The phrase, “legal separation” is a Virginia myth on par with the Richmond Vampire. Like the Vampire, it seems never to die, it changes over time, and it has a tiny kernel of truth at its core. First of All, There’s No Such Thing Nothing in Virginia law enshrines “legal separation” as a concept. In Virginia, you are either: ...
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 ...
You and your spouse have decided to separate. You both realize this is the best thing for your future happiness. You agree on all the details — spousal support, child custody, property division — and sign off on the property settlement agreement. Only … a few months later, you reconcile. Now what? What protections remain in place? What Marital Separation ...
Your typical electron flies around at nearly the speed of light, 300,000 kilometers per second (186,000 miles per second). All those text messages you and your divorcing spouse are sending back and forth? Just gatherings of electrons, zipping along the internet. How do you capture something so ephemeral? Can Text Messages Be Used As Evidence? Let’s clear this up immediately: ...
We know what you’re thinking. Why would divorce attorneys want marriages to be saved? Contrary to popular rumor, divorce attorneys are not heartless. We hate to see anyone hurt, sad, depressed, or unfulfilled. A rocky marriage helps nobody, from the couple themselves to their immediate family to the larger community. So, yeah, family lawyers want marriages to be successful. Here’s ...
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 ...
A property settlement agreement or divorce settlement agreement is the final word in just about every facet of your divorce. The terms laid down in the agreement allow you and your ex-wife to stay in your lanes, avoid future court battles, and find a level of peace you may not have known in marriage. What if, though, she violates the ...
The Articles of Confederation, our nation’s first “constitution,” were badly flawed. Each state could have set up tolls and tariffs at its borders, so a sack of Virginia peanuts traveling to New York could have had an expensive and perilous journey. Today interstate laws provide for the smooth flow of goods and services between the states. That flow includes child ...