Family Law

If you are getting a divorce, you might need to divide one or more retirement accounts. This can be a complex process. Since Virginia is an equitable distribution state, these accounts might not be divided 50/50. The value of the plan First, you need to consider how...

Separated clients with children often come to us with somewhat similar questions regarding child support: Does child support cover extracurriculars or sports? What about school supplies or private tuition? How about daycare costs or summer camps? The question...

Even after ending a tumultuous relationship involving mental or even physical abuse, Courts still award at least some visitation to the other party.  Unfortunately, abusers will sometimes use a co-parenting situation to try and continue to exert control over their...

A common question that clients ask is whether their child gets a say in where they will ultimately live or how much time they will spend with each parent. We often hear from clients that their child doesn’t want to go to the other parent’s house or that the other...

A common question that recently separated parties ask me is, “Am I entitled to alimony, or will I have to pay alimony?” They then follow up with several more questions, which usually include “How much alimony will I receive/pay?” and “How long will the spousal support...

“Dance like no one is watching, and e-mail like it may one day be read aloud in a deposition.” We couldn’t agree more with this viral meme: following this seemingly glib statement can likely save you a lot of headaches in the long run in your family law dispute. In...

Most people understand and appreciate that both parents of a child have a constitutional right to raise their children without interference from third parties. However, children often have important family relationships with grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles,...

Several of our clients come to us only after an unsuccessful and tedious attempt to secure a divorce on their own.  Most of them first tried using a website or service that claimed to have “all the forms necessary” to finalize their divorce without an attorney....

The desire for a fresh start emotionally, financially, and even physically is very common after separation or divorce.  While moving to a neighboring town or county may not concern your ex, moving several hours away or out of state entirely, perhaps for a new job or...

One of the main issues in any divorce case is the equitable distribution of marital assets and debts.  Equitable distribution is what Virginia courts call the distribution of property and debt obligations between spouses when dividing marital property during a...