Family Law
Helping you navigate the process and securing a favorable outcome. Making sure you are protected.
In the America, over 135,000 children are adopted each year and another 400,000 are in foster care. Adoption is the opportunity for people to grow their families and young people to find forever homes.
There are so many types of adoption and the opportunity may arise out of several types of situations and relationships, which include:
- Public Agency Adoption
- Step-Parent Adoption
- Inter-family Adoption
- International Adoption
- Interstate Adoption
- Private Agency Adoption
- Surrogate Adoption
Adoption no longer holds the old stigma that it once had. And, more and more people find it a positive way of adding members to their families. Still, adoption is a big decision and may come with some legal obstacles.
Under Virginia law, adoptions can be a perplexing and A Virginia adoption is a complex and difficult process that truly requires a skilled lawyer to effectively navigate the various legal duties and paperwork that must be completed. Some of the typical issues that a lawyer can help you better understand are
- Name change processes
- Benefits changes
- Background checks
- Home studies
- Termination of Parental Rights
- Parental Consents
Failing to resolve minor administrative issues can lead to costly litigation and adoption delays. When considering all the laws and regulations that impact adopting a child or children, having an experienced family lawyer can help you feel more confident about the process.
Since 2000, Lynn Robinson, Esquire has served Virginia families and has represented prospective parents in adoption and termination of parental rights matters- both simple and challenging. Put her experience to work for you. If you have questions or need representation for your adoption matters, contact Lynn Robinson, Esquire for a legal consultation.
Considering the fact that about half of marriages end in divorce and 40% of our nation’s children are born out of wedlock, understanding and protecting parental rights to custody and visitation can become complicated; however, pursuing custody and visitation rights does not have to be a painful.
Also, state, federal and even international laws require birth parents to contribute to care and support of their children. And, when parents end their relationships, the question of how the needs of their children will be met cause anger and frustration.
Parents facing challenges to child custody, visitation and support are often confused by the number of judges, experts, doctors, witnesses their case may include. And, they can be overwhelmed by the legal process.
Virginia law [1] is very specific about what courts can consider. When determining what is in the best interest of a child or children, for custody and visitation, factors [2] include:
- Age, physical health, and mental condition of the child and parents;
- Child’s or children’s changing developmental needs;
- Existing relationship between parents;
- Existing sibling relationships;
- Ability of parents to meet the emotional, intellectual and physical needs of the child;
- Tendency of each parent to actively support the child’s or children’s contact and relationship with the other parent; and
- Any part history of family abuse- mental, physical or sexual.
When it comes to determining support, other than a parents ability to pay, courts weigh many needs which include:
- Child care costs
- Insurance costs
- Special Needs of child or children
- Custodial and visitation arrangements
- Financial resources of parents
Court order child custody, visitation, and spousal support can leave a person feeling cheated, misunderstood, and burdened. And, those failing to meet child and spousal support obligations or visitation schedules can suffer serious consequences. Some of these consequences include:
- Professional license suspension
- Driver’s license suspension
- Jail time
- Court penalties
- Garnishments
- Liens
With all these variables to consider, a person seeking support or paying support may need the assistance of an experienced attorney. Since 2000, Lynn Robinson, Esquire has served Virginia families and has represented parents, grandparents and even children in complicated custody and visitation matters. Put her experience to work for you. If you have questions or need representation for your child custody, support and visitation matters, contact Lynn Robinson, Esquire for a legal consultation.
Guardian Ad Litem
In Virginia, a Guardian ad litem (GAL) is an attorney appointed by a court to assist in matters before a judge. GALs have a ultimate obligation of providing an independent recommendations to a judge or court about the best interests of his or her appointed client.
GALs are appointed in a variety of cases, representing incarcerated and incapacitated adults as well as children. Some of the cases in which a Guardian ad litem may be selected include:
- Child support
- Child custody
- Tax Sales
- Estate Settlements
- Infant Settlements
- Divorce
- Social Services/Foster care
- Adoptions
- Juvenile Criminal Cases
- Guardian and Conservatorships
The GAL, by order of a court, may conduct interviews, review records, file legal actions on behalf of a client, investigate issues, make reports to the court, and participate in court hearings, trials, arbitrations, and/or mediations.
A GAL is different from a guardian and/or conservator, who is a person appointed to handle personal and financial care of another individual. GALs serve at the request of a court and terms end when the courts have made final decisions.
Lynn Robinson, Esquire has served as an adult and juvenile GAL for many years. She has represented incapacitated adults and youth in cases in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts (JDR) and areas Circuit Courts. She has maintained special certification from the Supreme Court of Virginia as a Guardian ad Litem for children.
Wills & Estates
No one knows what tomorrow may bring for a family. This is why will and estate planning is so important.
Estate plans aren’t just for people the rich or powerful, and are not just for old or dying people. Estate plans are for all people of all ages and backgrounds! Anyone and everyone can benefit from creating a plan that maps out how their family will be taken care of in case they pass away or are unable to make financial or care decisions.
Estate plans can be handled through various documents which include:
- Wills
- Trusts
- Powers of Attorney
- Medical Directives
- Codicils
Estate planning documents cover the variety of situations such as:
- Child custody
- Guardianship/Conservatorship
- Business dealings
- Medical care plans
- Tax payments
- Funeral arrangements
- Property distribution
In the absence of an estate plan, your family may be left in the dark and in the cold. Creditors may be able to attack your home, investments, and savings. Courts may make decisions that are not consistent with your wishes. In the midst of all this, your family may be left struggling to figure out how to handle basic, daily needs.
For years, Lynn Robinson, Esquire has served Virginia individuals and families who have had questions or needed assistance with their wills and other estate planning. Put her experience to work for you. If you have questions or need representation for estate planning and wills related issues, contact Lynn Robinson, Esquire for a legal consultation at (804) 225-9027.
Infant Settlement
According to the Centers of Disease Control, millions of American children are injured and more than ten thousand die each year from accidents that could be preventable. When a child suffers can injury, either through a defective product, faulty device or in an automobile accident, parents are often wondering what do they do! Besides the medical and psychological concerns, there are also issues which holding others accountable for the harm caused to their child.
A minor or infant, anyone under the age of 18 in Virginia[1], has legal rights and can seek recovery in cases of injury. Some types of cases can include:
- Automobile accidents
- Personal Injury
- Medical Malpractice
- Wrongful Death actions
- Defective Devices, such as cribs and toys
- Defective Products, such as food and drugs
Under Virginia law, a minor cannot sign contracts, releases, or settlement agreements. This makes negotiations and settlements complicated. The law protects young people from being taken advantage and as a result, the state’s courts become involved.
Courts may appoint Guardian ad litems, evaluate the appropriateness of settlements, and even direct settlement money to be deposited for use for the minor child or later distribution after the child reaches the age of majority.
When thinking about whether to seek a court’s help, families need to ponder several things, including:
- How large is the potential settlement
- What are the parents’ separate claims/issues
- Can the settlement be challenged
- Have future issues been considered
In navigating Virginia law and the complicated issues surrounding a case, parents or the child may need legal represent to help make the better decisions. Hiring legal representation for the underlying injury case or to evaluate the soundness of a settlement offer could be crucial to a child’s medical and financial future.
Since 2000, Lynn Robinson, Esquire has served individuals across the Commonwealth and their families who have had questions or needed assistance with personal injury and infant settlement issues. Put her experience to work for you. If you have questions or need representation, contact Lynn Robinson, Esquire for a legal consultation at (804) 225-9027.
