Fairfax Legal Blog

What is in the best interests of the child is an important family law standard to be familiar with. What is in the best interests of the child guides child custody decision making. Because of this, it is important for divorcing parents to be familiar with.

The focus of child custody determinations is what is in the best interests of the child. This is true whether the family law court is developing a child custody arrangement for the divorcing parents or if the parents are negotiating a child custody arrangement between themselves. It is important that any child custody arrangement arrived at supports and fosters the child's overall well-being including the child's security, happiness, mental health and emotional development.

Criminal defense rights are critical for the protection of individuals accused of crimes. The criminal justice system can be intimidating for accused individuals to deal with, making knowing how to develop a criminal defense strategy vital for accused individuals facing any type of criminal charges.

Both the U.S. Constitution and the Virginia Constitution help protect the rights of individuals accused of crimes. One protection accused individuals enjoy is the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. This applies in circumstances such as traffic stops, arrests and searches of people or places. Authorities must have probable cause to make an arrest or perform a search. Before the accused individual seeks to challenge alleged evidence against them, it may be necessary to challenge how it was collected if police did not follow required search and seizure procedures.

Strong legal strategies are essential for any accused individual facing criminal charges. The right criminal defense strategy can potentially help the accused avoid incarceration or significant fines. It could also potentially reduce the penalties and consequences the accused is facing. As a result, accused individuals should be familiar with how to defend against criminal charges.

There are different options available to defend against criminal charges. The best criminal defense strategy depends on the situation -- there is no one-size-fits-all strategy, as every case is unique. Depending on the circumstances, the accused may want to present a truth defense. The accused may also have an affirmative defense such as duress or entrapment. An accused individual may also want to challenge the evidence against them if it was not lawfully collected or if it is not reliable. In addition, accused individuals may wish to challenge witness statements or even observations of authorities.

Property division is one of the issues that will need to be worked out during the divorce process. It is helpful for divorcing couples in Virginia to understand how property division is handled according to the law. Divorcing couples likely have many property division questions.

Reaching a property division settlement agreement during a divorce can be a challenging process for many couples, however, family law resources may be able to make it a little simpler. When couples understand how property division is handled, it can help them know what to expect and to prioritize and protect their interests so they can work out a settlement agreement.