Blogs

Divorce and Family Law

The Seven Things You Wish You Knew At the Beginning of Your Divorce

In my spare time, I host a workshop on the separation and divorce process, bringing together professionals who help people through this difficult time in their lives. From therapists to financial planners, private investigators and me, the lawyer, we try to provide helpful information for the participants who are beginning this journey so they can learn from the mistakes we have seen others make. Often, other speakers have themselves gone through the process. When such a speaker attends, he or…

October 7, 2015

Divorce and Family Law

Family Law Attorney and Counsellor at Law

In a recent custody proceeding, my co-counsel and I picked up on the fact that the father and mother were noticeably absent from the child’s birthday photos the father’s counsel introduced in evidence. Relying upon a hunch, we explored this topic in cross-examination. In her ruling, the judge indicated that her disgust with the fact that the father did not attend and prevented the mother from attending the boy’s birthday party significantly impacted her decision. It was a calculated gamble…

April 29, 2015

Divorce and Family Law

Protective Orders in Virginia

As I am writing this article, it is the day after the first week of NFL football games. The sole topic on the cover of sports websites, discussed on sports radio shows and covered on ESPN and other sports channels is the video in which Ray Rice brutally knocked his fiancé unconscious inside of a Las Vegas casino elevator. While this incident is both graphic and extremely unfortunate, it reminds the greater public what many family law attorneys already know to be true: domestic violence is…

October 8, 2014

Divorce and Family Law

New Child Support Guidelines under Virginia Code Section 20-108.2: What do They Mean for You?

Recent updates to Virginia’s child support guidelines under Virginia Code § 20-108.2 introduced changes that directly affect how support obligations are calculated, particularly in cases involving shared custody and adjustments for certain expenses. In this Bean, Kinney & Korman article published in the BKK Family Law Newsletter, Christian M. Lapham explains how the revised formula alters the allocation of parenting time and financial responsibility, potentially increasing or decreasing…

May 1, 2014