When the Virginia family courts reach a determination regarding custody in your divorce, they expect your family to adhere to the court order they issue. Some people feel trapped or unhappy about the lack of flexibility they experience after a custody order. Others...
Child Custody
Do you have grounds to request sole custody of your child?
For most couples going through a divorce, the question about child custody isn't whether they will share it but how they will do so. In the vast majority of cases, the courts recognize that having both parents involved benefits the children. However, there are...
Considering co-parenting arrangements other than 50-50
Many separated parents in Virginia accept the common wisdom that switching off weeks between households in the best way to implement a 50-50 custody schedule. In this case, however, the conventional wisdom might not always be the best solution for the children....
Tips for parents after divorce
Virginia couples who have young children and who are getting a divorce might be concerned about co-parenting. There are several steps they can take to do so more effectively. Communication is important. This can be hard, but they should not make their children into...
Maintaining sanity when co-parenting with a toxic person
Virginia co-parents who divorced in an amicable way face a variety of challenges because of the logistics of parenting children from two different households. The situation becomes even more complicated when one of the co-parents is a toxic person. Here are a few...
Joint custody more likely than in the past
How the legal system handles divorce and child custody has changed significantly over the past several decades, and parents in Virginia are more likely to share custody than was once the case. In the past, custody was often awarded to mothers on the assumption that...
What parents should keep in mind when making a parenting schedule
When parents in Virginia get a divorce, they may also need to create a parenting schedule. This is the plan for when the child will be with each parent. Parents can negotiate a schedule, or they can go to court where a judge will create the schedule. The disadvantage...
What is the definition of “best interests of the child?”
Child custody can be a particularly contentious part of going through a divorce. Figuring out how courts determine whether or not you will receive any custody of your children is difficult and can be stressful for parents going through the process. You may have heard...
Making parenting time work during the holidays after divorce
Regardless of how recent a divorce is, families in Virginia living separately often deal with a mixed bag of emotions during the holidays. Since this is usually the time when kids have more time off from school, there's often an increased need to shuffle them back and...
Benefits and drawbacks of nesting after divorce
Some parents in Virginia who are going through a divorce might consider an arrangement that is sometimes called nesting or birdnesting. This allows the children to remain at home while the parents alternate staying there. Usually, parents share another place that they...