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Juvenile Court v. Circuit Court: Where Do I File?

Knowing which court does what and where to file your petitions is anything but easy, especially in family law. Our cases are handled both in the juvenile courts AND the circuit courts, and there can be some interplay between the two, depending on the specifics of each case. Let’s talk about it. What petitions do…

What does ‘pro se’ mean in a divorce or custody case?

  There’s a lot of Latin in the law and, what with it being a dead language and all, there are very few people who speak or understand Latin, beyond the obvious ‘habeas corpus’ stuff. It’s kind of interesting how often we come up against Latin terms and phrases to describe things in the law;…

The Virginia Court System

In the election last month, one of my best friends was elected as prosecutor in her county. (She’s actually the first woman to have been elected in her county, ever – but, for my purposes today, a little beside the point.) It got me doing a little research into the local government and court structure…

Will you take my family law appeal case?

We get calls, from time to time, about appeal cases, both for custody and divorce. It’s not the most common type of call – appeals are, after all, more rare than other types of cases – but it happens. Of course it does! In a divorce or a custody case, there’s a lot at stake;…

Juvenile and Circuit Court Custody Case Procedures

Juvenile and Circuit Court Procedure in Virginia Custody Cases You think you might have to file for custody. Maybe something has been brewing for awhile. Maybe recent coronavirus concerns have forced some difficult issues to light. Maybe there’s a looming change in circumstances, like a move, a new job, a school change, or a wedding….

What’s an appeal de novo?

  Considering it’s a dead language, there’s an awful lot of Latin in the law. Since so many of us are not Latin speaking, it can make reading the law, cases, and even general information about the law difficult – or, worse, nearly completely incomprehensible. Understanding the direct translation of a phrase doesn’t necessarily enhance…

When Virginia Moms Lose Custody

The worst has happened. You went to court, and a judge ordered custody to your child’s father. You lost custody. You can’t believe it. You. Lost. Custody. You want to throw up. You’re panicked and terrified. What happens next? How do you get your kids back? What should you do now, and who do you…

My juvenile court case got appealed! What now?

The downside of the juvenile court is definitely the appeals situation. Well, that’s the downside if you won in the juvenile court, anyway. If you lost at the juvenile court level, well, then, it’s absolutely your right to appeal! (Funny how there are two sides to every coin, right?) But, today, I’m really talking about…