For most men, dealings with Virginia’s legal system are rare and unusual experiences. Whether struggling through a divorce, seeking spousal support or facing a paternity suit, your time with a family law attorney will be new territory—for you. For your attorney, you may be one of hundreds such cases. For men, using a men’s rights law firm that represents men exclusively has at least four enormous benefits.
Hitting the Hornet’s Nest
You may pass by the same tree every day and never realize it has a hornet’s nest in it. Similarly, you may have gone about your daily work and play for years without knowing all the changes, snares and pitfalls of divorce proceedings, separation agreements, or domestic violence charges in Virginia.
Then one day, you casually toss a rock at the tree and are completely unprepared for the resulting swarm of hornets.
Then one day, you file for divorce or separation and everything you do, every penny you spend, and every word you utter becomes fuel for motions and pleadings.
If you had the counsel of an exterminator or entomologist, you could have been warned not to hit the tree with the hornet’s nest. With the choice of wise counsel in a legal battle, you can be warned away from bone-headed moves like these:
- Calling your wife unpleasant names
- Making threats on social media or by telephone message
- Running up debts
- Accusing her falsely
- Making wild claims to take the kids and leave Virginia
A good attorney representing men understands men sometimes speak before thinking, and will advise caution in all dealings with your spouse.
Courting Disaster
For many reasons—legal, legislative and societal—many Virginia courts still tend to give greater credence to women’s rights than men’s rights during legal proceedings. You may be wholly unprepared for the odds being against you, but your lawyer with experience representing men knows the drill:
- Tender years doctrine—Though legislated away in 1983, this suspicious legal opinion that favors women over men regarding the children may still hold sway in some courtrooms, if the attorney representing the husband or father does not push back
- Spousal Support—A good lawyer familiar with men’s rights can not only work to relieve the almost ex-husband of some or all of the financial burden of spousal support, in many cases support can come from the almost ex-wife to the man (a good lawyer will also clarify that spousal support is not identical to child support—you have an obligation to see to your children, whether they are with you or not)
Old Tricks, New Audience
Remember that you are, essentially, a “new audience” in the divorce arena. Something alarming or genuinely disturbing to you could crop up either in the courtroom or during proceedings. Yet your lawyer can take it in stride, having seen the same old tricks many times. You have to rely on your lawyer completely, and many men find a special bond of trust when working with a legal firm dealing only with men. Some of the unscrupulous schemes your attorney can watch for:
- Hiding money or other assets
- Deliberately destroying valuable assets
- Burning through bank accounts or intentionally charging up a storm on credit cards
- Hiring private detectives to snoop
- Falsely claiming you hurt her
- Invading the spouse’s privacy by secretly copying documents or electronic records
- Attempting to create conflicts of interest by visiting multiple attorneys, who then cannot take your case
We would wish upon no man the likes of a Lady Sarah Graham-Moon, whose revenge acts are legendary and horrifying. An experienced divorce lawyer acting in the interests of men only can be prepared to take steps against such tactics as cutting the sleeves off suits, pouring paint over your car, or giving away your wine collection.
Raw Emotion
Men can, should, and do feel emotions. Divorce and legal conflicts are gut wrenching. They are life changing. They turn upside down nearly every relationship in your life. Your attorney will be by your side through the entire experience. Do you want to work with someone who is put off by your emotions, who fails to show sympathy or understanding, or who seems perplexed by your reactions? Of course not. You want a lawyer who, having represented other male clients, anticipates moments that will cut deeply. In a thousand little ways (like finding the right place and time to discuss highly sensitive matters, having tissues available, or recommending a weekend getaway to clear your head) an experienced, dedicated lawyer can ease your burden and help you through the raw emotions you will feel. A men’s rights attorney is an asset for emotional support.
We’re Men’s Rights Attorneys & We’re Committed to YOU
To get a better sense of the many benefits of using a men’s rights or fathers’ rights attorney, contact The Firm for Men online today or call our office at 757-383-9184 for a consultation. Our attorneys draw on experience, case law, and a thorough familiarity with Virginia’s judicial system to help men preserve and defend their rights. We’ve been proud to serve Virginia Beach and the surrounding areas, from Chesapeake to Newport News, for over a decade.
