Custody cases are about as common as…well, something that’s very common. We see them literally all the time, and they can come about in a bunch of different ways. Obviously, you don’t have to be married to have a custody case; you just have to share a child in common with your former partner. So,...
What if my child is subpoenaed in a custody case
If you’ve found your way to this page, you probably already know that, in most jurisdictions, it can take several months to get a hearing schedule on custody and visitation petitions with a juvenile court. In Chesapeake, for example, it takes 90 days for the court to review the petitions, and usually another 90 to...
I get asked all the time whether the court will make my client or prospective client do something lifestyle-based, like go back to work, put their kids in daycare, quit working, stop breastfeeding, stay in the same city as their ex husband, etc. In general, the answer is pretty clear. There’s not much that the...
If things aren’t working out between you and your child’s father and you’ve got a newborn in the house, you’re not alone. But you’re probably feeling pretty alone, and overwhelmed, and, if you’re like every other mom in that dreaded 4th trimester, more than a little hormonal. Besides that, you’re exhausted, and that just doesn’t...
Every year on July 1st, new changes to the law take effect. This year, many of those changes impact family law cases. If you’re currently going through (or expect to go through) a family law case, you’ll want to know about the changes to the law, and how they might impact your case. It’s always...
When Emma Grace Kennedy was kidnapped last week by her sex offender father at a gas station, it seems like EVERYBODY knew about it right away. There were Amber Alert billboards, text messages, and stories on the news. It’s every mom’s worst nightmare, especially for moms who are separated from their children’s fathers, but especially...
Daycare providers are often a hot button issue in custody cases, because daycare providers control the access to the children entrusted to their care. I don’t envy them, in a lot of cases, because they can get stuck in the middle of some pretty obnoxious and contentious issues. When there’s a custody order in place,...
Sharing custody with an ex is difficult, even under the best circumstances. No matter what, it’s hard to face the idea of splitting your child’s time – especially holidays, vacations, and other special occasions – and knowing that means you’ll have less time, possibly by as much as half. Weekends, too – obviously, these...