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OfficesFairfax | Manassas
Family Law Attorneys · Cherrydale, Virginia
In Cherrydale, the hardest question is often who keeps the house.
Cherrydale is one of Arlington's true single-family neighborhoods, and for many couples the home is the heart of the divorce. Keep it, sell it, or buy out the other spouse, each path has consequences. We help Cherrydale families decide and divide, with the case heard at the Arlington County Justice Center. Reach us when you are ready.
A first call is calm, and it is free.
You Are Not Alone
Along Cherrydale's quiet streets, families are facing the same hard choice about the home they built a life in. None of them do it alone, and neither will you.
Fair
not equal: how the home's equity is divided
Va. Code § 20-107.3
Three paths
keep, sell, or buy out the other spouse
The marital home
17th
Judicial Circuit, where Arlington cases are decided
Arlington County Circuit Court
50+
years of combined family law practice
Three Northern Virginia offices
What We Handle
Family law help for Cherrydale families.
When a single-family home is the largest marital asset, the decision about it shapes the whole divorce. Here is the work we take on.
Looking for a family law attorney near Cherrydale? NOVA Legal Professionals helps Cherrydale families decide and divide the marital home, and handles custody, support, and the rest of the divorce, with cases at the Arlington County Justice Center. Talk with an attorney at 571.260.0999.
01 /
The matter of the home.
01
Contested Divorce
When you and your spouse cannot agree, an Arlington judge decides. We build the case, negotiate where we can, and try it when settlement is off the table.
When You Cannot Agree 02Equitable Distribution
Virginia divides the home's equity by what is fair, not a flat half. We work every factor so the result reflects what each of you put in.
Fair, Not Equal 03Asset Division
The house, the mortgage, the accounts, and the retirement, we identify and value every marital asset so the division is clear and final.
The Marital Estate 04Separation Agreements
A clear separation agreement decides who keeps the home, who pays the mortgage, and when. We draft yours so the house does not become a future dispute.
First Protection 05Child Support
Child support follows the state guideline, built on both incomes and the parenting schedule. We make sure the inputs are right so the number is fair.
Guideline & Beyond 06Custody & Parenting
Often the parent with primary custody hopes to keep the home for the children. We work the custody plan and the house decision together.
Parenting Time 07Spousal Support
Spousal support steadies a household while it resets. Whether you would pay or receive it, we work toward a fair amount and a fair term.
Maintenance 08Military Divorce
Arlington sits beside the Pentagon and a deep federal bench. We divide military and federal retirement, survivor benefits included, by their own rules.
Service MembersWhere Your Case Is Heard
Where a Cherrydale case is heard.
Cherrydale sits in north Arlington, near the courthouse. A divorce is filed in the Arlington County Circuit Court; custody and support on their own go to the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, both inside the Arlington County Justice Center at 1425 North Courthouse Road.
Circuit Court
Arlington County Circuit Court
17th Judicial Circuit
HearsThe divorce, and the division of the home and other property.
DecidesEquitable distribution, plus support and custody when part of the divorce.
Where1425 North Courthouse Road, in the Courthouse neighborhood, the 17th Judicial Circuit.
NoteWho keeps the home is often decided alongside custody.
J&DR Court
Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court
Family matters outside a divorce
HearsCustody, visitation, child support, and protective orders on their own.
StartMost cases open at the intake desk before a hearing is set.
WhereThe same Justice Center on North Courthouse Road, Suite 4100.
NoteYou file where you and your spouse last lived together, which for Arlington couples is Arlington.
Alisa Chunephisal, Esq.Family Law Attorney
Attorney Insights
What I tell Cherrydale families about the house.
The house is more than its equity. It is the children's school, the mortgage, and the memories, so the decision has to weigh all three.
- 1
Three real options, each with a cost
Keeping the home, selling it, or buying out the other spouse each carry different mortgage, tax, and cash consequences. The right choice depends on what you can refinance and afford, not just what you want.
- 2
A buyout needs a real number
Buying out a spouse's share means agreeing on the home's value and the equity, then funding it, often by refinance. We make sure the number is right and the financing is real before you commit.
- 3
Keeping the house has to be affordable
Holding the home feels like stability, but a mortgage on one income can become a trap. We run the real budget with you so the choice protects you a year from now, not just today.
Why Families Trust Us
Help deciding the home.
When the house is the heart of the divorce, you want counsel who weighs the equity, the mortgage, and the children together.
Experience
50+
Years Combined
Years of handling marital home decisions for Arlington families.
Expertise
100%
Family Law Focus
Family law is the whole practice, property division included.
Authority
AV
Preeminent Rated
Peer rated AV Preeminent, listed in Super Lawyers, and rated 10.0 on Avvo.
Trust
5★
Verified Reviews
Verified five star reviews from Cherrydale families and others across Northern Virginia.
Recognition
Recognition close to home.
We have helped Cherrydale families make the right call on the home, keeping, selling, or buying out, so the decision protected both the children and each spouse's footing.
Our commitment to Cherrydale
From Our Clients
Cherrydale families in their own words.
Read what Cherrydale clients have shared about deciding the marital home with our attorneys.
Questions People Actually Ask
Plain answers, about the marital home.
These are the questions Cherrydale families ask first. If yours is not here, just ask.
Have a question about the marital home?Call 571.260.0999 or send us a message.
Who keeps the house in a divorce?
It depends on what you agree or what the court orders. The options are to sell and split the equity, have one spouse buy out the other, or hold the home for a set time, often tied to the children. Each has different financial effects.
How is the home's equity divided?
The marital equity is divided by equitable distribution, which means fair, not always equal. The court weighs each spouse's contributions and the statutory factors. Separate funds put into the home can affect the share.
Can I keep the house?
Often yes, if you can refinance the mortgage into your own name and afford it on your income. We run the real numbers with you, because keeping a home you cannot carry can cause more harm than selling.
What is a buyout?
One spouse keeps the home and pays the other for their share of the equity, usually by refinancing. It requires agreeing on the value and the equity figure. We make sure both are right before anything is signed.
Where is a Cherrydale divorce filed?
In the Arlington County Circuit Court at the Justice Center, 1425 North Courthouse Road, the 17th Judicial Circuit. Custody or support on their own start at the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court in the same building.
Before You Decide
Reading about the home.
Plain English guides Cherrydale families reach for most while weighing the home.
A
Who Pays the Bills?
How couples handle the mortgage, the cards, and everyday costs during a separation.
SeparationBHow Do I Get a Divorce in Virginia?
The plain English overview of grounds, timelines, and the steps to a final decree.
Virginia GuideCWhat to Expect in an Uncontested Divorce
The requirements, the timeline, and what makes a Virginia divorce uncontested.
Virginia GuideWhen You Are Ready
When you are ready, let's decide the home.
Tell us about your home and your situation, and we will help you make the right call on it in your Cherrydale divorce.