Can I have my family law case heard in the family court?

Family law cases can be a little more confusing than cases in other areas of law because – depending on the type of case – you might find yourself in either circuit court or juvenile court.  Though some states call juvenile court ‘family court,’ and I’ve found that’s the way a lot of people refer...

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The legal process is not at all intuitive, so if you’re wondering what to expect – well, that makes a lot of sense.  Custody cases are some of the more challenging cases to navigate, too, because they’re handled in juvenile and domestic relations district courts, which – if you’ve had any run ins with the...

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All About Relocation

Just because you and your child’s father share a child (or multiple children) does not mean that you agree about where you should live as you raise them.  Divorce often has an immediate impact on a family unit in the sense that one (or both) or the child(ren)’s biological parents would prefer to live somewhere...

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There are very few things quite as discomfiting in a custody case as having the Guardian ad litem interview your child – especially when you’re not around.  One of the most common ways the Guardians ad litem interview children is by showing up at school. If you’ve never been through this and you’re worrying about...

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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...

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There are very few things as anxiety-inducing as having to go to court, but this is especially true in the case of an emergency motion.  In Virginia, one party can file and ask for a hearing to be held on an emergency basis; it is up to the court to either grant or dismiss that...

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All About the Guardian ad litem

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...

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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,...

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