Domestic violence is everywhere. It’s a lot more prevalent than most people think, which is pretty alarming. When I started here, over a decade ago now, as a brand new baby lawyer, I was definitely surprised at how often it really happens. When I speak to women who have suffered from domestic abuse, they often...
Uncategorized
One of the more annoying features of the law is that it changes. It changes with some frequency, and usually on July 1st of each year. The changes in the law that are implemented don’t always have to do with us, but sometimes they do – and then, of course, whatever I’ve written up...
Once you (and your spouse) have made the decision to divorce, you start to worry. How long is it going to take? How much is it going to cost? Will I have enough money to survive on after this is all done? In most cases, the tensions escalate before they deescalate, and there’s a...
This was a new one for me – “I shouldn’t have to pay for a family law attorney; I’m innocent!” While I do sympathize with the sentiment, there’s also a whole lot wrong with it. In a lot of ways, I know that the way the Virginia court system – and, probably, every court...
We talked a little bit about college expenses last week, but I had a conversation with another attorney in my office about it and felt like there was still more to say. In Virginia, there is no provision for child support to be paid after a child turns 19 or graduates from high school....
It doesn’t happen often, but occasionally a woman tells me that she doesn’t ‘need’ child support. It’s an interesting comment, and one that I feel kind of confused by. What do you mean – you don’t need it? Child support, after all, is not designed for the comfort of the parent receiving it; it’s...
One thing to remember about custody and visitation cases in Virginia (and everywhere else) is that you’re playing a long game. So many parents get wrapped up in the next court hearing and tie all their hopes and dreams on it, when, in reality, contested cases usually play out over years and years of hearings....
When it comes to raising children, we all have a million different ideas about how it should be done – and, the thing is, they can vary pretty dramatically from one person to the next, or from one family to the next. As a mother myself – and a family law lawyer dedicated to...