It’s a very rare thing for a parent to completely lose custody of their child. In most cases, because the courts feel so strongly that having two parents is in every child’s best interests, even deadbeat dads are reserved the right to visit with the child, and even if they never exercise that right. Even...
Monthly Archive: August 2013
Even if you are awarded primary physical custody, you’re going to have to allow your child’s father to have some visitation with your child. For some women, this is a tough pill to swallow, especially if dad doesn’t typically make the best choices when he has the child or when the relationship between mom and...
Tension is normal when you and your husband are trying to decide how to divide up years and years of belongings. I usually tell my clients not to worry about personal possessions, but that’s easier said than done. After all, these things are the things that surround you every day. In many ways, these things...
In Virginia, child support is designed to help the custodial parent manage the cost of having primary responsibility for raising the children. Since the custodial parent is responsible for the majority of the day-to-day expenses, like food and clothing, many parents really depend on the child support money to make ends meet. The child support...
If you and your husband recently separated, you’re probably wondering what your next move should be. You’re also probably feeling scared, overwhelmed, or angry, and you don’t want to let your emotions run away with you at such a critical time. You know that the choices you make now can have a tremendous impact on...
In a custody case, the judge will have to make a decision about two different kinds of custody: physical custody and legal custody. These are two separate and distinct things under the law, and it’s important that you know the difference ahead of time so that you know exactly what you’re asking for when you...
In Virginia, custody cases are based on the “best interests of the child” standard, which means that’s what you and your child’s father (and your attorneys, if you have one) should be discussing when you’re in court. The judge is listening for these details, including specific references to the ten factors, which provide the foundation...
There are a number of pretty significant downsides to shared physical custody, which most of my clients are very quick to point out. It’s hard to stomach a custodial arrangement that doesn’t allow you to have primary physical custody. After all, a child needs an involved mother, right? Of course! Normally in a shared custody...