Divorce

Clients who need help navigating the legal system in Virginia. I encourage negotiation, mediation and collaborative efforts to reach the best results for their family. Parents and Grandparents looking out for their family during child support, custody, visitation and adult guardianship cases.

• Alimony/Palimony/Spousal Support
• Annulment
• Child Support
• Custody/Visitation Rights
• Delinquent Support Payments
• Division of Property
• Mediation/Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR)
• Restraining Orders
• Uncontested Divorce
• Collaborative Law

VA, Jan 2107
Bar Number: November 2007

CT, Jun 1991
Bar Number: 404050

Indigent defense (misdemeanors); Adult Guardian Ad Litem.

All courts throughout Virginia, all Coast Guard and Navy Military Criminal Courts, the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, the U. S. Supreme Court.

American Bar Association, Virginia Bar Association, National Institute of Military Justice, Military Officers Association, and U. S. Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association.

I teach continuing education courses to other attorneys on military issues and family law. I always exceed the minimum required amount of hours in continuing education and I take new courses to keep as current in new issues as possible.

LO, a Navy Sailor, came to me seeking an uncontested divorce. I drafted all of the agreements, decrees and court documents and achieved an uncontested divorce with no children upon his return from deployment.

KA, a wife of an active duty Air Force member, was served with Virginia divorce and child custody papers while she was living in Idaho. Her husband was stationed in Virginia and she did not want to get a divorce in Virginia. I made a special appearance on her behalf and argued against the jurisdiction of the Virginia courts in this case. The judge required another hearing and significant case law pertaining to this issue, and with vigorous argument from both attorneys to help him decide the matter. The judge ultimately agreed with me, and the case was dismissed. The wife never had to come to Virginia to defend herself.

MW, another sailor who was about to deploy, came to me seeking a divorce. He wanted to give his wife a generous support agreement during the deployment. However, he wanted to get a divorce as soon as he returned. After the required separation period and his return from deployment, I brought his case into court, and the divorce "sailed" through.

MH, a recently 100% disabled veteran, lost his job and needed an adjustment of his spousal and child support obligations. I negotiated a partial settlement of his spousal support and after a 2 hour hearing with the judge, the case was further continued by the judge. Since the parties wanted to reach a conclusion, we negotiated a settlement that was ultimately approved by the judge.

1

Connecticut and Virginia

My firm focuses on the needs of military families worldwide. No matter where a family is stationed, if the Virginia courts have jurisdiction over their past or current legal issue, I work vigorously to help these clients.

I started my practice in 2007, after I left active duty here in Tidewater, Virginia. I have had associates in the past, who also have a military background, since most of my clients are connected to the military, whether active duty, reserve, retired, national guard or a military family member.

From 1999 to 2007, I was in the Coast Guard Reserve. I was recalled to active duty after 9/11 and spent six years on active duty working on Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. I also worked on maritime safety and security issues and other operational law matters. I was Chief Trial counsel for the Navy, at Trial Service Office Norfolk and for the Coast Guard in Norfolk.

From 1990 to 1999, I was on active duty in Portsmouth, VA, Governors Island, NY and Alameda, CA. I prosecuted and defended military members facing Courts-Martial and Administrative Discharge. I was also the Agency Attorney for Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) cases brought against the Coast Guard. I was a contracting attorney, handling multi-million dollar government contracts. I ran the legal assistance program and the Volunteer Income Tax assistance program for many years.

My previous experience was clerking for the State of Maryland Department of Natural Resources Administrative Law Judge and I was a research assistant for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

• Girl Scout Troop Leader, 2005 to present.
• School Board member, American International School Kingston, Kingston, Jamaica, W. I., 2001 to 2002.
• American Bar Association Legal assistance Distinguished Service Award, 1996.
• Coast Guard Reserve: Senior Reserve Officer, Sector Charleston, 2007 to 2010.

Stephanie and Jessica, receptionists.

(757) 309-4765

Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Yes

I offer both fixed-price services and hourly fees, depending upon the type of case. I also offer payment plans for qualified individuals.

Flat fee cases include:
Uncontested Divorce: No children, no property, a valid, written and signed agreement already in place: $1,250 ($995 for Nolo customers.

Uncontested Divorce: No children, no property, no written and signed agreement in place: $1,500 ($ 1,250 for Nolo customers).

Contempt hearing ONLY (Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court) or Temporary support hearing (Circuit Court or Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court): $1,000.

Motion to Amend Support/Child Support Petition (simple case): $1,250.

I charge $250 per hour. I offer a military discount on my hourly fee. My associate is billed at $200 per hour, with a military discount for those who qualify. Legal assistants are billed at $80 per hour.

Yes. I schedule several hours every month to sit face-to-face for 30 minutes to get a sense of your legal needs and to explain my approach to your family law or divorce case. For anyone outside of the Tidewater, Virginia area, you can also schedule a free phone consultation. I will also return emails to prospective clients who contact me via my websites to get a sense of their legal issue and tell them if we should discuss this further, either in person or over the phone.

Yes, but it depends on the case. Retainers start at $1,500 for petitions to reopen a divorce, a complex Motion to Amend Support or a Contested Divorce with no children and/or property to divide.

Retainers for a Contested Divorce with children and/or with real property or other major assets to divide start at $2,500.