Divorce

Is Virginia an Equitable Distribution State?

The short answer to this question is a rounding "yes," but understanding equitable distribution, what it is, and how it's divided is a topic all to itself.  Equitable distribution doesn't mean splitting property right down the middle, but focuses instead on splitting property as fairly as possible.  And while this certainly sounds encouraging, the reality behind a court deciding who ...

By |September 20th, 2017|

4 Habits of Highly Effective Single Parents

Without a doubt, being a single parent is one of the hardest jobs around. Not only do you have to be the financial provider holding down a regular job or two – but you must also provide emotional support for your children on a daily basis. The most successful single parents—mothers and fathers alike—develop strategies that allow them to accomplish ...

By |September 18th, 2017|

Establishing a Date of Separation in Virginia

Mark your calendars now: July 28, 2061 will be the perihelion of Halley’s Comet. No, don’t scratch your head; it’s when Halley’s Comet returns; its perihelion is the comet’s closest approach to the sun. Science is a marvel: we can know to the day when an important astronomical event like Halley’s Comet will be on us. Law is sometimes a ...

By |September 11th, 2017|

Deposition Tips for Family Law Cases

You know who has a very limited sense of humor? Attorneys and judges, that’s who. When you are embroiled in, say, a custody case, fighting for physical custody of your children, your fabled wit and insightful sarcasm should be conspicuously absent. The law, in Virginia and elsewhere, is a treasured, serious and honored idea. Judges especially do not enjoy courtroom ...

By |September 8th, 2017|

Family Law Fashion: What Should I Wear to Divorce Court?

“See you in court! I will be your worst nightmare and easy to spot. I will be the one in the crop top with the baby blue sport coat.” No you most certainly will not, young man. What may have been okay for Ezekiel Elliott at the NFL draft1 is not okay for Virginia courts. Men are not usually hailed ...

By |September 1st, 2017|

Forgiving Adultery: What You Should Know About Virginia Law

Lawyers love words. We use them a lot, in both English and Latin. Our “briefs” are anything but, and legal paper is notorious for being several inches longer than letter-sized paper because, well, we like words. Here’s an epigram (a sharp saying) you may not expect: “To err is human; to forgive, humane.” When forgiving a spouse some egregious act ...

By |August 30th, 2017|

What is a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO)?

Audi's four-wheel drive system, the Quattro®, is a great automotive innovation, but it's no QDRO. They are both nearly identical in pronunciation, but a QDRO has legal muscle, whereas a Quattro®, which admittedly handles great in the snow, is ineffective in court. A QDRO is, in the memorably bureaucratic words of the U.S. Department of Labor, “a domestic relations order ...

By |August 28th, 2017|

Can I Draft My Own Separation Agreement?

The world’s oldest recovered message in a bottle1 was awash in the sea for more than a century. It was (eventually) safely delivered to the sender’s 62-year-old granddaughter 101 years after her grandfather tossed it into the surf. Most of us do not attempt our own mailing system, since more efficient, timely and reliable means already exist. Similarly, most of ...

By |August 23rd, 2017|
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