Spousal support is a pretty loosey goosey area of law anyway; though there are “guidelines” we can use to calculate an appropriate level of spousal support, those guidelines aren’t binding on any of the courts in Hampton Roads. So, unlike child support, spousal support amounts (and more than that, the duration of a spousal support...
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It happens sometimes – though I definitely don’t prefer it – that custody is handled separately from the rest of the divorce proceedings. It can happen for any number of reasons. Like everything else, divorce and custody cases are highly variable, and all sorts of things can happen that can result in people choosing to...
It’s scary to meet new friends. And, a lot of times, whether it’s right or wrong, when you get a divorce, that’s exactly what you have to do. Whether he keeps the friends or you just suddenly don’t have anything in common with your married friends anymore, a lot of people tend to find that...
You thought you’d reach an agreement. You counted on it, actually. You and your child’s father were working towards an agreement, and things were looking pretty good. Even though there was a court date looming on the horizon, you didn’t think too much about it initially. You were working towards an agreement, and that was...
One of our goals in every single case is making sure that each woman understands the options available to her. Whether she files petitions with the court or whether she negotiates her result, there are advantages and disadvantages. We know the law best. But you know your husband/child’s father best. And, as a result, some...
Guardians ad litem are tricky. But they’re often necessary. And, perhaps even more to the point, we often don’t have a choice – they’re appointed in cases when a judge deems it necessary based on the best interests of the child, so sometimes, we just have to grin and bear it. It’s scary, to trust...
Domestic violence is often a big part of a divorce case. It’s sad (and really, really scary) but true. We see these types of cases all the time. When I first started practicing family law, I was surprised at how many cases there were that involved some kind of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse; maybe...
Divorce is a big decision, and it’s not one that anyone undertakes lightly. No matter who you are or where you came from, you’re not making this decision easily. In fact, you probably haven’t even made any type of decisions for sure at this point. If you’re like most women, at this point, you’re simply...