Once you become a parent, whether as a mother or a father, something primal emerges. Mamas become terrifying tigers; Daddies become beastly bears. Nothing — no danger or insignificant official — will stand between parents and their children. Pitting Mom against Dad, then, is a bit like watching Muhammad Ali take on Joe Frazier in the ring. What kind of ...
Virginia’s legal system provides Guardians Ad Litem (GALs) in all cases involving children (and incapacitated adults). Most often, the GAL represents the child. Ideally, the GAL works as a professional by appointment of judges in Juvenile & Domestic Relations Courts, District Courts, and Circuit Courts. What happens when that ideal falls short? Working with a GAL A GAL is appointed ...
In July of 2021, an astounding $15 billion went out to the parents of 60 million American children through the Advance Child Tax Credit. The individual amounts are helpful: up to $300 per month for each child under age 6 and up to $250 per month for each child ages 6 through 17. But what if you got a check ...
If you tell a group of people that today has a 50 percent chance of rain, a handful of them may actually think that means it’ll rain for half the day. That’s not how percentages work. Similarly, 50/50 custody may confuse some parents. Types of Custody Virginia’s family laws provide for a wide range of custody arrangements after separation and ...
One of the best ways, when working through separation and divorce, to support your children and maintain those all-important family bonds is through open decision-making and clear communication. Whether that means joint physical custody or shared legal custody, or even sole physical custody with thorough, informal discussions, both parents must agree to work in the best interests of the child, ...
Now I lay me down to sleep, but Dad’s new girlfriend is a creep. Abraham Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs,” helps people differentiate between needs and wants, and to make clear that some needs are basic and biological: food, water, safety, warmth, and rest. We may want a separate bedroom for our visiting children to get their rest, but is it ...
The retractable dog leash was first patented in 1908, by Mary Delaney. With child custody and visitation, many a Virginia man feels like he is walking around on a leash. If you assign full physical and legal custody of your children to your former wife, how far can you stray from home? How Short is Your Leash? Back in the ...
The judge assigned her. The state pays her. Your child custody issues hinges on her word. Face it: you have a lot at stake when a guardian ad litem (GAL) drops by for a home visit. She (or he — the Supreme Court of Virginia keeps a list of qualified GALs of both genders) is not your attorney; she is ...
Are you a glass-half-full or a glass-half-empty person? We ask because everyone has heard that old chestnut, “Half of all marriages end in divorce.” Well, that also means half don’t end in divorce. We are not half-full/half-empty people, though. We look at where that pitcher of our favorite beverage is, so we can top off the glass. People have other ...