Child Custody & Visitation in Virginia

Get Experienced Legal Representation from Our Virginia Beach Family Law Attorney

In a divorce case, child custody and visitation orders are often the most hotly contested issues. As a parent, you are deeply concerned about your child’s wellbeing and future. It is imperative that you hire an experienced family law attorney to represent you to secure the most favorable outcome possible.

With more than two decades of experience, The Law Offices of Daniel J. Miller has helped our clients obtain the results they deserve. Our Virginia Beach family law attorney understands the sensitive nature of children being involved in divorce and the importance of ensuring a court’s orders are enforced after the divorce.

Virginia Child Custody Laws

Virginia child custody laws allow for joint legal and physical custody, as well as grandparent visitation rights. But before determining custody, the court often gives substantial weight to the child’s best interests.

Factors included in determining a child’s best interests include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The age, physical, and mental condition of the child
• The age, physical, and mental condition of each parent
• The child’s wishes, if he or she is of a sufficient age (generally age 12 or older)
• The child’s needs, such as the relationship he or she has with his or her parents, siblings, and extended family members
• The role each parent plays in the child’s upbringing
• Any history of family abuse or violence
• The financial standing of each parent
• Each parent’s willingness to foster a close relationship between the child and the other parent

Joint legal custody is when both parents share in making decisions affecting their child’s life, such as education, medical care, and religious upbringing. Joint physical custody is when a child lives with each parent for a significant period of time. If there is no court order in place, both parents have equal physical rights to their child, whether they are married or not.

On the other hand, if you’re granted sole custody by the court, you will have both legal and physical custody, making you his or her sole caretaker and giving you the power to make all major decisions about your child’s life. However, unless your ex-spouse has been abusive, convicted of a felony crime, or is otherwise unfit, he or she will likely retain visitation rights. The court can determine when and where the visits occur and whether they need to be supervised.

Let Us Protect Your Rights & Best Interests Today

The Law Offices of Daniel J. Miller offer clients skilled and comprehensive family law services. When you obtain the legal services of our Virginia Beach divorce lawyer, you will receive personalized case strategies, quality representation, and an attorney who will pursue the best results possible. We do everything with the utmost compassion and respect to help you through this difficult time. We provide quality representation to clients throughout Southeastern Virginia, including Virginia Beach, Newport News, Chesapeake, and Norfolk.

Whether you need legal assistance to come to an agreement on matters of child custody and visitation or to modify a current court order, contact us and request a consultation today!