There is no law in Virginia that requires you and your former spouse to create a parenting plan during the divorce process or any custody and visitation proceeding in the juvenile court. As attorneys who also build estate plans, we should highlight how no law requires you to have a will or a revocable trust either. However, there are tremendous benefits to everything we just mentioned. Today, we wanted to discuss why Read More
Securing the future: Naming a guardian for your children
Naming a guardian for your minor child and your child’s property is a vital (yet often overlooked) element of the estate planning process. Though it may come as a surprise, the person you choose to be the child’s guardian does not have to be the same person who oversees their assets. The person who oversees their assets is referred to as the “Trustee.” Without the proper nomination in your estate planning Read More
What are the Best Interests of the Child in Virginia?
The Virginia courts take decisions about minor children very seriously, including choices about where the child will live and how much support they will receive during and after a divorce. Whenever there is an issue regarding a child, the judge is required to look at the decision through the lens of what is in the best interests of the child, but what exactly does that mean? At Select Law Partners, PLLC our Read More
Why Hire a Child Custody Attorney?
Child custody is often one of the most emotional and stressful decisions that parents must make during a divorce. While some parents believe that they can work out the details of child custody and visitation on their own, it is in your best interest to hire a child custody attorney to handle your case. To learn more about why you should retain the services of a child custody attorney and for more information about Read More
How to Protect Kids from a Messy Divorce
Navigating a divorce is never easy, but when a divorce gets messy and children are involved, it is important to protect your children from the fallout. Failure to protect your children from a messy divorce can result in serious stress and emotional turmoil for them. Thankfully, there are some steps that you can take to prevent your children from these harms during your divorce while you separate from your spouse. For Read More
What are Parental Rights for Unmarried Parents in Virginia?
The parental rights of married parents are easily established in Virginia when a child is born, but the rights of parents who are unmarried are considerably murkier. If you are an unmarried parent of a child and wish to establish your rights to custody, visitation, or support, you need an experienced Virginia family law attorney to zealously advocate for your rights and the rights of your child. Establishing Read More
Do I Have to Pay Child Support if I Have 50/50 Custody?
The common preference in family law courts in Virginia is to maintain joint custody of a child during and after a divorce. This means that both parents maintain legal and physical custody of their child, and in some cases even splitting time equally, 50/50, between parents. However, an equal split of custody in a joint custody case often leads to questions about the payment of child support between parents. If the Read More
What to do About Custody, Visitation, Property, and Other Issues While the Divorce is Proceeding
Filing for divorce can be a lengthy process in Virginia, even if the spouses agree to a no-fault divorce. Sometimes, divorce cases can drag on through the court system for years, but in many cases there are real issues that need to be resolved immediately while the case is going through the courts. Virginia law allows for a family law court to issue “pendente lite” orders to address immediate needs of custody, Read More
How to Create a Workable Holiday Schedule with Your Ex
When parents get divorced, part of the divorce agreement is the custody and visitation schedule for the children. However, a standard custody and visitation agreement may not fully meet both parents’ and children’s needs during the holidays. As a parent, you have options to create a workable holiday schedule with your ex in order to make this time of the year as enjoyable as possible for everyone Read More
How is Child Custody Determined in Virginia?
Child custody determinations are always made with the child’s best interests in mind, but the considerations vary slightly from state to state. In Virginia, child custody is determined by a number of factors in the state’s Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts. It is important to understand how child custody is determined in Virginia in order to have the best chance at gaining custody of your child in a Read More
