Child Custody

Are you worried about where your children will live, or is your time with them being limited or denied? Whether you need a first custody order or a change to an existing one, I help you reach a reasonable agreement with the other parent when I can, and I prepare your case for trial when I must. I believe in clarity over combat.

Guardianship & Conservatorship

Is your child with special needs about to become an adult, or is a parent, sibling, or friend no longer able to manage medical decisions or money safely? I help families get the legal authority they need to protect a loved one, and I recommend guardianship, conservatorship, or both based on your situation. I have also served as a caregiver, guardian, and conservator for my own elders, so I understand what you are going through.

CHILD WELFARE · DEPENDENCY · TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS

CPS Cases

Has CPS contacted you, or have you been accused of abusing or neglecting a child? I have represented parents, relatives, and a state agency in child welfare, dependency, and termination of parental rights cases, so I know the system from the inside. I represent you at hearings and advise you at meetings with CPS and DSS workers.

Child Support

Have you received a notice about child support, or are you worried that the amount is wrong? I make sure you receive credit for every payment you have made, calculate the guidelines independently, and go with you to every court date.

Visitation

Are you seeing your children far less than you should, or do you need to limit the other parent’s contact for your children’s safety? I help you ask the court for a visitation schedule that works, or for limits that protect your children. Your children’s safety comes first.

Grandparents’ Rights & Visitation

Is a grandparent asking the court for visitation, or are you a grandparent who has been shut out of a grandchild’s life? I represent both parents and grandparents in these disputes. Virginia courts give strong weight to a fit parent’s decisions, so the facts matter, and I explain your options in plain English.

Protective Orders

Are you afraid for your safety or your child’s safety, or have you been served with a protective order? These cases move fast, and your hearing may be only days away. I represent both petitioners and respondents, and I make sure you are prepared, informed, and well represented. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

Appeals from Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court to Circuit Court

Did your Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court case end differently than you hoped, or has the other side appealed an order you were satisfied with? An appeal to Circuit Court is a new hearing before a different judge, but you have only 10 days from the date of the order to file. I represent parents and families on both sides of appeals in custody, visitation, child support, protective order, CPS, and parental rights cases.

Uncontested & No-Fault Divorce

Is your marriage over, and have you and your spouse agreed on the major issues? I help you end your marriage with an uncontested, no-fault divorce, from the settlement agreement to the final decree. If you have been separated for more than one year, or for six months with a signed separation agreement (often called a property settlement agreement) and no minor children, you may qualify.