If you’ve decided divorce is the inevitable conclusion for your marriage or you’ve been served with divorce papers from your spouse, a Manassas divorce lawyer from Collins Family Law is ready to help you navigate the legal process. Call our Manassas family law attorneys today so we can begin advocating for your goals and best interests throughout the divorce process.
Why Choose Us As Your Divorce Attorneys in Manassas?
At Collins Family Law, we have years of experience guiding clients through the Virginia divorce process with meticulous attention to detail and assertive representation to protect their interests. We understand the sensitive nature of this type of legal case and its serious impacts on your family life going forward. At Collins Family Law, you’ll have the following:
- The individual attention of a Manassas divorce attorney dedicated to your divorce case
- The collaborative efforts of a team of experienced legal minds
- A resolution-based approach to resolve disputes through a divorce settlement agreement whenever possible to save the expense, time, and adversarial nature of a court battle
- Assertive advocacy, meaning we won’t hesitate to vigorously represent your interests in court when required to achieve the best possible outcome
Virginia’s laws for divorce are uniquely complex, with options for a no-fault or grounds-based divorce and exacting laws for the equitable distribution of marital property. You’ll need skilled and experienced legal guidance like the Manassas divorce attorneys at Collins Family Law throughout the process.
What Are the Requirements for a Virginia Divorce?
A smooth divorce process in Virginia requires a comprehensive knowledge of the state’s divorce laws including the requirements for a divorce.
To divorce in Virginia:
- At least one spouse must have been a resident of the state for at least six months
- Spouses with no children must have been separated for at least six months and have a separation agreement in place for a no-fault divorce
- Spouses with children must live separately for at least a year
- Spouses must choose a no-fault divorce or a fault-based divorce in Virginia
A skilled divorce lawyer from Manassas with years of practice in Virginia’s unique divorce laws helps you identify and achieve your objectives for the divorce process itself and for your life moving forward after the divorce.
Is Virginia a 50/50 Divorce State?
A Virginia divorce requires both spouses to divide their assets and debts in a way that’s “fair and equitable”. Unlike community property states, a Virginia divorce doesn’t compel both parties to separate assets and debts exactly 50/50 but instead asserts that spouses make all reasonable efforts to reach a fair and equitable settlement agreement. If divorcing spouses cannot agree on one or more aspects of their divorce, it becomes a contested divorce with a judge deciding all disputes in court after both sides present evidence and testimony supporting their objectives.
Child Custody in a Divorce in Manassas
According to Virginia Code § 20-124.2., the court makes no preference between mothers and fathers but makes all child custody decisions in a child’s best interest. The law states, “The court shall consider and may award joint legal, joint physical, or sole custody, and there shall be no presumption in favor of any form of custody.”
In the best-case scenario, divorcing parents reach a mutually acceptable physical custody agreement, a legal custody (decision-making) agreement, and a shared custody schedule that works for their family. The experienced Manassas divorce lawyers at Collins Family Law are ready to help you negotiate a workable child custody schedule and the appropriate child support orders.
Call The Manassas Divorce Lawyers Today
During an emotionally fraught legal matter like a divorce, you need an attorney who can guide you through the divorce process with empathy, responsiveness, and keen insight into the best way forward. Call the Manassas divorce attorneys at Collins Family Law today for prompt, personal attention to your divorce case.