If you’re facing a divorce, you’re facing a difficult milestone – the results of which will significantly affect your parental rights and your financial future. Because divorce is a complicated legal matter that also tends to be an emotional whirlwind, having an experienced divorce lawyer in Newport News on your side is always in your best interest.
Your divorce will follow its own path toward completion and will not be exactly like anyone else’s. Nevertheless, there are four primary components of every divorce (as applicable), including:
Each of these that apply to your divorce will need to be negotiated between you and your divorcing spouse – or be determined by the court on your behalf.Â
In Virginia, child custody includes both legal and physical custody, and both can be either sole or joint. Legal custody refers to the responsibility of making major decisions on your children’s behalf in all of the following areas:
Physical custody, on the other hand, refers to the schedule that guides when your children live with each of you. This schedule can range from sharing your time with your children nearly equally to your children living primarily with one of you and having a visitation schedule with the other.Â
In the State of Virginia, marital property is intended to be divided in a manner that is considered equitable – or fair (given the circumstances involved). Generally, anything that you and your spouse acquired during your marriage is considered marital property, but because this division is typically the most important financial element of divorce, it can quickly become complicated – or even contentious.
Child support is calculated in accordance with exacting state guidelines, which means there is usually very little wiggle room on the matter. If there is a compelling reason for doing so, however, the court may deviate from these guidelines.
Alimony has a very specific intent, which is to help balance any post-divorce financial discrepancy between you and your ex. In other words, if one spouse experiences a financial downturn with divorce and the other has the ability to help, alimony (in a specific amount and for a set period of time) may be ordered to help the negatively affected ex-spouse gain more secure financial footing.  Â
Divorce is a major life event that you do not have to tackle on your own. The dedicated divorce lawyers at Mahoney Richmond Thurston, PLLC, in Newport News are on your side and are well-positioned to help. Our trusted legal team is here for you, so please don’t hesitate to contact us today.