CHILD CUSTODY
FAMILY LAW: CHILD CUSTODY
Experienced
We’ve spent decades as Alexandria and Fairfax family lawyers providing sound and well-considered guidance on child custody matters.
We’re All About You
- Guiding you through the unique pressures and difficulties that arise when your children become central to legal proceedings
- Taking the time to know you so we can understand your particular circumstances and tailor our personalized family law services to you, your needs, your goals
- We craft legal strategies designed to defend your — and your children’s — best interests
- We offer candid and frank advice, which is especially important in delicate custody and visitation matters
- You will be fully informed about your available legal options, which will help give you the confidence you need to feel empowered with respect to your and your children’s future
International Custody
In particularly contentious and difficult custody cases, a parent might remove or retain a child in a foreign country. We have successfully litigated such cases, and have worked with the State Department (the U.S. is a signatory to the Hague Convention) and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, as they are indispensable resources for tracking abducted children and for providing evidence and expert testimony about the risk factors and effects of abduction on children.
Guardian Ad Litem
Two of our attorneys — who have met Virginia’s special qualifications — serve as Guardians ad Litem in applicable Virginia courts. A guardian ad litem is a court-appointed attorney who provides independent recommendations to the court about a child’s best interests in an abuse or neglect case or in a contested custody case (usually only if there are abuse allegations and/or one or both of the parents are not represented by counsel).
Connect
When you’re ready to call, we’re ready to help. Reach us at 703-836-9030, or contact us here.
Family Law Attorneys
FAQs
What is the "best interests of the child" standard?
To determine what is truly in a child’s best interests, Virginia courts are required to consider a number of statutory factors and apply these factors to the specific circumstances of each case. Understanding these factors is crucial for parents involved in custody disputes. The factors and key considerations include:
- The child’s age, needs, and overall well-being;
- Each parent’s physical and mental health;
- The child’s relationship with each parent;
- The child’s needs;
- Each parent’s ability to assess and meet the child’s developing needs;
- The role each parent has played in the child’s life;
- Each parent’s relationship with the child;
- The child’s relationships with siblings, extended family and peers;
- Each parent’s willingness to support the child’s relationship with the other parent;
- The parents’ ability to communicate and coparent; and
- The child’s reasonable preference, if mature enough to express one.
Ultimately, for parents navigating a custody dispute, the most effective approach is to demonstrate your ability to provide a stable, loving, and supportive home for your child and to show a willingness to work cooperatively with the other parent, even in challenging situations. The court’s decisions will always hinge on what it determines is best for the child. If you are uncertain about your legal options, consulting with an experienced family law attorney can help you understand this complex process and advocate for what is best for your child.
Why should we create a co-parenting plan?
Creating a co-parenting plan is essential to maintaining stability for your child while parenting in separate homes.
Creating and implementing a co-parenting plan is to your and your child’s benefit as it:
- Establishes consistency and security for your child;
- Reduces conflict;
- Provides for clear expectations and responsibilities;
- Improves communication;
- Fosters collaboration; and
- Prioritizes the child’s best interests.
In essence, a co-parenting plan is an indispensable tool that provides clarity, stability, and a structure to help you and the other parent successfully raise your children while minimizing conflict and maximizing their well-being.
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