Blog

Categories

Lawyered Up: How to tell when your child’s father has met with an attorney about your custody case

If I were representing a man who wanted to get primary physical custody of his child, I would tell him one main thing. I would tell him to remember that a custody case begins and ends with the best interests of the child factors, and that a mom’s downfall is usually with factor number 6….

The Best Divorce

I’m going to hit you with some truth: you do not want your divorce to go to trial. Here’s why: financially, emotionally, and practically, it will cost you. It will cost you big time. But if he’s done something wrong, how can that be? For one thing, the judge can only divide the assets that…

Courtroom Behavior: How to Avoid Acting a Fool in Front of the Judge

If you’re getting ready to go to court, you’re probably a basket full of nerves. Whether you’re going to court in the juvenile and domestic relations court for custody, visitation, or support, or whether you’re appearing in the circuit court for any number of hearings, motions, or even a trial, there are a couple rules…

Using Children as Messengers Between Parents

You have certain child custody rights when going through a divorce. Your marriage may be over, but as parents, that means your ex-spouse will remain a part of your life to some degree. Try your best to communicate with your ex. Don’t use your kids as messengers to carry messages back and forth, especially regarding…

What’s in a Name? Should a child be able to bear both parent’s names after divorce?

When you and your child’s father were happily expecting the birth of your child, you debated whether to name her Brittany or Stephanie. Maybe you considered celebrity-inspired baby names, like “Harlow,” “Apple,” or “Suri.” Or maybe you wanted something a little more earthy or celestial, like “Willow,” “Rain,” “Aurora,” or “Aurelia.” Alternatively, you could hope…

Oh, no! Not Shared Custody!

One of the things that scares many of my clients the most is the possibility that they will be awarded shared custody. It’s true–the presumption that automatically favored moms is changing, with many judges favoring a custodial arrangement that allows both parents to spend time with the children, especially in cases where dad contests the…

Handling Holiday Custody and Visitation Arrangements

Whether or not your current custody order specifies how visitation will be handled during the holiday season, it’s likely that you and your husband will have some disagreements about how it should be handled in practice. “Tradition” may seem more important to you than your separation agreement or even a court order, but your ex…

Telling Others About Your Virginia Separation

Are you getting separated in Virginia? Who should you tell about it? While who you tell is ultimately up to you, there may be some friends or family members who will find out regardless of whether you tell them, so it may become a matter of deciding when to break the news and what you…

The Truth About In-Home Separation: It’s Tricky

You probably already know that, in order to be separated from your husband in Virginia, you have to live separate and apart. The actual period of separation depends on whether you have minor children. If you have minor children, you must live separate and apart for a period of one year. If you do not…

Managing Children & Divorce During The Holidays

Managing divorce during holidays can be a challenge, especially when you have kids. A divorce attorney in Virginia Beach at Hofheimer Family Law Firm can help walk you through the legal aspects surrounding child visitation this time of year, like factoring the holidays into your parenting plan. Creating a Child Visitation Plan for the Holidays…