Let’s start with the maybe not-quite-so-obvious. In family law, it doesn’t really matter what “studies” suggests or what the “data” says. We are not making arguments about what is best for many children, or most children, or some randomized, average, but ultimately representative group of children. We are talking only about your children. The children...
Do kids do better in homes with 50/50 time splits?
In most cases, paternity isn’t a big issue. In most cases, the parties don’t dispute it – and, obviously, there’s hardly ever any issues as it relates to maternity. Right? You know full well you were in the room where it happened. Sure, there can be complications with adoptions or foster care, but that’s not...
To put him on child support or to NOT put him on child support – that is the question! It’s a legitimate question, too, because filing a petition for child support can open the door to more custody litigation. Let’s talk about it. Filing petitions for child custody, visitation, and child support In Virginia, if...
There are few things in a family law context that drive extreme emotion quite like adultery and child custody. When you combine the two, it’s a recipe for volatility. But … does it matter? It’s an excellent question and one definitely worth discussing. Let’s get into it. If your soon-to-be ex-husband (or ex boyfriend) cheated...
Coming up with a parenting plan isn’t just about how you’ll share the days in each week, though it is certainly about how you’ll share the days in the week. To make matters even more complicated, there are many other considerations that should be reflected in your parenting plan, and you’ll want to make sure...
Question: My child’s father and I separated and he stayed in the marital home. Our kids go back and forth. This week, my daughter came back to my new place after spending a weekend at dad’s. She cried and told me that dad had taken down all of our family photos. She was really upset...
If you have a parenting plan or a court order that specifies custody and visitation, you’re supposed to follow it. And, probably, most of the time, you will. The ideal scenario is to come up with something that you both – you and your child’s father – can rely on, predict, and understand intuitively. I...
It doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while there’s a terrible storm – or the threat of a terrible storm. When you have a parenting plan or a custody order in place, you’re supposed to follow it. But does a storm create an exception? Let’s talk about it. Life is anything but predictable,...