Monday - Friday8:30AM - 5PM
OfficesFairfax | Manassas
Family Law Attorneys · Lorton, Virginia
Having kids does not mean the divorce has to be a war.
Plenty of Lorton parents assume children turn a divorce into a battle. They do not have to. When you can agree on the parenting plan and the support, the rest can stay calm. We help you get there, with the case filed in Fairfax County. Reach us when you are ready.
A first call is a conversation, plain and simple.
You Are Not Alone
All over Lorton and Laurel Hill, parents are finding a calmer way through this. None of them do it alone, and you will not have to go it alone.
6 mo.
of Virginia residency before you can file
Va. Code § 20-97
Yes
you can have an uncontested divorce even with children
Va. Code § 20-91
Both
a parenting plan and child support must be settled first
Va. Code § 20-124.2
50+
years of combined family law practice
Three Northern Virginia offices
What We Handle
Family law help for Lorton families.
An agreed divorce with children is not only possible, it is often the calmer, cheaper path. Here is the work we take on to get you there, and to fight for you when agreement is off the table.
Looking for a family law attorney near Lorton? NOVA Legal Professionals helps Lorton clients with uncontested and contested divorce, custody, child support, spousal support, and property division. Talk with an attorney at 571.260.0999.
01 /
The matter you are working out.
01
Contested Divorce
When you cannot agree, a Fairfax judge decides. We prepare the case fully, keep the door to settlement open, and try it when standing firm is what serves your family.
When You Cannot Agree 02Equitable Distribution
Virginia splits marital property by fairness, not a simple half. We work the statutory factors so the division reflects the home and the life the two of you built.
Fair, Not Equal 03Asset Division
The house, the cars, the savings, and the retirement, we sort what is marital from what is separate and value each so the split is clear and final.
The Marital Estate 04Separation Agreements
For an uncontested divorce, this is the document that does the work. We draft your separation agreement to settle property, support, and the parenting plan in full.
First Protection 05Child Support
Even in an agreed divorce, the support number has to be right. We run both incomes and the custody schedule through the guideline so it is fair and holds up.
Guideline & Beyond 06Custody & Parenting
A parenting plan is what makes an uncontested divorce with kids work. We build one around school, work, and the routine your children already know.
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 length of time.
Maintenance 08Military Divorce
Near Fort Belvoir, many Lorton 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 Lorton case is heard.
Lorton is part of Fairfax County, so a Lorton case is heard in the county courts in downtown Fairfax. Both share the Fairfax County Courthouse at 4110 Chain Bridge Road, and an uncontested case is mostly paperwork once the wait is met.
Circuit Court
Fairfax County Circuit Court
19th Judicial Circuit
HearsThe divorce, and how marital property and debt are divided.
DecidesEquitable distribution, with support and custody when they sit inside the divorce.
WhereDowntown Fairfax at 4110 Chain Bridge Road, north of Lorton.
NoteWhen both spouses agree, much of a Lorton divorce can be handled on paper.
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 Lorton couples is Fairfax County.
Alisa Chunephisal, Esq.Family Law Attorney
Attorney Insights
What I tell Lorton parents at the start.
Children do not turn a divorce into a fight. Disagreement does, and a clear plan is how you keep it from starting.
- 1
Settle the kids first
The parenting plan and child support are the heart of an uncontested divorce with children. Agree on those, in detail, and the rest tends to follow easily.
- 2
Write it down completely
A handshake is not a custody order. We put every term in writing, holidays, handoffs, and decision making, so an agreement actually protects you.
- 3
Stay out of court when you can
An agreed divorce is calmer, cheaper, and easier on the kids. We keep it that way whenever the facts allow, and we are ready to fight when they do not.
Why Families Trust Us
Help that keeps an agreed divorce agreeable.
When you and your spouse want to handle this calmly, you want counsel that smooths the path instead of stoking a fight.
Experience
50+
Years Combined
Years of guiding Lorton families through divorce, custody, and support.
Expertise
100%
Family Law Focus
Family law is the whole practice, so an uncontested case moves the way it should.
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 Lorton families and others across Fairfax County.
Recognition
Recognition that comes from doing it right.
We have helped Lorton parents end a marriage calmly, with the children's lives kept as steady as the situation would allow.
Our commitment to Lorton
From Our Clients
Lorton families in their own words.
Read what Lorton clients have shared about working through divorce and custody with our attorneys.
Questions People Actually Ask
Plain answers, no fear factor.
These are the questions Lorton parents ask first. If yours is not here, just ask.
Have a question about your own divorce?Call 571.260.0999 or send us a message.
Which court hears a Lorton divorce?
Lorton 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.
Can we have an uncontested divorce with kids?
Yes. Children do not rule out a simple divorce. You can file uncontested as long as you settle the parenting plan and child support along with the property and any spousal support. Agree on those, and the divorce stays straightforward.
What do we have to agree on?
The big four: custody and a parenting schedule, child support, the division of property and debt, and spousal support if any. Once those are in a signed agreement, the rest is largely procedure.
How long is the wait with children?
A year of living apart before a no fault divorce can be final when you have minor children, even when everything is agreed. With no minor children and a signed agreement, the wait drops to six months.
What if we cannot agree on everything?
Then we negotiate the gaps and, if needed, let a judge decide the rest. We keep the agreed parts settled so the dispute stays narrow, which saves you time, money, and stress.
Before You Decide
Reading that calms the nerves.
Plain English guides Lorton parents reach for most while they weigh the calm path.
A
Uncontested Divorce With Kids
Why children do not rule out a simple divorce, what you must agree on, and how it gets finalized.
Lorton GuideBCo-Parenting and Vacations
How to give proper notice and read your custody order before you travel with the children.
Co-ParentingCWho 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 keep it calm.
Tell us what is going on in your Lorton case, and we will help you find the calmest way through.