name to the group, either.
It’s not a perfectly confidential setting, but we certainly do the best we can. We understand the importance of maintaining as much confidentiality as possible while you’re in the early stages of planning your divorce.
I want to get information now! What else can I do?
We have a free divorce book, too! You can request a copy here. (If you’re military, there’s also a military option; and there’s a custody book, too.)
I have a custody case as well. Will the seminar cover custody?
We do talk about custody and visitation, but not in as much depth as you might like if you’re preparing for a full blown custody case. Check out our free custody book for Virginia moms as well as our Custody Bootcamp for Moms seminar.
For more information, to schedule a consultation, or to register to attend any upcoming seminars, give our office a call at 757-425-5200.