“I want a legal separation. How much will that cost?” It’s a common question, and I definitely understand why. For any couples who are on their way to a full fledged divorce in Virginia, a separation is the first stop. Divorce is one of those areas of law where things vary dramatically from state to state, so what happens in one state (even one that is geographically very close, like North Carolina is to us) isn’t necessarily the way things may happen in another state. Because of that, we get … [Read more...]
A BIG Virginia Custody and Visitation Mistake
I talked to someone a couple weeks ago who had an interesting case, and I thought I’d write a little about it. Of course, I can’t divulge any confidential information, and, really, I don’t want to share anything with you other than the situation she found herself in—and the innocent way she almost made a pretty big mistake with respect to custody and visitation of her son. Let’s call her Susan. Susan and her former husband, let’s call him George (because I watched Seinfeld re-runs last night), … [Read more...]
Preparing financially for divorce
When I talk to women, whether in my office, at a Second Saturday Seminar, at Girl’s Night Out, they usually tell me that the thing they’re worried the most about is their finances. How will they make it work—both during the separation, and after the divorce? They’re filled with so many questions and so much anxiety. Though there’s no doubt that, financially, divorce is often pretty tricky (because, after all, this isn’t like a personal injury case where you stand to gain financially; you have … [Read more...]
Big Money Mistakes in Virginia Divorce
Because I’m in the business of divorce, I often hear this joke. Question: “Do you know why divorce is so expensive?” (The joker then expects the jokee to say, “No, why?”) Answer: “Because it’s worth it!” (Then, of course, the jokee is supposed to roll with uncontrolled mirth.) Maybe I’m a humorless attorney, but I don’t think so. I personally just don’t find that joke very funny, and I doubt if many of my clients do, either. It’s not that I don’t think divorce is worth it; in fact, in most of … [Read more...]
Reminder: July Girl’s Night Out in Norfolk
Just in case you haven’t already, make sure you RSVP online now to attend our July 8th Girl’s Night Out event at the Ocean View Fishing Pier (on the top deck!) from 6-8pm. I know, I know—it’s no secret that we’re a Virginia law firm representing women only in divorce and custody cases. Still, no divorce or custody case is required for you to come! In fact, we don’t talk about divorce or custody at all. We provide these events as a service to local area women, so that they have an opportunity to … [Read more...]
How does a separation agreement work? Does it mean I’m “settling?”
Let’s talk about separation agreements. Let’s talk about what they mean, how they work, and the types of things that are included in them. I find that, when I talk to women who come into our office, they are really misinformed about what a separation agreement is—which is always surprising to me, because, on the other hand, they know quite a lot about the court process. Considering how many people get divorced through separation agreements (almost all) and how many people litigate their divorces … [Read more...]
Girl’s Night Out: July 8th at the Ocean View Fishing Pier
Join us from 6-8pm on Wednesday, July 8th for Girl’s Night Out on the top deck at the Ocean View Fishing Pier in Norfolk! If you haven’t been to a Girl’s Night Out event before, you’re really missing out! Every six weeks or so, we sent out invitations to our network of women—including current and former clients, prospective clients, friends, and family. It’s just part of an ongoing effort to encourage us all to get out of the house and make some friends! All too often, we hear our current, … [Read more...]
How to Handle a Difficult Husband in Your Virginia Divorce
On our website, we talk about the five biggest red flags we see pre divorce. Obviously, in some cases, how to handle a difficult husband is really THE issue. Hopefully, your divorce is off to a great start, you and your soon to be ex husband are communicating effectively, and you’ll never have to worry about red flags and what will happen if you see them. If not, though, the best thing you can do is gather information, learn about the law in Virginia, and be prepared. First, a few … [Read more...]
Can my husband make me get a job after divorce?
In divorce, everything changes, especially the finances. Going from two incomes (to maintain just one household) to one income (maintaining the same household) can be jarring, especially if children are involved. When you add to it the costs of moving (including first and last month’s rent, security deposits, down payments, whatever), replacing the things that he kept, and retaining an experienced divorce attorney to help make sure that your soon to be ex doesn’t pull any fast ones, all on top … [Read more...]
Second Saturday Divorce Seminar Update: What Every Virginia Woman Needs to Know About Divorce
We have been teaching our Second Saturday seminars in Virginia for nearly 25 years (though, of course, it wasn’t me personally!), because we feel like it’s important to give women who are considering a divorce or separation the facts they need to make the decisions they have to start making. The law is a tricky thing because it’s constantly changing. It also changes (sometimes dramatically) from state to state, so, even though most of us know someone who has been through a divorce before, … [Read more...]
