Virginia Beach Family Law Attorney

Navigating family law matters can be emotionally draining and overwhelming, especially when your family’s future is at stake. Without proper legal guidance, disputes over custody, support, or property division can escalate, leaving you feeling powerless and uncertain about the outcome. At Randall & Bruch, PC, our compassionate Virginia Beach attorneys are here to guide you through this challenging time, offering personalized solutions to protect your rights and help you move forward. Schedule your consultation with a family law attorney in Virginia Beach today to protect your rights and your family’s future.

What is Family Law in Virginia Beach?

Family law in Virginia Beach—and elsewhere—covers more than divorces. It covers most legal aspects of the family unit, including:

• Restraining Orders
• Child custody
• Child support
• Alimony 
• Spousal support
• Domestic violence
• Guardianship
• Adoptions
• Property division
• Paternity cases
• Prenuptial agreements
• Postnuptial agreements
• Domestic partnerships
• Civil Unions

Types of Family Law Cases We Handle in Virginia Beach

Not all divorce attorneys handle all types of family law. Our Virginia Beach law office handles the following types of cases:

Child Custody

Parents who can agree on a parenting plan should make it in the child’s best interests so the court will approve it. Those who are in a custody battle may worry about how the court will rule. However, the court looks to the best interests of the child above everything else. The court also considers factors such as work schedules, school, the child’s attachments to the community, and the parent’s behavior, e.g., domestic violence, substance abuse, and the parents’ friends and family, when determining custody arrangements.

Property Division

Virginia is an equitable distribution state, which means the court uses several factors to create a fair and equitable distribution of assets and liabilities. Each spouse must complete a financial affidavit and provide financial discovery in the divorce. The court determines asset division based on those documents and:

• The duration of the marriage
• Contributions by each spouse to the marriage
• Contributions to furthering the other spouse’s career
• The separate property of each spouse
• In fault-based cases, the marital misconduct of a spouse
• Children of the marriage
• And several other factors

Protective Orders

When you or your children need protection from an abusive spouse, Virginia offers different types of protective orders, including emergency, preliminary, and permanent protective orders. These are sometimes referred to as restraining orders. Having a restraining order against you can affect your future. Some of the ramifications of having a protective order against you include:

• If you reside with the person requesting the protective order, you might be ordered to move out of the marital home.
• You might not be able to contact the petitioner directly or indirectly.
• You might have limited access to your children, mainly if the order includes your children as protected parties.
• A protective order can negatively impact divorce and custody proceedings.
• It can have a negative impact on your current or future employment prospects.
• It can harm your reputation, leading to social stigma and strained social relationships.
• Violation of a protective order can lead to your arrest, leading to a criminal charge and even jail time.
• You may be required to pay certain legal fees, which could add to your financial burden.

Spousal Support

Most states do not have a formula dictated by statutes to determine spousal support, and Virginia is no exception. The court has discretion to determine support based on several factors, including:

• The duration of the marriage
• The current income of both spouses
• The future earning capacity of both spouses
• The separate property of each spouse
• The amount each spouse contributed to the marriage

It is essential to seek legal assistance if you think your spouse will request support or if you need alimony. Determining the appropriate amount is complicated, and it can be challenging to demonstrate either your inability to pay the amount your spouse is requesting or the necessity of the amount you are asking for.

Domestic Violence

If your spouse accuses you of domestic violence, it can have long-reaching impacts. First, it can be a misdemeanor or a felony. It can also affect your current job and future employment opportunities.

However, you do have some legal defenses, including self-defense, false accusation, and lack of evidence, to name some. When legal matters such as these crop up, domestic violence lawyers can provide legal advice and guide you through the process.

Child Support

Virginia statutes provide a formula to determine child support. It uses both parents’ gross incomes to determine a percentage. The custodial parent is expected to pay for the day-to-day needs of the child, while the non-custodial parent contributes his or her share through child support payments.

The guidelines include a chart to determine how much a child needs on a monthly basis. For example, if the parties’ combined monthly gross income is $9,100, the amount they equitably split is $986. If both parties make the same amount, they split the $986 equally. If one spouse makes 60 percent and the other 40 percent of the combined monthly gross income, the amount is split 60/40.

Other factors that figure into child support include insurance premium payments, child care, uncovered medical expenses, and extracurricular activities.

Divorce

Divorces can get messy, especially when children or several assets are involved. Adding a business to the mix can really amp up the complexity of a divorce. Legal representation during any divorce case can help smooth the process.

What Should You Consider When Choosing a Virginia Beach Family Law Attorney?

When choosing a divorce lawyer, you need to understand your case and the areas where you need tailored assistance. For example, you may need a legal team with experience in dividing a business in a divorce or creating a parenting plan for a family with unique work schedules. Factors you should look for include:

• Experience
• Competence
• A good approach to cases
• A good attitude
• Organization skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Complex family law knowledge
• Reasonable fees and costs

Why Clients Choose Randall & Bruch, PC

Randall & Bruch, PC has over 85 years of experience providing legal services and advocacy for families who have legal issues, including divorce, custody, paternity, and other domestic relations issues.

Testimonials

“The team did an excellent and thorough job gathering the details and representing me. Very pleased with the outcome” – Steve J.

“It was a good experience. I was pleased overall and thankful for not having to travel to court.” – Wendy M.

“Randall & Bruch are quick and responsive to your needs. They provide you with the tools you need and they take care of the rest. I highly recommend them.” – Annette B.

Learn How We Can Help with Your Virginia Beach Family Law Case

Whether you are going through a divorce, have paternity issues, need help with a domestic violence case, or have another family law matter, Randall & Bruch, PC can guide you through the process. Contact an experienced family lawyer at our Virginia Beach office by calling 757-742-6115 or completing our online contact form.