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...
Emergency Motions in Virginia Child Custody Cases
Not every case can be negotiated – this we all know. But, in an ideal world, you and your soon-to-be ex would negotiate, because this is going to give you the most control over how your case will be resolved. No matter what issues are involved, you have essentially two options: agree, or go to...
Making the decision to hire a divorce attorney is a difficult one. Once you’ve reached the already difficult decision to separate and, eventually, to end your marriage, you have to decide whether or not you’ll hire an attorney to represent you in the divorce and then, if so, whom. I probably don’t need to tell...
Divorce is a scary – and potentially expensive – process, so it’s no wonder that you want to explore all of your alternatives before you commit to a specific course of action. Is there any way at all that you can avoid hiring an attorney? Can you use one of the online do it yourself...
If you’re hoping to navigate a divorce while suffering the least amount of stress possible, you’re smart. Though I think we can all recognize the difficulty, few people give that much thought to how they can divorce better. When it comes down to it, there ARE choices you can make that will minimize the suffering...
There are not many things scarier than finding yourself in an abusive situation – except, of course, if you have minor children who are surrounded by it, too. Once you decide that it’s not getting better and it’s time to do something about it, you probably started researching protective orders. In Virginia, there are...
Up until the court formally decides custody and visitation – or, alternatively, the parties enter into a signed custody agreement – there’s no formal child custody, visitation, or child support. For many couples, especially the ones that stay together (regardless of whether they’re married), that’s enough and it doesn’t go further than that. Even for...
A woman asked me this question the other day – am I likely to get a divorce on fault, or should I just negotiate an agreement – and I thought it was a good one. It’s one I’ve answered before, but never in those exact words, and I do think that its worth looking...