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,...
Guardian ad litem Reports in the Virginia Beach Juvenile Court
One very common provision in custody agreements (or separation agreements, if your custody case is part of a larger divorce action) is that neither party will make disparaging comments about the child’s other parent in the presence or hearing of the child. Sounds easy, right? Don’t talk badly about each other. Full stop. It’s...
With over a decade (!!!) of experience under her belt, Caitlin Walters is a formidable attorney dedicated to representing women exclusively in family law. There are a lot of family lawyers out there, and it can be hard to decide who to hire. Obviously, you want someone good – able to take your case to...
It’s a tough pill to swallow, but it’s a truth that you should accept, and the earlier the better. Custody cases are not about fairness. There are lots of things about custody cases that are “unfair”. It’s not fair that he can petition, over and over again, for a modification based on a material change...
A Guardian ad litem is an attorney appointed on behalf of a child in a custody case. We really don’t bring kids to court to testify; there won’t be a moment where the child has to tell the court whether he’d prefer to live with mom or dad. That just doesn’t happen. But, of course,...
In a case where custody is litigated in court, there are at least two attorneys. Your attorney, who represents you – and has a duty to represent your cause zealously; and his attorney, who, of course, has the same obligations to your husband that your attorney does to you. It doesn’t matter whether your dad...
The worst has happened. You went to court, and a judge ordered custody to your child’s father. You lost custody. You can’t believe it. You. Lost. Custody. You want to throw up. You’re panicked and terrified. What happens next? How do you get your kids back? What should you do now, and who do you...
Guardians ad litem are great. Guardians ad litem are terrible. There’s almost no middle ground, and certainly won’t be for you if you’re in the middle of a custody case. Most of all, guardians ad litem are terrifying, because they get involved in your case and, ultimately, make a recommendation about what, in their opinion,...