One of the unique things about Virginia when it comes to divorce is that we still allow fault based grounds for divorce! Over the years, many states have modernized to the point that they only allow no fault grounds, but we’re one of the few holdouts. We still allow adultery (as well as sodomy...
Is it better for me to file using fault or no fault grounds for divorce?
Things can be especially tricky in that gray area between separation and the time that you and your soon-to-be ex are able to get a signed agreement or court order in place. Until that time – when you either negotiate and sign an agreement or go to court and the judge puts an order in...
Not everyone has parents to go home to, but for the lucky few the siren call can be strong. When things start to go badly in your marriage, it’s tempting to want to go back to a place of safety and security. But can you just … leave? Is it that simple? Well, hold...
In all too many child custody cases, the allegations made by the other side are complete and total lies. Or, maybe they’re not COMPLETE lies, but they’re based on one tiny little nugget of information that is conflated to mean something that it doesn’t. What’s the worst thing they could say about you? You definitely...
One of the most misunderstood elements of a custody case is the role of the Guardian ad litem. A Guardian ad litem is an attorney – not a child welfare expert, a therapist, or a developmental specialist – appointed to represent the interests of the child to the court. Though, in many cases, the parents...
In July of 2024, the Virginia Beach Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court quietly issued an order stating that parents whose children are involved in a custody and visitation case would no longer be entitled to receive copies of the Guardian ad litem reports issued in their cases. Full disclosure: As practicing family law attorneys,...
Our former managing partner, Kristen D. Hofheimer, passed away in January of 2019 following a long battle with breast cancer. For many of us – myself included – Kristen was more than just a coworker; she was a mentor and a friend. She was also one of the leading forces that drove much of our...
It’s scary how common post-separation abuse is – but it’s something that we see over and over, even in cases where before separation there had never been any overt domestic violence. I don’t want to be a fearmonger – gosh, nothing of the sort! – but I do want to encourage you to stay...