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
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
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
Preparing For Mediation in Your Virginia Custody Dispute
Mediation is becoming an increasingly favored way for parents in Virginia custody disputes to create a workable custody arrangement which will then be approved and enforced by a Virginia court. Why? Many reasons, not the least of which are that mediation can save time and money. But the essence of mediation is that it allows the parents to collaboratively work out a custody arrangement without having to argue matters Read More
Will Medical Marijuana Affect My Virginia Child Custody Case?
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
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
