Virginia Legal Blog
How to appoint guardians for one’s children in a will
As parents in Virginia are raising their children, often times they are focused on the daily needs and activities of their children. They are also working in order to ensure they are able to meet their children’s needs. Most likely they are not thinking about what may...
How much influence will a prenuptial agreement have on a divorce?
Before getting married, some couples choose to enter into prenuptial agreements in order to formalize certain legal matters about their property rights. A prenuptial agreement can help a Virginia couple work out how they may handle certain decisions in the event they...
How do courts evaluate the “best interests” of a child?
It is not always easy for parents to decide how to divide up the custodial responsibilities of caring for a child after a divorce. When parents decide to end their relationship, they may choose to no longer be attached to their legal spouse, but they must remain...
Why trusts can be useful for estate planning
There are many things that people in Virginia must plan for throughout their lives. These plans are important in order to ensure that things happen in accordance with how people want them to go or how they envision a certain outcome. While it is not something that...
When can a stepparent adopt their stepchild?
Blended families are a good example of how life moves forward after separations and divorce. When a Virginia resident has a child with a partner and then chooses to end their relationship with their co-parent, they may later find themselves in a position to enter a...
Grounds for Divorce in Virginia
Divorce is a relatively common legal process that some couples choose to pursue in order to end the partners legal relationships. After a divorce two people who were once married under the law are returned to their single status and become free to marry other...
Visitation Options for Virginia Families
Child custody and visitation matters in Virginia are often documented in unique agreements and orders. These documents are legal reports that outlines what rights each of a child’s parents has regarding the child’s care and physical support. In Virginia, child custody...
When is spousal support necessary?
Alimony, also known as spousal support or spousal maintenance, is not as common as it once was, but can still be a necessary part of an equitable divorce. In previous generations, spousal support was practically a given in any divorce. Because women did not have the...
Dividing marital property from separate property
Virginia law requires divorcing couples to divide their marital property in a way that meets standards of fairness. But first the parties have to figure out what the marital property is. Marital property consists of all assets and debts that are owned jointly by the...
5 things to understand before filing for divorce
Divorce can be an emotional, frustrating and challenging time for everyone involved. Those intense emotions can make it extra difficult to comprehend or focus on the legal considerations, which can keep some from making smart decisions. Negative emotions can lead to...
