Monday - Friday8:30AM - 5PM
OfficesFairfax | Manassas
Family Law Attorneys · Buckhall, Virginia
Sometimes the person raising a child is not the parent.
Around Buckhall, grandparents, relatives, and others sometimes step in to raise a child, or simply want to stay in that child's life. Virginia lets a non-parent ask for custody or visitation, but the bar is higher than it is for a parent. We help you understand it and make your case, with the matter heard in Prince William County. Reach us when you are ready.
A first call is warm, and it is free.
You Are Not Alone
Around Buckhall, more families than you would think are held together by a grandparent or a relative. None of them sort it out alone, and neither will you.
Parents first
the law presumes a fit parent's choice comes first
Va. Code § 20-124.2
Higher bar
a non-parent must clear more than best interest alone
Actual harm standard
Best
interest of the child guides the final decision
Va. Code § 20-124.3
50+
years of combined family law practice
Three Northern Virginia offices
What We Handle
Family law help for Buckhall families.
When a grandparent or relative seeks custody or visitation, the law asks more than what is best for the child. Here is the work we take on, for the non-parent stepping up and the parent responding.
Looking for a family law attorney near Buckhall? NOVA Legal Professionals helps Buckhall clients with grandparent and third-party custody, visitation, parental custody, divorce, child support, and spousal support. Talk with an attorney at 571.260.0999.
01 /
The matter of who raises the child.
01
Contested Divorce
When custody is contested, a Prince William judge decides. We prepare the case, meet the standard the law sets, and try it in Manassas when needed.
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 life you built.
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 separation agreement can settle custody and support without a fight. We draft yours, and we fold in third-party arrangements where they fit.
First Protection 05Child Support
Child support follows the state guideline. When a non-parent has custody, support can still be ordered, and we make sure the math is right.
Guideline & Beyond 06Custody & Parenting
Custody is the heart of these cases. We build the case for a parent, a grandparent, or a relative, around what the law requires and the child needs.
Parenting Time 07Spousal Support
Spousal support turns on income, need, and the length of the marriage. We handle it alongside the custody questions in the case.
Maintenance 08Military Divorce
Some Buckhall 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 Buckhall case is heard.
Buckhall is part of Prince William County, so a custody case here is heard in the county courts in Manassas. Custody and visitation brought on their own start in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court; when tied to a divorce, the Circuit Court decides, both at the Judicial Center on Lee Avenue.
Circuit Court
Prince William County Circuit Court
31st Judicial Circuit
HearsCustody when it is decided inside a divorce.
DecidesEquitable distribution, plus custody and support as part of the divorce.
WhereThe Judicial Center at 9311 Lee Avenue in Manassas, south of Buckhall.
NoteThird-party custody is more often heard in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations court.
J&DR Court
Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court
Family matters outside a divorce
HearsCustody and visitation petitions by parents and non-parents alike.
StartMost cases open at the Court Services Unit intake before a hearing.
WhereIn the same Judicial Center complex on Lee Avenue in Manassas.
NoteGrandparent and relative petitions are usually filed here.
Alisa Chunephisal, Esq.Family Law Attorney
Attorney Insights
What I tell Buckhall families about non-parent custody.
The law leans toward a fit parent. For a grandparent or relative to win custody, it takes more than showing they would do a fine job.
- 1
A parent gets the benefit of the doubt
Virginia presumes a fit parent's decisions come first. To take custody from a parent, a non-parent generally has to show the child would be harmed otherwise, not just that the non-parent is a good option.
- 2
Visitation has its own standard
A grandparent seeking visitation over a fit parent's objection usually has to show that denying it would harm the child. It is a real hurdle, and we are honest with you about it from the start.
- 3
Best interest still decides the rest
Once the higher bar is met, the court turns to the child's best interest, the same factors used in any custody case. We build the case on both layers.
Why Families Trust Us
Help with custody beyond the parents.
When a grandparent or relative is involved, you want counsel that knows the higher standard and how to meet or answer it.
Experience
50+
Years Combined
Years of handling grandparent and third-party custody for Buckhall families.
Expertise
100%
Family Law Focus
Family law is the whole practice, non-parent custody 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 Buckhall families and others across Prince William County.
Recognition
Recognition built on results.
We have helped Buckhall grandparents and relatives step in for a child, and helped parents respond, with honest counsel about what the law really requires.
Our commitment to Buckhall
In Their Words
Buckhall families who trusted us.
Read what Buckhall clients have shared about a custody case with our attorneys.
Questions People Actually Ask
Plain answers, about third-party custody.
These are the questions Buckhall clients ask first. If yours is not here, just ask.
Have a question about custody?Call 571.260.0999 or send us a message.
Can a grandparent get custody in Virginia?
Yes, but it is not easy. The law presumes a fit parent comes first, so a grandparent usually must show the child would be harmed in the parent's care. Once that bar is met, the court decides on the child's best interest like any custody case.
Can a grandparent get visitation?
Sometimes. Over a fit parent's objection, a grandparent generally has to show that denying visitation would harm the child. It is a higher standard than simply showing the visits would be nice, and we are candid about the odds.
What about other relatives or a step-parent?
The same framework applies to most non-parents. A relative, a step-parent, or another caregiver can petition, but they face the same presumption favoring the parent and usually the same harm standard before best interest comes in.
Which court hears these cases?
Custody and visitation petitions, including those by grandparents and relatives, are usually filed in the Prince William Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court at the Judicial Center on Lee Avenue in Manassas. If custody is part of a divorce, the Circuit Court decides.
Can a non-parent be ordered to pay or receive support?
Support follows custody. If a non-parent has custody, child support can be set using the guideline, and the parents can be ordered to contribute. We make sure the support piece is handled along with custody.
Before You Decide
Reading for non-parents and parents.
Plain English guides Buckhall clients reach for most while a custody question is open.
A
Family Law in Prince William
The plain English guide to divorce, custody, support, and the Manassas courts.
PW GuideBDivorce in Prince William County
What to expect, step by step, in the local Manassas courts.
Divorce GuideCWho Pays the Bills?
How families handle the mortgage and the cards during a separation, before any order.
SeparationWhen You Are Ready
When you are ready, let's talk about the child.
Tell us who is in this child's life and what you are hoping for, and we will help you find the right path through a Buckhall custody case.