If your divorce or custody case is coming up soon and you’re in Virginia, it’s not a bad idea to consider going to court to watch a case in action – maybe even a case run by the judge who’ll be presiding over your case, if you know who that will be already. But –...
Can I just go watch a court hearing in Virginia?
It’s not superficial to be concerned with the way you present in public and, whether fortunately or unfortunately, the sartorial choices you’re making matter. They matter across the board, but it definitely matters if you’re going to court in your family law case. Full disclosure: Virginia doesn’t technically have “family court,” or, at least, that’s...
There are all sorts of different words that attorneys, judges, Guardians ad litem, divorce coaches, and others in the family law space use to describe the tools that we utilize in divorce and custody cases. A ‘parenting plan’ is a good example, because it’s one you hear over and over, but it’s also one that...
Even though Virginia does not assume 50/50 custody – the statute actually just says that the court must consider all forms of custody equally – it is still often the starting point in many custody cases, especially contested ones. I’m not a fan of automatic 50/50 custody; I think it creates a situation focused on...
Oof. I hate this question, mostly because there is so little I can do about it either way. But – wait – let’s rewind. I get a lot of questions about family law and almost all are good ones, because it’s not like the legal system (including but not limited to family law) is not...
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,...
It might not seem possible, but, under the law, a parent can kidnap his or her own child. It’s not common – in fact, it’s actually quite rare – but its something that can and does happen, and that you should be aware of. Parental kidnapping happens when a parent takes a child in...
As everyone always says, there’s no book on how to be a good parent. The nurses at the hospital didn’t send you home with a manual. There are books and online courses and old wives tales, but there’s no consensus on how to raise a child in the best way possible. We all screw up...