Child custody invokes strong emotions and intense personal interest from all parties involved. Matters involving the best interests of one’s child or children can have serious consequences. Money is fungible and can come and go — your children are your children.
Choosing a divorce or family law attorney can be a difficult undertaking. Depending on the complexity of the situation, it can be challenging for regular people to wade through the legal options and make the best choices for themselves. However, in general, when you’re meeting with an attorney, you should feel comfortable asking the attorney to explain unfamiliar concepts with you, and go over your possible choices.
As we pass Memorial Day and inch closer to the summer, we all look forward to warm weather, trips to the beach, and hopefully a vacation. This weekend also marks the unofficial beginning of wedding season. A joyous time indeed but, as a family law attorney, this is also when I start receiving many questions about prenuptial agreements.
As ominous as that may sound, I can personally vouch for a 100% success rate in negotiating prenuptial agreements which means that all my clients celebrated a wonderful wedding and rode off into the sunset ready to embark on a much-needed honeymoon. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t traps and pitfalls to avoid along the way. The following are some frequently asked questions I have received throughout the years, as well as a few tips towards successfully navigating the negotiation process:
Researchers may have hit upon one factor explaining many Northern Virginia divorces: Personality Evolution. The longest personality study ever conducted confirms that people change so dramatically as they grow older that they often bear almost no resemblance to their younger selves.
Politics have always been a hot button issue, but the current divisions in our country seem especially pronounced. A new national poll from Wakefield Research indicates that the tense political environment, particularly differing views over President Trump’s election and platforms, is causing rifts in marriages and relationships like never before.
There are three main players involved in your divorce: you, your spouse, and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Just as Virginia has laws about getting married, it also has certain criteria for officially ending a marriage. Among other legal considerations, you cannot simply leave your spouse, gather your things, and immediately tell the court you need a divorce. You have to give the court an acceptable reason why you should be allowed to end your marriage. The reason is known as the ground for your divorce. In Virginia, the grounds of divorce are laid out in Code of Virginia; Title 20, Section 20-91.
On April 23, the Curran Moher Weis team was out in full force, participating for the 5th year in a row in the Fairfax Law Foundation’s Heroes vs. Villains Run for Justice! It was an incredibly successful year, with 450 registered runners and a record level of sponsorship money raised. Here are just a few of the ways our firm supported and engaged in this important event:
Many of you know that I served as an infantryman in the Marine Corps earlier in life. As it turns out, I could never shake the urge to get back into uniform. Effective Friday, April 21, I will be leaving Curran Moher Weis to join the U.S. Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps on active duty. I will start with a six-week basic training program at Fort Benning, Georgia, followed by a ten-week legal training program at the Army’s JAG school in Charlottesville, Virginia. In September, my family and I will be moving to Hawaii where I will join the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks.
While our firm focuses primarily on helping local families navigate the difficulties of divorce and family-related legal issues, we also recognize the importance of supporting and giving back to our community.
The late and highly respected attorney Betty Thompson, a monumental force in modernizing Virginia family law, was known for telling clients at their initial consultations that “the only won cases are cases resolved out of court.” Having clerked for her during law school, that phrase has stuck with me ever since. Each case is different and there are situations where a trial is unavoidable. However, your attorney should work with you along the way to see if a successful resolution out of court is possible.
So what can you do to ensure that your divorce is as close to successful as possible?
