Many misconceptions still surround how divorce works. Some of those misconceptions concern property division. What the law considers to be rightfully yours (and what is not) may surprise you. How divorce can affect your retirement Retirement assets are not necessarily...
Month: December 2017
How Virginia courts are helping inmates get sober and stay sober
Prison can be a revolving door for addicts who take a wrong turn trying to feed their addiction. The lack of resources offered to inmates suffering from addiction does little to nothing to ensure these offenders will not return to jail. Sadly, this is the typical...
Domestic violence: A real problem that could destroy reputations
Domestic violence is a serious problem in the United States, so much so that many people refer to it as an epidemic. While women are more likely to be victims of violence in their households, men are also exposed to domestic violence. Around 15 percent of all domestic...
Drunk driving: Sobriety checkpoints on high alert
Sobriety checkpoints are fairly common around the holidays, and this Christmas and New Year's period is no different. A Dec. 22 report states that Virginia will have several checkpoints across the state thanks to the Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign. So far in...
CPS investigations, custody and court: 5 things you should know
Virginia's child protective services (CPS) agency workers are charged with protecting kids, but sometimes they can go too far, to the detriment of children and their parents' rights. Parents can be harmed in ways that relate to family law and criminal law. If you are...
Who can use the insanity defense?
When you're accused of a crime that you don't remember committing or that you believe you committed under the influence of drugs or another substance, you may be able to use an insanity defense. People with a history of mental illness, those who are driven to extremes...
Sharing medications: One way to get into trouble with the law
Your friend has been in pain, and you have some prescription-strength medications you want to share with him. You know that they're prescribed to you, but you also realize that your friend could get a similar prescription for pain if he went to the doctor. Giving him...
Questions people ask about LGBT child custody in Virginia
Child custody is a very challenging issue for parents who are going through a divorce or breakup. For same-sex couples who are separating, that custody-related stress can be even greater because of the legal disadvantages they may face in Virginia. Every parent wants...
Same-sex divorce and asset division in Virginia: Pivotal issues
When it comes to divorce, there are still many questions about the legal rights of same-sex partners in Virginia. While the June 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges has been seen as a major civil-rights victory, according to an NPR news report, it...
An unfavorable child support order could haunt you for years
After a divorce, it goes without saying that your children's financial needs must be met. It also goes without saying that you intend to always be there for your kids, financially, emotionally and otherwise. But what role does child support play in your family law...