Monday - Friday8:30AM - 5PM
OfficesFairfax | Manassas
Family Law Attorneys · Franconia, Virginia
The fear underneath it all: will I lose my kids?
For most Franconia parents, the marriage is not the worst fear in a divorce. Losing time with the children is. Virginia does not start from mom or dad; it starts from what is best for the child. We help you make your case, with custody heard in Fairfax County. Reach us when you are ready.
A first call is just a conversation about your kids.
You Are Not Alone
All over Franconia, parents lie awake over this exact fear. None of them face it alone, and you do not have to carry it by yourself.
6 mo.
of Virginia residency before a custody or divorce case is filed
Va. Code § 20-97
Best
interest of the child is the only standard for custody
Va. Code § 20-124.3
Two kinds
legal custody for decisions, physical custody for time
Va. Code § 20-124.1
50+
years of combined family law practice
Three Northern Virginia offices
What We Handle
Family law help for Franconia parents.
When children are in the middle of a divorce, custody is the heart of it. Here is the work we take on to protect your time with your kids.
Looking for a family law attorney near Franconia? NOVA Legal Professionals helps Franconia clients with child custody, visitation, child support, divorce, and property division. Talk with an attorney at 571.260.0999.
01 /
The matter that matters most.
01
Contested Divorce
When custody cannot be agreed, a Fairfax judge decides on the child's best interest. We prepare your case carefully and present the facts that matter to a court.
When You Cannot Agree 02Equitable Distribution
Virginia divides marital property by fairness, not a flat half. We work the statutory factors so the division reflects the home and life you built for your family.
Fair, Not Equal 03Asset Division
The house, the accounts, the cars, and the retirement, we identify and value every marital asset so the division is clear and final.
The Marital Estate 04Separation Agreements
A clear agreement can settle custody and support without a fight. We draft a parenting plan and separation agreement that protect your role as a parent.
First Protection 05Child Support
Child support follows the state guideline, built on both incomes and the number of overnights. We make sure the schedule and the math are right.
Guideline & Beyond 06Custody & Parenting
A 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
Some Franconia families include a service member or federal worker. We divide military and federal retirement, survivor benefits included, by their own rules.
Service MembersWhere Your Case Is Heard
Where a Franconia case is heard.
Franconia is part of Fairfax County, so custody and divorce are heard in the county courts in downtown Fairfax. Custody on its own starts in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court; inside a divorce it is decided in the Circuit Court, both at 4110 Chain Bridge Road.
Circuit Court
Fairfax County Circuit Court
19th Judicial Circuit
HearsThe divorce, with custody and support decided inside it.
DecidesEquitable distribution, plus custody and support as part of the divorce.
WhereDowntown Fairfax at 4110 Chain Bridge Road, northwest of Franconia.
NoteCustody here is judged on one standard: the best interest of the child.
J&DR Court
Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court
Family matters outside a divorce
HearsCustody, visitation, and child support brought on their own, outside a divorce.
StartMost custody cases open at the Court Services Unit intake before a hearing.
WhereInside the same Fairfax courthouse on Chain Bridge Road.
NoteUnmarried parents and post divorce changes are handled here.
Alisa Chunephisal, Esq.Family Law Attorney
Attorney Insights
What I tell Franconia parents about custody.
Virginia does not favor the mother or the father. It favors the child, and a good plan is how you show what serves them.
- 1
Know the best interest factors
Virginia weighs ten factors, from each parent's role to the child's needs and relationships. We help you show the court, with real examples, how your time serves your child.
- 2
Be the steady, involved parent
Courts notice who shows up: school, doctors, practices, bedtime. Consistency in your child's daily life is worth more than any argument about the other parent.
- 3
Separate the kids from the conflict
Judges look hard at who supports the child's bond with the other parent. Keeping your children out of the adult fight is both right for them and good for your case.
Why Families Trust Us
Help that keeps your children first.
When time with your kids is what is at stake, you want counsel that knows how Virginia courts actually decide custody.
Experience
50+
Years Combined
Years of handling custody and parenting cases for Franconia families.
Expertise
100%
Family Law Focus
Family law is the whole practice, custody and the best interest standard 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 Franconia parents and others across Fairfax County.
Recognition
Recognition parents can trust.
We have helped Franconia parents protect their place in their children's lives, with parenting plans built to last and presented to put the kids first.
Our commitment to Franconia
From Our Clients
Franconia parents in their own words.
Read what Franconia clients have shared about protecting custody and time with their children.
Questions People Actually Ask
Plain answers, about your kids.
These are the questions Franconia parents ask first. If yours is not here, just ask.
Have a question about custody?Call 571.260.0999 or send us a message.
How does a Virginia court decide custody?
On one standard: the best interest of the child. The court weighs ten statutory factors, including each parent's role, the child's needs and relationships, and who supports the child's bond with the other parent. It does not start by favoring the mother or the father.
What is the difference between legal and physical custody?
Legal custody is the right to make major decisions, about school, health, and religion. Physical custody is where the child lives and the parenting schedule. Either can be shared or held by one parent, and the two are decided separately.
Where is a Franconia custody case heard?
Custody on its own starts in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court at 4110 Chain Bridge Road. If custody is part of a divorce, the Fairfax County Circuit Court in the same building decides it.
Does Virginia favor mothers?
No. The law is gender neutral and looks only at the child's best interest. A father who is steady and involved stands on equal footing, and the parenting time you actually do carries real weight with the court.
Can a custody order change later?
Yes. When circumstances change in a meaningful way, a parent can ask the court to modify custody or visitation, again on the best interest standard. We handle both the first order and any later change.
Before You Decide
Reading for worried parents.
Plain English guides Franconia parents reach for most while custody is on the table.
A
Co-Parenting and Vacations
How to give proper notice and read your custody order before you travel with the children.
Co-ParentingBWhat to Expect in an Uncontested Divorce
The requirements and the timeline when custody and support are agreed.
Virginia GuideCWho Pays the Bills?
How families handle the mortgage and the cards during a separation, before any support order.
SeparationWhen You Are Ready
When you are ready, let's protect your time.
Tell us what is going on with your Franconia custody case, and we will help you protect your place in your children's lives.