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Family Law Lawyers Norfolk

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When the legal concern involves your family, you turn to family law, which is a broad and important branch of the legal system. Divorce is a common family law concern, but family law goes well beyond the terms of divorce cases. If you are facing a family law issue, don’t delay consulting with an experienced family law lawyer in Norfolk. 

Family Law Cases

Those cases that are commonly addressed by family law include:

  • The terms of a divorce, including the division of marital property, child custody arrangements, child support, and alimony
  • Post-divorce modifications of child custody, child support, and alimony
  • Adoption cases 
  • Paternity cases

The Division of Marital Property

The assets that you and your spouse acquired while you are married are deemed marital property, and in the event that you divorce, they must be distributed between you equitably (or fairly given the relevant circumstances). While that property that you bring into your marriage with you and keep separate throughout is classified as separate property, keeping separate assets separate can be exceptionally challenging over the course of many years as a married couple. 

Child Custody Arrangements

Child custody in Virginia breaks down into legal and physical custody. Legal custody assigns the parental responsibility of making primary decisions on behalf of your children, including those that involve the following:

  • Where they live
  • Their schooling
  • The health care they receive
  • Their religious upbringing
  • Their extracurriculars, including travel

You and your ex can share this responsibility, can split it between you according to the kind of decision being made, or can assign one of you sole legal custody. 

Physical custody relates to your parenting time and how you and your ex divide it between you. One of you can take on the role of the primary custodial parent (who will have the children in his or her care the majority of the time), or you can split your parenting time more equally. 

Child Support

Child support payments help to ensure that both parents continue to financially support their children. While there is a wide range of factors that go into the state’s calculation of child support, the primary concerns involved are the amount of time each parent spends with the children and each parent’s income. It’s important to note, however, that – even if you and your ex split your parenting time exactly down the middle – the parent with the higher income is very likely to make the child support payments. 

Alimony

Alimony is intended to help even out any significant financial discrepancies caused by a divorce. If one spouse is left without adequate means of supporting himself or herself and the other has the financial ability to help, alimony may be ordered. 

An Experienced Family Law Lawyer in Norfolk Can Help

The seasoned family law lawyers at Mahoney Richmond Thurston, PLLC, in Norfolk understand the gravity of your family law concern and are well-positioned to help. Your case is important, so please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information today.