Personal Injury, Business & Criminal Defense FAQ

Sadly, drug and alcohol addiction is often a factor in divorce cases. If you are considering filing for divorce as a result of a spouse’s substance abuse, you might be wondering if you can include addiction as grounds for divorce. Is Substance Abuse Grounds for Divorce? In Virginia, there are two types of divorce—contested and uncontested. In the case of an uncontested divorce, the spouses agree to the dissolution of marriage and ties are easily...

When it comes to child custody, there are rarely easy answers. While both parents want what’s best for the child, this doesn’t mean they will agree on what that means. In some cases, the child seems capable of making a decision as to where to live, especially if they are an older child or teenager. In Virginia, there is no “magic age” that allows the child to make this choice. If they are under 18,...

Whether you have full or shared custody of your child or are the non-custodial parent with visitation rights, being deployed will mean that you won’t be able to uphold your end of the parenting agreement you have with your ex-spouse. However, that does not mean that the custody and visitation order needs to change—at least not permanently. Before you deploy, you should speak to a divorce and custody lawyer with experience working with military members...

A common charge to face here in Virginia after being accused of stealing is petit larceny. Petit larceny is one of the two main offenses that cover theft in state law. The other is grand larceny, which is the more severe of the two. Whether a given theft would be petit or grand larceny depends on what was stolen. Generally, under state law, theft of less than $500 of property is petit larceny. There are...

A field sobriety test is a set of assessments that law enforcement officials use to determine if individuals are intoxicated. They are often used when police officers stop vehicles and need to determine if drivers are under the influence of alcohol. There are three general assessments that drivers may be subjected to if they are stopped in Virginia. One of those assessments is the walk and turn test. During this test, a person must walk...

Personal injury Personal injury damages are available to help victims with the different types of harm they may have suffered. The first type of damages is compensation for medical expenses and future medical care and treatment. The second type of damages is compensation for lost wages while the victim is away from work and lost-earning capacity if the overall earning capacity of the victim is diminished by the injuries they have suffered. Compensation for permanent...

Breathalyzers tests are a piece of evidence that accused drivers can challenge in a variety of different ways. A breathalyzer test may be used as a key piece of evidence against the accused driver which is why it is essential for accused drivers to be familiar with how to challenge a breathalyzer test. To begin with, it may be possible to challenge the Breathalyzer test on the basis that it is unreliable. Breathalyzer tests must...

Motorcyclists know all too well the issues and viewpoints they face as owners of a bike. But when it comes to accidents on the road, things can be even more complicated and often unfair. How exactly is a motorcycle accident different from a car accident? Read on to learn about the challenges you’ll face if you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident caused by another party’s negligence. Fighting a Bias Against Motorcycle Drivers Motorcyclists are...

Any interaction with the police can be scary, especially if you are being questioned or interrogated in relation to a crime. Unfortunately, many people don’t contact an attorney first thing—usually because they do not want to appear guilty to law enforcement or a judge. While it’s perfectly normal to be concerned about this perception, it is important to obtain legal representation to protect yourself. If you’ve been contacted by the police, the chances are high...

If you are about to start your own business, one of the first steps is choosing the type of legal structure you’d like for the company. There are many important aspects to consider when making this decision, but personal liability should be front of the line. Any business needs to consider the very real possibility of one day being involved in a lawsuit. There are two main options to select when you’re ready to start...