Though we talk a lot about division of the assets, we often spend a lot less time talking about division of debt. Even though dividing debt is always an important part of a divorce, it tends to take a backseat – not because it’s not important, but probably more because it’s a whole lot less...
Virginia Marital versus Separate Debt
There are few hard and fast rules when it comes to separation and divorce. While many decisions that you make are going to be up to you, I would always point out that, in general, the time after a woman makes the decision to separate from her husband is potentially particularly dangerous. I don’t...
When a marriage starts to fall apart, it’s definitely not the most comfortable experience – especially if you and your soon-to-be ex are still living under the same roof. In most family law cases, the facts really, really matter, so its hard to make generalized, one-size-fits-all type statements. If you’re living in the same home,...
In Virginia, there is no requirement that you hire an attorney to represent you in a divorce or custody case, whether at the juvenile or circuit court level (or even beyond, if your case merits an appeal). If you choose not to hire an attorney, you represent yourself. We call people who represent themselves pro...
If you’re not familiar with the law – and, really, why would you be? – you probably find that there’s a lot in your potential upcoming divorce or custody case to confuse and overwhelm you, aside from just dealing with the regular transitions and upheaval that these types of cases can bring into your personal...
You’ve been married a really long time. At this point, probably almost every asset (or liability) you can think of is one that was earned, purchased, or acquired during the marriage. While it doesn’t have to be harder to end a longer marriage as opposed to a shorter one, there are often a lot...
By any reckoning, 15 years is a fairly lengthy marriage. At some point – and I’d theorize that’s somewhere along the ten year mark – there comes a time when, even if you break up, you and your soon-to-be ex owe something to each other. The longer the marriage, the more difficult it is to...
Hey, it’s okay! If you only recently got married, and you’ve started to think that maybe it was a mistake, I can tell you that you’re definitely not alone. In fact, I think you’re one of the luckier ones. After a year or less, there’s often very little to divide, and no one is so...