Stepparent Adoption Q&A

Stepparent Adoption Q&A

It didn’t work out with your child’s father but you’ve found love – and stability – and you’re hoping this means that things will change for your child(ren), too.  You wonder, “Can my new partner adopt my child?  What would that look like?” Assuming, of course, that your new partner is on board with this...

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Going to court is – by almost any metric – the nuclear option in a family law case.  Literally everyone is scared of it and almost anyone would try to avoid it if there was any way at all.  Usually, though not always, it’s possible to negotiate outside of court.  In fact, most family law...

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Do I even want to hire a family law attorney?

It’s okay.  You can be honest.  I know there are a million things you can think of that you would rather do than hire – and pay for – a family law attorney.  You are likely desperate to discover that you do not, in fact, need one at all and that, on balance, handling your...

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There is so much confusion around family law and all the different ways that cases can come up.  Sometimes, it’s a matter of divorce; in othercases, it’s just custody.  It’s seldom the question of something seemingly simple – like an annulment – but it is possible that you could just breakup, if you were never...

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Divorce Book Recommendations for Kids

The studies have consistently shown that kids do better with navigating a divorce and/or separation situation within their own family when they can see other similar families.  That’s not to say that your kids can’t have play dates with kids whose parents are still happily married or that you need to seek out the other...

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How can I help my kids adjust after separation?

For most moms going through a divorce or separation, their kids are their first, last, and pretty much only concern.  Especially in the early days, they wonder how to talk to their kids about their divorce or separation (particularly when they don’t know and don’t have all of the answers themselves), how to help them...

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Is 50/50 child custody best for children?

From the beginning, let me be clear: in Virginia, there is no law requiring that custody start out at 50/50.  Though that is the law in some states, that is not the law here.  Here, the law is that the judge has to consider all forms of custody – primary, shared, and split physical custody...

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Relocation – How Far Can I Go?

Not all relocation cases are the same because not all moves are the same.  Relocation is one thing if you and your child’s father are going to live across the country from each other; it’s another thing if you are going to be just on the other side of the HRBT. Generally speaking, when we’re...

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