Monday - Friday8:30AM - 5PM
OfficesFairfax | Manassas | Fredericksburg
Family Law Attorneys · Clifton, Virginia
When a spouse hides the truth, the facts still come out.
A contested divorce is won or lost on facts: what is owned, what it is worth, and what each spouse really earns. The tools that surface those facts are discovery and expert valuation. We use them well, with the case filed in Fairfax County. Reach us when you are ready.
A first call is candid, and it is free.
You Are Not Alone
Even in the quiet of Clifton, hard divorces happen behind calm front doors. No one fights one alone, and neither will you.
6 mo.
of Virginia residency before you can file
Va. Code § 20-97
Discovery
the formal process that compels the financial truth
Va. Sup. Ct. Rules, Part Four
Fair
division by the statutory factors, not an automatic half
Va. Code § 20-107.3
50+
years of combined family law practice
Three Northern Virginia offices
What We Handle
Family law help for Clifton families.
When the numbers are big and the trust is gone, the case turns on proof. Here is the work we take on to surface the facts and protect your share.
Looking for a family law attorney near Clifton? NOVA Legal Professionals helps Clifton clients with contested and uncontested divorce, discovery, asset valuation, custody, child support, and property division. Talk with an attorney at 571.260.0999.
01 /
The matter you are fighting over.
01
Contested Divorce
When a divorce is contested, the case is built on evidence. We run discovery hard, bring in the right experts, and try the case when settlement will not do you justice.
When You Cannot Agree 02Equitable Distribution
Virginia divides marital property by fairness, not a flat half. We work the statutory factors and the valuations so the division reflects what was really built and earned.
Fair, Not Equal 03Asset Division
A business, real estate, accounts, and retirement, we identify, trace, and value every marital asset, and we find the ones a spouse would rather you missed.
The Marital Estate 04Separation Agreements
When agreement is possible, a clear separation agreement ends the fight on your terms. We draft yours to settle property, support, and parenting completely.
First Protection 05Child Support
Child support depends on true income, which is the whole point of discovery. We make sure both incomes are fully shown so the number is honest and fair.
Guideline & Beyond 06Custody & Parenting
A parenting plan should fit your children's real life. We build custody and visitation around school, activities, and the routine they already keep.
Parenting Time 07Spousal Support
Spousal support turns on income, need, and the length of the marriage. When income is hidden inside a business, we prove what it really is.
Maintenance 08Military Divorce
Some Clifton estates include a business, a professional practice, or complex holdings. We bring the valuation experts that contested, high value cases require.
Service MembersWhere Your Case Is Heard
Where a Clifton case is heard.
Clifton is part of Fairfax County, so a Clifton case is heard in the county courts in downtown Fairfax. Both share the Fairfax County Courthouse at 4110 Chain Bridge Road, and a contested case lives or dies on the evidence built there.
Circuit Court
Fairfax County Circuit Court
19th Judicial Circuit
HearsThe divorce, and how marital property, businesses included, is divided.
DecidesEquitable distribution, often on competing expert valuations.
WhereDowntown Fairfax at 4110 Chain Bridge Road, northeast of Clifton.
NoteDiscovery disputes and valuation fights are decided here, before trial.
J&DR Court
Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court
Family matters outside a divorce
HearsCustody, parenting time, child support, and protective orders on their own.
StartMost cases open at the Court Services Unit intake before a hearing.
WhereInside the same Fairfax courthouse on Chain Bridge Road.
NoteYou file where you and your spouse last lived together, which for Clifton couples is Fairfax County.
Alisa Chunephisal, Esq.Family Law Attorney
Attorney Insights
What I tell clients in a contested case.
A contested divorce is not won by the louder voice. It is won by the better record, and the record is what we build.
- 1
Discovery is your edge
Interrogatories, document demands, and depositions force the financial truth into the open. A complete record is what brings a hidden asset to light and a fair offer to the table.
- 2
Value it before you trade it
You cannot divide what you have not valued. We bring appraisers and forensic accountants so a business or a portfolio is split on real numbers, not a guess.
- 3
The truth tends to settle the case
Once the facts are proven, most contested cases settle, because the other side can finally see how a judge would rule. Strong proof is what ends the fight.
Why Families Trust Us
The firepower a contested case needs.
When a divorce turns into a fight over money and proof, you want counsel that knows how to build a record and try a case.
Experience
50+
Years Combined
Years of trying contested divorces for Clifton families and others across the county.
Expertise
100%
Family Law Focus
Family law is the whole practice, discovery and expert valuation 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 Clifton families and others across Fairfax County.
Recognition
Recognition earned in hard cases.
We have taken on Clifton's toughest contested divorces, used discovery to surface what was hidden, and held our clients' ground when the stakes ran high.
Our commitment to Clifton
In Their Words
Clifton families who trusted us.
Read what Clifton clients have shared about working through a contested divorce with our attorneys.
Questions People Actually Ask
Straight answers, on the hard parts.
These are the questions Clifton clients ask first. If yours is not here, just ask.
Have a question about your contested case?Call 571.260.0999 or send us a message.
Which court hears a Clifton divorce?
Clifton is in Fairfax County, so the divorce and property division go to the Fairfax County Circuit Court at 4110 Chain Bridge Road. Custody or support on their own start at the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court in the same building.
What is discovery and why does it matter?
Discovery is the formal process that compels each side to disclose financial records, answer questions under oath, and sit for depositions. It is how the truth about income and assets comes out, and it is usually what pushes a contested case toward a fair settlement.
What if my spouse is hiding money?
That is exactly what discovery and forensic experts are for. Subpoenas, document demands, and a forensic accountant can trace accounts, expose unreported income, and value a business honestly. Hidden assets are harder to keep buried than people think.
Do we need expert valuations?
Often, yes, when a business, professional practice, real estate, or a large portfolio is in play. You cannot divide fairly what no one has valued, so we bring appraisers and accountants to put real numbers on it before anything is split.
Will my case go to trial?
Maybe not. Most contested cases settle once the facts are proven, because both sides can finally see how a judge would likely rule. We prepare every case as if it will be tried, which is often what makes it settle.
Before You Decide
Reading for a contested case.
Plain English guides Clifton clients reach for most when a divorce turns into a fight.
A
How a Contested Divorce Gets Proven
How discovery and expert valuation surface the facts, and why the truth tends to settle the case.
Clifton GuideBWho Pays the Bills?
How families handle the mortgage and the cards during a separation, before any support order.
SeparationCWhat to Expect in an Uncontested Divorce
The requirements and the timeline, for when a contested case finally settles.
Virginia GuideWhen You Are Ready
When you are ready, let's build your case.
Tell us what is going on in your Clifton case, and we will build the record that protects you.