The trial court erred by not awarding retroactive child support because the applicable statute requires that child support liability be calculated from the date the proceeding commenced. Wife challenges the effective date of the court’s child support order. “[T]he trial ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Judge William G. Petty Virginia Court of Appeals

Even though a father had a protective order in place against the mother, a circuit judge still was within his discretion to order joint legal custody of the divorced couple’s child, the Court of Appeals has ruled in a case ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Judge Bruce D. Albertson Judge Mary Grace O'Brien Rockingham County Circuit Court Virginia Court of Appeals News

A Fairfax County judge has sided with a clinical psychologist who declined to turn over a teen’s mental health records in response to a subpoena in the parents’ divorce case. The psychologist said disclosure before a custody hearing could cause ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Richard E. Gardiner

Where a child with Asperger’s Syndrome had lived with the maternal grandparents for the majority of his life, and his mother was not able to care for him and his father was prohibited from having contact, it was in the ...

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

Where a wife asserted multiple challenges to the trial court’s order holding her in contempt for failure to make payments to her former husband, the circuit court possessed the jurisdiction to enforce its final order and issue further orders and ...

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

Where the evidence supported the trial court’s order holding the husband in contempt for failing to pay spousal support to his former wife, the order was affirmed. However, because there was no legal basis for awarding the wife attorneys’ fees, ...

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

Although a guardian ad litem challenged the lower court’s dismissal of a case involving protective orders for three minor children before he could present evidence affecting the father’s attempts to gain custody, he did not raise the issue of mootness ...

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

Once again, a Fairfax County judge has extended rights available under the Virginia Code to a same-sex couple who otherwise would be barred from benefits conferred by state statutes. Circuit Judge Stephen C. Shannon ruled that the two women had ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Stephen C. Shannon

Although a guardian ad litem challenged the lower court’s dismissal of a case involving protective orders for three minor children before he could present evidence affecting the father’s attempts to gain custody, he did not raise the issue of mootness ...

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

A wife was not entitled to a share of the increase in the value of her husband’s personal investment accounts and other stock that occurred in the marriage because the increase in value was not so substantial that it could ...

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