Nursing and Virginia Child Custody
I’ve seen firsthand what a special bond nursing creates between a mother and a baby. As a currently nursing mother, it sometimes seems that my daughter thinks that literally no one else is acceptable at any time of day, regardless of whether she’s nursing. I’m a nursing mom AND I represent women only in…
Filed under: Uncategorized Tag with: breastfeeding | breastmilk | child's father | custody | DAD | extended breastfeeding | lactation consultant | nursing | parenting plan | pediatrician | pumping | separation | visitation | WHO
What is imputation of income in Virginia family law cases?
Divorce changes things. Though many women are quick to point out to me that the equitable distribution factors cite the standard of living established during the marriage, there’s often no way to maintain that standard post-divorce. Most people live up to their means, and there’s just not room in the average family’s budget to…
Filed under: Spousal Support Tag with: alimony | divorce | equitable distribution | fairness | imputation | military | separation | spousal support
What is a retainer in Virginia divorce?
We get a lot of questions about the cost of divorce, pro bono work, attorney’s fees (like, can I make him pay mine?) and so much more. We find that there’s a lot of confusion about how attorney’s charge for their work and what it actually costs. That’s probably for a lot of reasons. I…
Filed under: Divorce Tag with: attorney | contested | costs | custody | divorce | hourly rate | litigation | negotiation | pro bono | retainer | retainer fee | saving money | settlement | uncontested
Saving Money in Virginia Divorce
No matter what your personal financial situation, the cost of a divorce is intimidating. Not so much because the actual cost is so great (though it certainly can be), but because it’s unknown. It’s not like buying a pair of shoes, where you can see that if you buy them at Amazon you’ll pay some…
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The Virginia Court System
In the election last month, one of my best friends was elected as prosecutor in her county. (She’s actually the first woman to have been elected in her county, ever – but, for my purposes today, a little beside the point.) It got me doing a little research into the local government and court structure…
Filed under: Divorce Tag with: appeal | child support | circuit court | court reporter | custody | de novo | divest | divestiture | divorce | domestic violence | juvenile court | military divorce | protective order | separation | visitation
Same Home Separation
The questions whether and how long you’ll need to be separated to get a divorce in Virginia are well settled, easy, and very, very clear. In case you’re new to the game, in Virginia you have to be separated for a full year whether you’re using fault or no fault grounds (with the exception of…
Filed under: Separation Tag with: adultery | grounds for divorce | one year | same home | separate under the same roof | separation | six months
How quickly can I get divorced?
You might be surprised to hear that I have scads of clients who, when I email, don’t respond for a week or more. I have clients who retain and, in a flurry of activity, work with me to prepare a first draft of a separation agreement, which goes untouched (on their part, mind you) for…
Filed under: Uncategorized Tag with: adultery | discovery | divorce | immediate divorce | one year | pendente lite | separation | six months
Advantages of a Separation Agreement
Divorce can take several different shapes, although the end result is fairly simple: either you get divorced with a separation agreement, or you litigate your divorce in court and the judge decides. A separation agreement is a legal contract that divides all the assets and responsibilities from the marriage between the parties. Most people ultimately…
Filed under: Divorce Tag with: collaboration | custody | divorce | litigation | negotiation | separation | separation agreement | visitation
Vocational Experts and Spousal Support
I’ve written about spousal support SO MUCH, and that’s mostly because it’s one of those areas of law that is not at all set in stone. There are things we don’t litigate all that much – like retirement, the marital home, and child support, for example – but there are other things, like spousal…
Filed under: Uncategorized Tag with: alimony | duration of marriage | expert witness | imputation | need and ability to pay | spousal support | statutory factors | taxes | vocational expert