Monday - Friday8:30AM - 5PM
OfficesFairfax | Manassas
Family Law Attorneys · West Springfield, Virginia
The house you raised them in. What happens to it now?
For many West Springfield families, the hardest question in a divorce is the home, the one you raised the kids in, the one with years of equity inside it. Keep it, sell it, buy the other out? We help you decide and protect it, with the case filed in Fairfax County. Reach us when you are ready.
We will lay out your choices, plainly and without pressure.
You Are Not Alone
Up and down the streets of West Springfield, families are weighing this same question. None of them do it alone, and you will not have to figure it out by yourself.
6 mo.
of Virginia residency before you can file
Va. Code § 20-97
Home
the marital home is usually marital property to divide
Va. Code § 20-107.3
3 ways
keep it, sell it, or buy the other spouse out
Equitable distribution options
50+
years of combined family law practice
Three Northern Virginia offices
What We Handle
Family law help for West Springfield families.
When a long settled home and a shared life are on the table, the choices are bigger than they look. Here is the work we take on.
Looking for a family law attorney near West Springfield? NOVA Legal Professionals helps West Springfield clients with divorce, the marital home, custody, child support, spousal support, and property division. Talk with an attorney at 571.260.0999.
01 /
The matter in front of your family.
01
Contested Divorce
When you cannot agree on the home or the children, a Fairfax judge decides. We prepare the case fully, settle what we can, and try the rest when it matters.
When You Cannot Agree 02Equitable Distribution
Virginia divides marital property by fairness, not a flat half. We work the statutory factors so the split, the home included, reflects the life you built.
Fair, Not Equal 03Asset Division
The house, its equity, 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 settles the home, the support, and the parenting plan before you file. We draft yours so the big decisions are made on your terms.
First Protection 05Child Support
Child support follows the state guideline, built on both incomes and the custody schedule. We make sure the inputs are right so the number is fair.
Guideline & Beyond 06Custody & Parenting
A parenting plan should fit your family's real week. We shape custody and visitation around school, activities, and the routine your children know.
Parenting Time 07Spousal Support
Spousal support steadies a household while it resets, which matters when one spouse keeps the house. We work toward a fair amount and a fair term.
Maintenance 08Military Divorce
Some West Springfield 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 West Springfield case is heard.
West Springfield is part of Fairfax County, so a West Springfield case is heard in the county courts in downtown Fairfax. Both share the Fairfax County Courthouse at 4110 Chain Bridge Road, and which one you are in depends on what you are asking the court to settle.
Circuit Court
Fairfax County Circuit Court
19th Judicial Circuit
HearsThe divorce, and how the marital home and the rest of the property are divided.
DecidesEquitable distribution, with support and custody when they sit inside the divorce.
WhereDowntown Fairfax at 4110 Chain Bridge Road, west of West Springfield.
NoteVirginia's largest trial court, so its calendar tends to set the pace of a contested case.
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 West Springfield couples is Fairfax County.
Alisa Chunephisal, Esq.Family Law Attorney
Attorney Insights
What I tell West Springfield clients about the house.
The family home is rarely just an asset. It is where the life happened, so the decision deserves real thought, not a rushed trade.
- 1
Run the numbers on keeping it
Wanting the house and affording the house are different things. We look at the mortgage, the upkeep, and your post divorce budget before you commit to keeping it.
- 2
Get the equity valued right
The home's value, the mortgage balance, and the marital share all shape the split. We make sure the equity is figured correctly before anyone trades it away.
- 3
Do not refinance blind
If you keep the home, refinancing to remove your spouse takes planning and the right credit. We line up the steps so a buyout does not fall apart at closing.
Why Families Trust Us
Help with the choices that matter most.
When the family home and your children's stability are on the line, you want counsel that thinks it through with you.
Experience
50+
Years Combined
Years of guiding West Springfield families through divorce, custody, and support.
Expertise
100%
Family Law Focus
Family law is the whole practice, from dividing a home to the support math.
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 West Springfield families and others across the county.
Recognition
Recognition built on trust.
We have helped West Springfield families make the hard call on the home and come through a divorce with their footing and their finances intact.
Our commitment to West Springfield
From Our Clients
West Springfield families in their own words.
Read what West Springfield clients have shared about working through divorce and custody with our attorneys.
Questions People Actually Ask
Straight answers, about the home.
These are the questions West Springfield families ask first. If yours is not here, just ask.
Have a question about your home?Call 571.260.0999 or send us a message.
Which court hears a West Springfield divorce?
West Springfield 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 I keep the house?
Sometimes, and it comes down to the equity, the mortgage, and whether you can carry it alone. The usual paths are keeping it with a refinance, buying your spouse out, or selling and splitting the proceeds. We help you weigh which one actually fits your budget.
How is the home's value divided?
The marital share of the equity is divided by the equitable distribution factors, fairly rather than always equally. We make sure the home is appraised properly and the mortgage and any separate contributions are accounted for before the split.
What if we both want the house?
Then we look at who can realistically afford it and what is best for the children, and we structure a buyout or an offset against other assets. If neither path works, a sale and a fair division of the proceeds is often the cleaner answer.
How long does it take?
An agreed divorce can be final within a few months once the separation period is met. A contested case, especially one fighting over the home, usually runs closer to a year. We keep it moving and tell you what to expect.
Before You Decide
Reading before the big call.
Plain English guides West Springfield families reach for most while they weigh the big decisions.
A
Who Pays the Bills?
How couples handle the mortgage, the cards, and the carrying costs during a separation.
SeparationBSeparating Under One Roof
How to live separate and apart inside the same home in Virginia, and what makes it count.
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 weigh your options.
Tell us what is going on in your West Springfield case, and we will help you make the call on the home and the rest.