Question: My child’s father and I separated and he stayed in the marital home. Our kids go back and forth. This week, my daughter came back to my new place after spending a weekend at dad’s. She cried and told me that dad had taken down all of our family photos. She was really upset...
Dad took down family photos – what can I do?
Sometimes, divorce comes about gradually, over time, as people outgrow relationships that once served them. In other cases, though, there was one triggering event that set events in motion, so to speak. These cases are the most difficult, I think, because it wasn’t a gradual thing that you could adjust to over time. It was...
There’s an easy answer to this question. There’s also a harder answer. Let’s get into it, though, and talk more about dating after separation and divorce. Dating after separation: the easy answer The easy answer is that life is messy. That marriages often end long before divorces are finalized. That, for many separated and separating...
The other day, I got a family law question I had never gotten before. “Can I ask you about my parent’s divorce?” it read. I had commented on a local moms group, identified myself as a lawyer (hopefully not in an obnoxious, know-it-all kind of way), and this was one of the comments. “Yes,” I...
From the outset, let me be clear: you don’t need a reason to end your marriage. If you want a divorce, you can get one. No fault on either party’s part is required. That’s not to say, of course, that no fault exists. I don’t think anyone ends their marriage for no reason. But I...
It’s okay. You can be honest. I know there are a million things you can think of that you would rather do than hire – and pay for – a family law attorney. You are likely desperate to discover that you do not, in fact, need one at all and that, on balance, handling your...
Everyone, once they’ve decided their marriage is over, wants the marriage to be over as soon as possible. Absolutely no one enjoys lingering overlong in the awkward period in between separation and divorce. So, how do you get it done faster? It’s hard to get a fast divorce, especially in Virginia. Virginia is – as...
Question: My marriage has been over for years and I’m ready to end it. The problem is, my kids – now teenagers – are refusing to come with me. They want to be near their school and their friends. What happens if they don’t come? I need to start this separation so I can move...