How to Change Your Name After a Divorce in Virginia

Two of the more common questions on a person’s mind when getting a divorce - especially a woman who took her spouse’s last name in a marriage but also men who may have hyphenated their last names with their spouse’s - is whether to change their name back to their pre-marriage name and how that is accomplished. Some people have built a professional and/or community identity on their current name or simply have no wish Read More

How Long Must Child Support Be Paid in Virginia?

Under Virginia law, both parents have a duty to provide support to their minor children, regardless of whether the parents are currently married or were married in the past. Child support cases usually occur following a divorce or where the father has not married the mother of a child and is not providing support, and, if paternity of the child can be established in the case of an unwed father, the courts will Read More

Can Alimony Be Terminated in Virginia When an Ex Cohabitates With a New Partner?

Spousal support, or “alimony” as it is often called, can be awarded in a Virginia divorce matter in a variety of payment structures: it can be awarded in a lump sum; it can be awarded in periodic payments for a specific duration (e.g. 3 years); or it can be awarded in periodic payments for an undefined duration. When alimony is awarded in periodic payments, the person paying the alimony can generally cease paying the Read More

Child Visitation Laws in the State of Virginia

A parent who does not have custody of a child (also called a noncustodial parent) in Virginia will usually have a right to visitation with the child, even where the parents were never married. However, exercising this right may require the parent to obtain a court order. Below, we provide a brief overview of the child visitation laws in the state of Virginia. The Difference Between Custody and Visitation Both Read More

Determining Paternity in a Child Custody Dispute

When there is a dispute over the custody of a child in a Virginia court, that court is going to primarily look to the two biological parents of the child in determining who should have custody. It is possible for other people such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles to win custody of a child, but that will generally only occur where both biological parents are found to be unfit and/or unavailable. When a child is born Read More

How to Obtain a Protective Order

When you married your spouse, you probably never imagined that the day would come when that person would present a threat to you or your children. Unfortunately, sometimes these situations arise and people are left with few options on how to improve or resolve the issue. You may try reasoning with your spouse and perhaps even calling on family, friends, therapists, and clergy for advice and intervention. As good as Read More

How Is Your Retirement Affected By Your Divorce?

At the same time that divorce rates go down for younger Americans, they are on the rise for older adults. Because older couples have had more years to build up financial assets, this can often mean that there is more financially at stake in divorce, and judges presiding over marriages of longer duration are more likely to order that alimony be paid for longer periods of time. And if retirement is on your horizon, Read More

Religion and Child Custody in Virginia: Who Gets to Decide?

For many parents going through a divorce, being able to guide the religious upbringing of their children is a major concern. This is especially the case when the parents are of a different faith, or one parent is opposed to the child being exposed to any religious teaching or community. This can, of course, be challenging for the child as well, who may be getting conflicting perspectives on faith from each parent. Read More

What Are Some Ways To Make the Divorce Process Easier?

“Divorce” and “easy” are usually not words spoken together in the same breath, and it’s not surprising that this is the case. After all, divorce involves huge emotional, financial, and lifestyle changes: moving out into a new residence, leaving the partner you’ve been with for years for uncertain territory, establishing changed relationships and living situations with children, and adjusting to new financial Read More

Do You Need an Attorney for an Uncontested Divorce?

When it starts to become clear that your marriage is headed for divorce, even an uncontested divorce, you may find yourself facing a whole range of challenges. You might be worried about what’s going to happen to your finances following the divorce, how this decision will impact your relationship with your children, where you will be able to turn for emotional support, or how you will cope with the loss of your Read More