Child Custody Lawyer Newport News
Child custody concerns are very common to divorce. However, even if your divorce is in your past, the need for a child custody modification can crop up. Further, child custody issues between parents who were never married require the same careful legal attention. If it involves your kids, it’s important, and reaching out to an experienced child custody lawyer in Newport News can help.Â
Child Custody
In Virginia, child custody is divided into legal custody and physical custody. Legal custody addresses making important decisions on behalf of your children’s best interests, and physical custody addresses how you and your children’s other parent will divide your time with your children. These are important matters that directly affect your parental rights, which makes giving them the attention they deserve critical.Â
Legal Custody
Parenting is all about guiding your children’s growth and development, and a big part of this is making decisions on their behalf that support your parenting goals. The kinds of decisions involved include:
- Decisions about your children’s schooling
- Decisions about your children’s health care
- Decisions about your children’s extracurriculars
- Decisions about your children’s religious education
You and your children’s other parent can address this responsibility in any of the following ways:
- You can make the decisions together.Â
- You can make the decisions together, but if you cannot resolve the matter between yourselves, one of you will have tie-breaking authority.
- One of you can shoulder the responsibility yourself.
- You and your divorcing spouse can divide this decision-making power according to the kind of decision that is being made.Â
Those routine child-rearing decisions that sprout up regularly remain the responsibility of the parent who is with the children at the time.Â
Physical Custody
Physical custody is a major part of child custody, and it refers to how your children will divide their time between you and their other parent. While there is considerable flexibility regarding the schedule you devise, every parenting schedule falls into one of the following two categories:
- You and your children’s other parent will split your time with the kids equally.Â
- One of you will become the primary custodial parent, while the other will have scheduled visits.
You can implement nearly any kind of schedule that works for you, but if you need the court to intervene, you’ll likely receive one of the state’s standard visitation schedules.
The Best Interest of Your Children
When the matter involves children, the court is always guided by their best interests. As such, all of the following can play a role in how the court determines child custody issues:
- Each child’s age, mental and physical health, and his or her evolving developmental needs
- Each parent’s age and physical and mental health
- The strength of the relationship between each parent and each child
- The needs of each child, which can include relationships with siblings, other relatives, extended family, and more
- The role that each parent plays in each child’s life
- The child’s preference in the matter (if he or she is mature enough to weigh in)
- Each parent’s ability to resolve parenting disputes with the other parent
- Any other factor the court deems relevant
Consult with an Experienced Child Custody Lawyer in Newport News Today
The trusted Newport News child custody lawyers at Mahoney Richmond Thurston, PLLC, have the experience, legal skill, and drive you need to help resolve your child custody concerns. We are here to help, so please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
What Our Clients Are Saying
5 Stars!
I worked with Nicole Thurston, Joy, and Nancy and they were all amazing to work with. They went above and beyond to help me fight in my custody battle and my son is now doing excellent. They cared about the outcome of our case showed how much they cared. He has straight A's, on the Principal's list, and getting college offers and letters from congressmen to congratulate him for his success. We would not have gotten this far it was not for this legal team fighting day and night to give us the best possible outcome. Thank you all for everything you have done for our family. Sincerely, Tamara
Nicole handled my divorce, she was professional and detailed. If I had a question it was usually answered the same day. In court, she was very professional, had all details, and was fully ready to represent me. I could not have asked for a better attorney to represent me!
I am very impressed with Andy's capabilities - he is a talented young lawyer.
Reeves is a fine lawyer, with a great sense of humor.
Mr. Richmond deals with his clients compassionately and with legal precision. You can have confidence that he is looking out for you and trust his judgment and advice. Take his advice seriously. Mr. Richmond does a good job communicating with his clients, keeping them informed along the way.
Andrew Richmond is a great lawyer and extremely smart.
I did my research on divorce and family law attorneys before contacting anyone. A trusted friend had used Nicole and her team's services previously and highly recommended her. Entering the MNR Law offices I met their receptionist. Her smile both lightened the mood and removed some of the stress from the streets. I found the conference room to be well lit, supplies readily available, and the conduct of the staff I encountered to be well above everyday professional courtesy. Nicole was the first attorney I met with and after our initial meeting, discussing options, criteria, contractual obligations, and services that would be contracted for, I confidently chose her to be my legal counsel. The contracts were explained in detail and reviewed prior to initiating our financial transactions, and I feel I received more than what I contracted for. I paid for professional services; what I got included personalized service, the respect, and distinction of being an individual. My concerns were thoroughly vetted and understood from a personal level and translated to what I wanted and needed on a professional legal level. The team prepared the battlefield and for potential contingencies, ready to execute, ready to win. We faced the opposition…
5 stars!
I recommend them completely!
Very pleased with their professionalism and seriousness with my case.
Listen, I did the circuit of family lawyers in Virginia Beach and Andy is, hands down, the most honest, capable, genuine, and reliable lawyer around.
Reeves Mahoney did an outstanding job as my attorney during a recent contested custody battle. Knowledgeable, honest, and direct, I appreciated Reeves’ sage counsel during an incredibly difficult and anxious time. Reeves and his team provided excellent guidance and successfully navigated me through the heretofore unfamiliar minefield of family law. Reeves is one of the finest, if not the finest family law attorneys in Hampton Roads and enjoys a stellar reputation in the family law system.
Nicole was amazing to work with for my son's adoption finalization. She was extremely personable, always responded quickly to any questions, calls, or emails, and extremely nice! She made the final stages of our adoption journey amazing!
I am very thankful for all of your services. I don’t know how I would have gotten through this without you all. Your help was priceless.
I will never regret seeking (Reeves Mahoney’s) counsel … You’ve given me a lot of great advice and insight and that I’ll never regret any penny that I paid to gain that. … I just wanted to let you know that you provided a great service to me today and I will be eternally grateful.
Nicole knew exactly how to handle to my situation, doing so rapidly; conformed to my wishes, no drama. Amazing advocate: excellent skills explaining complex legalese in everyday terms. Great sense of humor: explains difficult topics; diffuses stressful situations. Guide & confidant. Earned my trust & maintained it throughout. Quality of service was outstanding! Value is phenomenal Follows up on questions & requirements, often same day, with quality details in clear & concise communications
Andy and his paralegal, Nancy, are wonderful. I had an entire custody reversal made, which I have come to understand is a rarity. Andy is clearly knowledgeable about family law and well respected by the court.
Andrew T. Richmond 
Reeves W. Mahoney
Nicole M. Thurston
Jessica N. TrotmanVirginia Beach Location
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