If you have reached the point that you think a divorce is the logical next step – or you are actually facing a divorce – it’s time to take stock of the situation. The journey forward is very likely to be complicated both emotionally and practically, and the consequences (as they relate to your financial and parental rights) are too important to leave to chance. This is why you need a dedicated Woodbridge divorce attorney in your corner.
Virginia has some specific requirements related to divorce that it’s important to understand from the outset, including:
Your divorce is the dissolution of a legal contract, and the result of your divorce will include terms that define this dissolution. The terms that apply across every divorce (as applicable) include:
As you and your spouse move forward through the divorce process, you will be attempting to find middle ground that you both find acceptable. In the course of these efforts, you will avail yourself of your dedicated divorce attorney’s professional legal counsel. There are also alternative dispute resolution (ADR) options, such as mediation, that you can explore with your attorney. If one or more terms are left unresolved after you have exhausted your negotiations, the court will make all the remaining determinations on your behalf.
In the Commonwealth of Virginia, those assets that you acquired during the course of your marriage – with few exceptions – are considered marital property, which is intended to be divided equitably if your marriage ends in divorce. Equitably means fairly given the specifics of your marriage, and the court can take wide-ranging factors into consideration.
Further, it does not matter who made the purchase or whose name is on the title – if you acquired the asset while you were married, it is very likely marital property. Any property, however, that you bring into the marriage with you – and keep separate throughout – is your separate property, but marriage has a way of blurring the edges between separate and marital property.
The skilled Woodbridge divorce attorneys at Virginia Family Law Center understand the significant consequences of your divorce and dedicate their practice to helping. To learn more about what we can do for you, please do not delay contacting us today.
At Virginia Family Law Center, we protect clients’ rights and help them understand the legal processes they are working through. Schedule your 30-minute telephone consultation with an experienced lawyer by filling out the form below.