Sharing parental rights and responsibilities requires patience and compromise. There is often a significant adjustment period as parents in Virginia transition from spending every day with their children to sharing parenting time with each other. Inevitably,...
Child Custody
Co-parenting: Deciding what schools children will attend
Co-parents share responsibility for their children and rights related to their upbringing. They should cooperate with each other for their children's benefit. Healthy co-parenting relationships can have a positive impact on everyone in the family. It does take quite a...
How drug or alcohol charges could affect child custody in Virginia
Parents in Virginia generally have a right to spend time with their children and have a say in their development. Parents choose what schools their children attend and what medical care they receive. They are also responsible for providing supervision and guidance on...
3 important issues to address in your parenting plan
Sharing custody of your children will be a challenge even if the two of you try to handle things gracefully. Inevitably, emotions will become intense and there will be challenges that make sharing custody more difficult than usual. As you negotiate the division of...
What kind of holiday schedule works when you share custody?
The need to divide parenting time with your ex can be one of the most painful challenges when you divorce or end your romantic relationship. Shared custody arrangements, which are the standard in most modern divorces, mean that sometimes you won't get to be with your...
Do you have a say in what childcare provider your ex uses?
When you live with the other parent of your children, the two of you will work together to meet the children's needs. Your spouse will likely listen to you about your preferences and concerns. In a shared custody scenario, the other parent of your children typically...
The basics of a parenting plan in Virginia
When parents split up, one of the most difficult things to figure out is child custody. How will the child spend his or her time? Where will they live? What happens on holidays? These are all difficult questions to answer, and it's often hard to come to an agreement...
How can I stay close to my child as a noncustodial parent?
Losing physical custody of a child can be hard. Maybe the circumstances were not in your favor, and now you are worried that you’ll miss a big part of your child’s life because of a mistake you made in the past. If this is happening to you, you must know that there...
Tips for regaining custody of your kids
There is a chance that you won't be granted custody rights to your children after a divorce. In some cases, a Virginia judge may revoke the rights that you were granted as part of an original custody order. However, there are steps that may be taken in an effort to...
Grandparents may petition for legal custody
Becoming a grandparent is an exciting moment. Many children develop special relationships with their grandparents, and enjoy spending time and keeping in touch with them. For some children, a visit to a grandparent's home feels like a special treat. Sometimes, a...