Monday - Friday8:30AM - 5PM
OfficesFairfax | Manassas
Family Law Attorneys · Shirlington, Virginia
The marriage is ending, but you are still a parent together.
For Shirlington families, the hardest part of a divorce is often not the split itself but figuring out how to keep raising the kids from two homes. A clear parenting plan makes that possible. We help Shirlington parents build one that works, with the case heard at the Arlington County Justice Center. Reach us when you are ready.
A first call is calm, and it is about your kids.
You Are Not Alone
Around Shirlington's townhomes and condos, many parents are learning to co-parent across two homes. None of them do it alone, and neither will you.
Best
interest of the child guides every parenting plan
Va. Code § 20-124.3
Two homes
a written plan sets the schedule, holidays, and exchanges
Parenting plan
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 Shirlington parents.
When children are involved, the work is building a parenting plan both of you can live by and the court will support. Here is what we take on.
Looking for a family law attorney near Shirlington? NOVA Legal Professionals helps Shirlington parents with co-parenting plans, custody, visitation, child support, and divorce, with cases at the Arlington County Justice Center. Talk with an attorney at 571.260.0999.
01 /
The matter of raising them apart.
01
Contested Divorce
When parents cannot agree, an Arlington judge decides on the child's best interest. We prepare your case and show how your plan serves your child.
When You Cannot Agree 02Equitable Distribution
Virginia divides marital property by what is fair, not a flat half. We work every factor so the division reflects your marriage.
Fair, Not Equal 03Asset Division
The home or condo, 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 parenting plan written into your agreement keeps the schedule out of a judge's hands. We draft a detailed one so it works week to week.
First Protection 05Child Support
Child support follows the state guideline, and the parenting schedule moves it. We make sure the overnights and the support figure line up.
Guideline & Beyond 06Custody & Parenting
The parenting plan is the heart of it. We build legal and physical custody around school, activities, and the routine your children depend on.
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 Shirlington case is heard.
Shirlington sits in south Arlington, a short drive from the courthouse. A divorce is filed in the Arlington County Circuit Court; custody and visitation 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 custody and support when they are part of it.
DecidesEquitable distribution, plus support and custody within the divorce.
Where1425 North Courthouse Road, in the Courthouse neighborhood, the 17th Judicial Circuit.
NoteVirginia has no preset schedule; the plan is built for your child.
J&DR Court
Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court
Family matters outside a divorce
HearsCustody, visitation, and the parenting schedule brought 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.
NoteUnmarried parents and post-divorce schedule changes are handled here.
Alisa Chunephisal, Esq.Family Law Attorney
Attorney Insights
What I tell Shirlington parents about co-parenting.
A parenting plan is not about winning. It is about building a week your child can count on, in both homes.
- 1
A good plan is specific
The arrangements that hold up name the exchange times, the holiday rotation, the summer schedule, and how changes get made. Vague plans leave gaps, and gaps become arguments. We write the detail in.
- 2
The schedule shapes the support
Child support turns in part on the number of overnights each parent has. The parenting plan and the support figure are connected, so we work them out together rather than separately.
- 3
Cooperation beats litigation for kids
Children do best when parents can keep the conflict low. We push for a workable, agreed plan first, and we are ready to litigate custody when a parent's conduct leaves no choice.
Why Families Trust Us
Help building a plan that works.
When the question is how to parent from two homes, you want counsel who builds plans that fit real life and hold up over time.
Experience
50+
Years Combined
Years of building parenting plans for Arlington families.
Expertise
100%
Family Law Focus
Family law is the whole practice, custody and parenting 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 Shirlington parents and others across Northern Virginia.
Recognition
Recognition parents can rely on.
We have helped Shirlington parents build parenting plans that kept their children's routine steady and both parents fully in their lives, through every season and schedule change.
Our commitment to Shirlington
From Our Clients
Shirlington parents in their own words.
Read what Shirlington parents have shared about building a parenting plan with our attorneys.
Questions People Actually Ask
Plain answers, about parenting plans.
These are the questions Shirlington parents ask first. If yours is not here, just ask.
Have a question about a parenting plan?Call 571.260.0999 or send us a message.
What goes in a parenting plan?
The schedule and the rules around it. A solid plan sets the regular schedule, the holiday rotation, the summer plan, exchange times and places, and how decisions and changes get made. The more specific it is, the fewer disputes later.
How does a court decide custody?
On the child's best interest under Va. Code 20-124.3, weighing each parent's role, the child's needs, and more. There is no preset schedule; the plan is built for your family, by agreement where possible and by the judge when not.
Does the schedule affect support?
Yes. Child support is calculated in part on the number of overnights each parent has, so the schedule and the support number are connected. We work them out together so both are right.
Can we change the plan later?
Yes. When circumstances change in a meaningful way, a new job, a move, the children's needs, a parent can ask the court to modify it, again on the best interest standard. We handle the first plan and any later change.
Where are Shirlington custody matters heard?
Custody on its own runs through the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court at the Arlington County Justice Center, 1425 North Courthouse Road. Inside a divorce, the Circuit Court in the same building can decide it.
Before You Decide
Reading on co-parenting.
Plain English guides Shirlington parents reach for most while building a plan.
A
Co-Parenting and Notice
How notice, travel, and a parenting schedule work between two homes.
Co-ParentingBHow Do I Get a Divorce in Virginia?
The plain English overview of grounds, timelines, and the steps to a final decree.
Virginia GuideCWho Pays the Bills?
How couples handle the mortgage, the cards, and everyday costs during a separation.
SeparationWhen You Are Ready
When you are ready, let's build the plan.
Tell us about your children and your week, and we will help you build a Shirlington parenting plan that works for everyone.