One of the main reasons people file on fault first isn’t because that would necessarily be their first choice. Many women would prefer to negotiate a separation agreement instead, and not only because an uncontested divorce is typically cheaper, easier, and much quicker. For a number of reasons, though, they may feel more or less...
What to expect at a pendente lite hearing
Custody in Virginia comes in one of two types: legal and physical. A lot of the time, we’re fighting over physical custody, because that has to do with where the child spends the majority of his or her time. But, of course, that’s not always the case. Every so often, different issues come up, and,...
It happens semi regularly that we end up with a client who has moved with her child (or children) to another state over dad’s objection. If dad doesn’t care, it’s not a really big deal. If he does, though, and he files an emergency petition for custody, you could find yourself up the proverbial creek...
Separation agreements are great, because they allow parties to reach an agreement about how their divorce will be handled, rather than litigating things and ultimately leaving it up to a judge to decide. Judges are super smart and all that, but (1) they don’t know your case as well as you do, and (2) don’t...
In a lot of cases, everything is pretty cut and dry—except custody. In a lot of ways, everything else sort of handles itself. And, besides, it’s just money; there’s a certain amount that people will spend fighting over money (usually, only up to a certain percentage of the value of the asset). Though it’s true...
Whether you or your child’s father originally filed custody petitions, it’s a pretty scary process. If he has an attorney and you don’t, it’s probably especially scary. Though there’s no rule that says you have to have an attorney in any divorce or custody cases in Virginia, navigating the system on your own can be...
Divorce and custody cases do all sorts of things to people. Things that, before the case were on the horizon, would have seemed unthinkable—in both good ways and bad. One of the most annoying things that happens is when a formerly deadbeat dad decides that he now wants custody, or at least wants more parenting...
As far as things go, child support is one of the easiest issues we deal with in our practice. In a lot of ways, it’s so cut and dry that we don’t spend a lot of time talking about it. That doesn’t mean, though, that you’re not wondering about it—after all, it’s all new to...