Laws and cultural views toward marijuana, and specifically medical marijuana, are changing rapidly in the United States. Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia have at least some laws on the books legalizing medical marijuana, and several states have legalized recreational use (marijuana use remains a federal crime, however). With medical marijuana becoming more accepted on the whole, an important question Read More
Abuse and Custody Proceedings in Virginia: What You Should Know
Domestic abuse is an epidemic across Virginia and the rest of the United States, and it often plays a role in family law proceedings. Abuse is a leading factor that leads to a person seeking divorce and/or custody of a child, and Virginia courts will take domestic abuse into account in determining custody matters. You should speak to an experienced family law attorney as soon as possible to discuss your legal options Read More
Do I Need a Divorce Lawyer If We Agree on Everything?
As family law attorneys, we know that most people don’t dream of the day when they get to consider hiring a divorce lawyer (although some are certainly more eager than others). When people think of hiring a lawyer, they think of the expense, of having a stranger potentially learn about financial and emotional details in their lives, and the possibility that hiring an attorney might make their partner upset or feel Read More
Does Hiring a Divorce Attorney Make Things Better or Worse?
It’s a refrain you hear both in real life and in the movies and TV when the topic of a pending divorce comes up: “no lawyers.” As lawyers ourselves, we are certainly familiar with the concept that, for some people, the idea of lawyers conjures up a less-than-flattering image of vultures swooping into an already challenging scene and just making things worse. The goal of “no lawyers” can be a tempting option for Read More
Do I Have to Split My Pension/Retirement Benefits With an Ex-Spouse Who Remarries?
Divorce brings with it a lot of surprises, to say the least. The personal trials and changes that come with divorce are, of course, often quite profound and challenging, but, even aside from the emotional adjustment to new events, Virginia divorce law involves many facets that come as a pleasant surprise or rude awakening, depending upon one’s perspective and situation. One issue that often involves unexpected Read More
Can I Modify Custody in Virginia if My Ex-Spouse or I Get Remarried?
One of the biggest life changes that can occur post-divorce is when either you or your spouse decides to get married again. Whether this happens six months after the divorce or six years later, the understanding that you or your ex-spouse is moving on to another spouse can raise all kinds of issues. When kids are involved, however, these issues go beyond just emotional to more practical; day-to-day matters such as: Read More
Does a House I Already Owned Get Divided in a Virginia Divorce?
It is common for spouses in Virginia - especially those on second marriages or who get married later in life - to live in a house that was purchased by one spouse prior to the marriage and, after which, the other spouse moved into the same house. But what happens if the spouses divorce - does the spouse who moved in have any right to ownership interest in the house after the divorce? Separate and Marital Property Read More
4 Mistakes to Avoid in a Virginia Divorce That Could Affect Custody
For many parents, the most stressful and emotional aspects of a divorce relate to worries about their ability to maintain a close and loving relationship with their children, both through the divorce and afterwards. We want to do everything we can for our children, and we want to be there for them in the years to come. But the worry over having that relationship strained or impeded by the divorce can cause parents to Read More
Supreme Court Rules Disability Benefits Should Not Be Divided in Military Divorces
In most cases, getting a divorce is a matter of purely state law, but that is often not the case with regard to so-called “military divorces” in which at least one spouse is a current or retired member of the military. Because much of the ongoing income that such individuals receive comes straight from the federal government, federal law impacts how such income should be distributed among divorcing spouses, Read More
My Ex is Talking Badly About Me to Our Children, Should I Confront Him/Her?
Whether you are recently separated and pursuing a divorce, or already divorced and well-entrenched in a custody arrangement with another parent, having your ex-spouse talk badly about you to your children is, at best, annoying and, at worst, creating lasting divisions and damage to your parent-child relationship, which could persist indefinitely. As members of a free society, we are all entitled to voice our Read More
