Virginia Lawyers Weekly VA Lawyers Weekly

The trial court enforced the parties’ separation agreement, which provided for monthly spousal support payments to end if the former wife entered into a long-term relationship. The appellate court rejected her appeal of the termination, finding that the two arguments ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Judge Glen A. Huff Virginia Court of Appeals

A husband challenging the designation as wholly marital property a home that was retitled during the marriage failed to present evidence relating to value, equity and cost of repairs in order to determine the precise amount he separately contributed. Given ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Judge Richard Y. AtLee Jr. Virginia Court of Appeals

A mother’s petition to change her minor child’s name by replacing her maiden name with the stepfather’s surname, while retaining the natural father’s surname, is approved. The change serves the child’s best interests because she is in therapy to deal ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge David Bernhard Virginia Circuit Courts

Where a husband purchased a home in Washington state with his former high-school girlfriend in March 2016, which was several months before he left the marital residence in July 2016, the circuit court did not abuse its discretion in granting ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Judge James W. Haley Jr. Virginia Court of Appeals

Because the father did not challenge the circuit court’s alternative basis for terminating his parental rights, meaning  those rights would remain terminated even if he prevailed on the issue he was appealing, the appellate court affirmed the lower court’s decision. ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Per Curiam Opinion Virginia Court of Appeals

The father’s failure to comply with the Department of Social Services requirements for counseling and the therapist’s recommendations supported the circuit court’s decision that he was not prepared to care for his child, who suffered from numerous medical conditions. Background ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Per Curiam Opinion Virginia Court of Appeals

After a divorcing couple reached an agreement about division of assets, a dispute arose over distribution of an IRA, refund of escrow fees and attorney’s fees. The court held the parties’ agreement, in which said they had resolved “all issues ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Judge Teresa M. Chafin Virginia Court of Appeals

Although the divorce statute allows a court to make an award of spousal support or equitable distribution, the court found there is no authority under statute to make an award of “equitable restitution,” and it vacated the $150,000 “equitable restitution” ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Judge Randolph A. Beales Virginia Court of Appeals

A husband’s claim that the circuit court erred by finding he gifted contested property to his sons was rejected, as the appellate court said the lower court never made that finding but had concluded only that the husband had divested ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Judge Mary B. Malveaux Virginia Court of Appeals

Rejecting a mother’s argument that the circuit court erred in finding her children were abused or neglected, the court said the totality of the evidence, which included a video interview of the minor who claimed to have been sexually abused; ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Per Curiam Opinion Virginia Court of Appeals