All moms want sole custody. Hey, I get it – I’m a mom, too. And let’s just say that I share your belief that no one can do it – that is, mom my child – better than I can. And, in your case, there may very well be other issues, too. There’s often domestic...
How do I get sole custody?
You’ve agonized over the decision for months – sometimes, even years. After reflection and prayer and therapy and everything else you could think of to try, you’re ready to move forward with your divorce. I’ve seen it so many times! The initial consultation is often filled with tears, but, by the end, the woman walks...
Over time, the law changes and evolves. I see trends – even just in the 8 or so years that I’ve been practicing – come and go. It’s funny how that can happen, but, in custody cases, so much is left up to the judge’s discretion. These things really can be different year over year,...
Judges – like all of us normal, regular people – are different. They bring to their job different opinions, and different interpretations of the law. They are subject to different moods, based on what is happening in their own personal lives. This probably isn’t shocking information. But it is pretty scary, to think that you...
Drug and alcohol use is always a big deal in a custody case, especially if it is (or has been) the kind of drug use that interferes with a parent’s ability to hold down a job or co-parent effectively. In my experience as a divorce and custody lawyer, I’ve seen cases that have run the...
In our area, dealing with the military is, for better or for worse, just a part of daily life. We’re pretty attuned to the specific issues that the military faces, and, for many of us, whether we’re current or former military service members or spouses, there are a lot of family law issues that are...
Adultery, Spousal Support, and Custody We talked Monday about adultery, and the difference between filing a divorce (which is a civil case) using adultery as your grounds and an actual criminal prosecution on adultery (which is a level IV misdemeanor in Virginia). The purpose of that article was to alleviate concerns I see around adultery...
Part One Under Virginia law (well, under the law in every state, as far as I’m aware), both parents have an obligation to support their children. For many people, it’s a non issue – parents who are together tend to share expenses and mutually care for the children. For parents who are separated, divorced, or...