In case you weren’t already aware, Veteran’s Day is coming up! And this year, like the last couple years, we’re running a special to thank female military service members and military wives for their service to our country. If you’re currently serving in the military, or your spouse is currently serving, and you’re considering a divorce or separation, we can definitely help. It’s a pretty scary experience, and there are always a lot of unknowns. You've probably got a lot of questions, and … [Read more...]
My marriage isn’t working out. What should I do?
My marriage isn't working out. What should I do? There’s not a lot of things that feel scarier than divorce. It’s a big change, and it impacts all areas of your life. I think probably the scariest parts aren’t even what will happen to your retirement accounts or your house, but the ideological shift that takes place. Who are you, if you’re not your husband’s wife? How do you start over? Who do you talk to now, if the person you vowed to love and cherish is no longer playing on the same … [Read more...]
New Year’s Divorce Resolutions
Well, it’s officially the new year. With all those New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and eat healthy and be happy come some others. In fact, though it may not seem like it at first, they’re really along the same lines anyway. Separation and divorce are often part of a New Year’s resolution, too. I’ve seen it before. A woman comes into me, complaining of various ailments (anxiety, depression, stomach complaints, whatever), only to find that, after she separates from her husband, most of … [Read more...]
Your attorney said WHAT?!
Divorce and custody cases are high stress situations. It’s not very often that I get an email or a call from a client who isn’t feeling pretty frantic. They want answers, and they want them now, and they can’t sleep until they get them. They’re so worried, and they don’t know how anything will turn out, and they’d give an awful lot to just KNOW. Probably most people hire attorneys. I don’t have actual statistics on that or anything, but I’d say that, eventually, most people eventually … [Read more...]
Common Law Marriage in Virginia
Okay, so, the headline of this article, “Common Law Marriage in Virginia” is a little misleading, and I’ll tell you why. There is NO common law marriage in Virginia. Common law marriage is a thing, at least in some states, but it isn’t in Virginia. The theory there, which I assume you already know, is that, if you and your partner have lived together long enough (usually somewhere in the neighborhood of seven to ten years), the law will eventually deem you married just by virtue of your … [Read more...]
Veteran’s Day Specials for Divorcing Military Wives
It’s not easy to be a military spouse. Between deployments and workups and irregular hours (not to mention the fact that you could literally be sent almost anyplace in the world – and sometimes the service member gets unaccompanied orders – and have no say in the matter), it’s one thing after another. For the spouse, keeping the family together is a difficult, time-consuming job. For many military spouses, it’s not really all that possible to work. Between all the frequent moves and the … [Read more...]
His, Hers, Ours: Classifying Property in Divorce
When you’re happily married, everything is “ours”. But as soon as one of you starts talking about a potential separation, it’s funny how many things suddenly become “mine” – especially from a man’s perspective. I’ve only ever represented women only in divorce and custody cases, so I can speak most easily and comfortably about a woman’s mindset. For the most part, women aren’t the ones saying, “That’s mine.” Women, in general, are much more giving and understanding of the fact that what was … [Read more...]
Veteran’s Day Specials 2017
Here in Hampton Roads, the military presence is everywhere. From bumper stickers proclaiming “I LOVE JET NOISE” to various deployments and homecomings, we see military all day, every day, everywhere. It’s something we’re proud of, and something that gives us a sense of regional identity. We see uniformed active duty service members sitting in restaurants, pumping gas at the service station, and alongside us pushing their grocery carts. We know, probably better than most places in the US, … [Read more...]
Just had a baby — now divorce?
If ever there was a bad time to be thinking that your marriage is on the rocks, it’s right after you’ve delivered a baby. Add to your level of stress (you know, related to delivery, recovery, post partum, the realities of raising a baby) with the fact that you may or may not be able to make your marriage work the way you always planned, and you’re feeling more than a little overwhelmed. If ever there was a bad time to be thinking that your marriage is on the rocks, it’s right after you’ve … [Read more...]
Divorcing and scared
If you’re divorcing and scared, you’re not alone. It’s normal to be wondering what to expect, especially when you’re headed towards such a major transition. It’s not unusual to wonder whether it will really happen, and fantasize about it either way. And, then, stay up half the night worrying about it—either way. Mixed feelings are normal. Divorcing IS scary, and you’re not the first woman who has frantically searched through our site for more information. In fact, every single day we get some … [Read more...]
