Child Custody & Visitation Lawyers
We are Men’s Attorneys Protecting Virginia Fathers’ Child Custody and Visitation Rights
At The Firm for Men, we know your children are precious to you. The rights you enjoy as their father need not disappear after a divorce or breakup. You have a right to arrange child custody and visitation, so you can keep your relationship with your children thriving. We are here to protect your rights and ensure a strong, ongoing relationship between father and sons, father and daughters.
We do not pretend to be wise. We do not pretend to be invincible. We do, however, know Virginia law. We know men’s rights, and we know how to defend your rights in child custody hearings and when arranging visitation schedules.
People often refer to “the wisdom of King Solomon,” who threatened to cleave a baby in two so that the baby’s true mother would step forward. We do not think Solomon was especially wise, however. Who uses a child as a pawn? Rather, the impostor mother was especially heartless; she would have rather let a baby boy suffer than admit she was not the boy’s mother.
Unfortunately, Virginia men know all too well the challenges of fighting over their children. Through our years serving Hampton Roads, we have heard many tales about fathers’ child custody problems, visitation nightmares, and legal issues. And we know we will hear many more. Perhaps that is one of our firm’s strengths — our willingness to listen, deeply and carefully, to each client’s situation. We will gather the facts, but also honor the emotions, as we prepare to defend your rights. We strive to serve the needs of the children whose lives are disrupted by child custody issues just as much as we serve the needs of those children’s fathers. And at no time will we use your children as pawns in a dispute with your ex-partner.
Child Custody in Virginia
In Virginia, the law makes clear two types of custody: physical custody and legal custody. For military servicemembers, physical custody may be viewed as an impossible dream. As a military father, you may not be stationed in Virginia to defend your rights to your children. You may not be present to negotiate an equitable arrangement to share physical custody with your ex-partner. At The Firm For Men, we can take up the challenge, and preserve your fatherly rights, no matter where you are stationed.
Besides our military service members, many Virginia fathers struggle with tough work schedules that may make them think they cannot even attempt a fight for physical or legal custody. Whether your job takes you over the road hauling goods or selling services, or you have the flexibility to be a stay-at-home dad, we will represent you through every child custody proceeding. Even when you cannot appear in court because you are working hard to earn money to help your children, we will be there for you, representing and defending you.
Physical Custody
Physical custody can be sole or joint, with the children living either completely with you or sharing their time between your home and the house of your ex-partner. Whatever type of custody works best for your children and you is what our firm will fight to gain for you.
With more than a decade’s experience pushing hard to preserve fathers’ rights in Virginia Beach and the surrounding areas of Hampton Roads, our firm knows the common themes of struggling Dads:
- The presumption that you are not as worthy a parent as your ex-spouse
- The prejudice that you will try to be your children’s best friend instead of their father
- The assumption that you care less about your kids than their mother
- The notion that your main job after divorce is to be a blank check without being emotionally involved
Custody clashes in Virginia courts are supposed to be argued on equal footing — the father has the same rights to child custody as the mother — but we at The Firm For Men know an atmosphere often pervades that prefers mothers over fathers. You may hear phrases like the “tender years doctrine,” but current law is intended to be gender neutral on custody. Despite the law, many judges look more favorably to mothers than fathers. We push hard against this, and demonstrate repeatedly to Virginia judges that our great state’s wonderful fathers are excellent providers. When you have us at your side, you need not fear the worst outcome. You will see us use every part of the Code of Virginia, case law, and common sense to defend your rights.
As child custody lawyers for fathers, we recognize the seriousness of our work, since we are protecting not just fathers’ rights, but the rights of Virginia’s children to be cared for, loved, and nurtured in the best possible environment.
Legal Custody
Whether you retain sole physical custody or shared physical custody of your own children, you also have to consider legal custody. Who between you and your ex-spouse should make decisions for the best interests of your children on these topics:
- Education
- Extra-curricular activities
- Medical, dental and vision problems
- Religious upbringing
The parent with legal custody makes tough decisions on behalf of the children. At The Firm for Men we work hard to get you the legal custody you want to protect your children. Your ex-wife may not be in the best position to make rational choices about your children; we can help a Virginia judge to see that, so that you get a say in how your children grow and thrive. We, like the law of Virginia, always keep the best interests of children in mind.
Visitation & Parenting Time
For fathers who struggle to make inroads in visitation, to see their beloved children more and to carry on the healthy relationships so vital to children’s success, we will work hard to defend your visitation rights as a father. We can produce creative, mutually helpful visitation schedules, negotiate details regarding time and place of visitations, and persist to get every blessed minute we can for you with your children.
Visitation rights in the 21st century have to take into account technological advances. Have you considered, for example, getting a legal visitation schedule that includes “virtual visits,” text messaging, FaceTime, and/or other electronic interactions? We can help with that. Have you thought about using online scheduling calendars to ensure complete communication with your ex-partner? We can help with that. Have you thought about how you will keep track of every precious minute and hour with your kids, so you know you are getting what you are legally entitled to? We can help with that, too.
No Superheroes Here
The attorneys at The Firm For Men are not superheroes. We are not miracle workers, and we do not have “the wisdom of Solomon.” We do not pretend to be anything other than who we are: the hardest-working, most vigilant custody and visitation lawyers in Virginia Beach dedicated exclusively to protecting and preserving the rights of Virginia men.
Let us help you with your child custody or visitation challenge. Contact our offices online, or telephone us at 757-383-9184. Schedule your consultation today and you can be on the way to better times with your kids tomorrow.
The Firm For Men zealously represents men and fathers for the following types of family law matters:
- Child support orders, modifications, garnishment, and other matters including show cause and contempt of court
- Paternity suits, including establishment and disestablishment of paternity
- Separation and divorce, including uncontested and contested matters as well as property division and spousal support
- Domestic abuse claims
… and much more.