What is manifest injustice in Virginia spousal support?

In the law, we like to use terms that other people don’t understand. “Manifest injustice,” “best interests of the child,” “continued cohabitation in a relationship analogous to marriage,” “material change of circumstances,” on and on, ad nauseum. Oh, right – and the Latin! Pendente lite, habeas corpus, pro bono, a mensa et thoro, ad litem,...

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Same Home Separation

The questions whether and how long you’ll need to be separated to get a divorce in Virginia are well settled, easy, and very, very clear. In case you’re new to the game, in Virginia you have to be separated for a full year whether you’re using fault or no fault grounds (with the exception of...

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What is adultery? (And sodomy and buggery?)

Sometimes, I feel really technical when I talk about adultery. I say when someone “commits” adultery, and I always feel weird about it, because that’s not how people talk. And I often get questions about exactly what it means, which is understandable – it’s a technical term, like cohabitation and equitable distribution. Lawyers use it...

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You’ve agonized over the decision for months – sometimes, even years. After reflection and prayer and therapy and everything else you could think of to try, you’re ready to move forward with your divorce. I’ve seen it so many times! The initial consultation is often filled with tears, but, by the end, the woman walks...

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Will I be charged with adultery?

So, as you probably already know (or you wouldn’t be reading this article), adultery is a crime in Virginia. It’s also grounds for divorce. But what happens if you file for divorce (or your husband files for divorce) and alleges adultery as the grounds? This is especially a concern for active duty military servicemembers, where...

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Financial Abuse in Virginia Divorce

Financial abuse is a major issue in many divorce cases, especially when there’s a big disparity in income between the parties. For two spouses with a roughly similar income (even if that income isn’t super large), the act of separating and setting up separate houses, though difficult, isn’t nearly as complicated or as consuming as...

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Porn Addiction and Divorce

Addiction is a big buzzword these days, and people can suffer from addictions to all sorts of things. The typical addictions that tend to spring to mind are generally drug or alcohol related – and there’s no doubt we see our fair share of those. But there are other, more modern, addictions that we’re seeing...

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