Monday - Friday8:30AM - 5PM
OfficesFairfax | Manassas
Family Law Attorneys · Lake Jackson, Virginia
The order made sense back then. Life has changed since.
In Lake Jackson, plenty of family law questions come up after the divorce is over: a job change, a move, a child's new needs, a support amount that no longer fits. When circumstances change in a real way, Virginia lets you ask the court to change the order. We help you do it, with the case heard in Prince William County. Reach us when you are ready.
A first call is easy, and it is free.
You Are Not Alone
Around Lake Jackson, families revisit old orders as life moves on. None of them do it alone, and you will not have to either.
Change
a material change in circumstances can justify a new order
Modification standard
Custody
is revisited on the child's best interest
Va. Code § 20-124.3
Support
can be modified when income or needs change
Va. Code § 20-108
50+
years of combined family law practice
Three Northern Virginia offices
What We Handle
Family law help for Lake Jackson families.
An order is not always the last word. When life changes, the right move is to change the order, not to ignore it. Here is the work we take on.
Looking for a family law attorney near Lake Jackson? NOVA Legal Professionals helps Lake Jackson clients with modifying custody and support orders, divorce, custody, child support, spousal support, and property division. Talk with an attorney at 571.260.0999.
01 /
The matter you need to revisit.
01
Contested Divorce
When a change cannot be agreed, a Prince William judge decides. We prepare the motion, show the change in circumstances, 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 original 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 settles the first set of terms. We draft yours, and when life changes, we help you modify what the law allows.
First Protection 05Child Support
Child support can be modified when incomes or custody shift. We run the current numbers through the guideline so the new amount is fair and accurate.
Guideline & Beyond 06Custody & Parenting
Children grow and schedules change. We modify custody and visitation when a real change in circumstances calls for a new arrangement.
Parenting Time 07Spousal Support
Spousal support can be revisited when finances change materially. We pursue or defend a modification so the amount fits the present, not the past.
Maintenance 08Military Divorce
Some Lake Jackson families include a service member or federal worker. We divide and, when needed, revisit military and federal retirement by their own rules.
Service MembersWhere Your Case Is Heard
Where a Lake Jackson case is heard.
Lake Jackson is part of Prince William County, so a Lake Jackson case, including a request to modify an order, is heard in the county courts in Manassas. Both the Circuit Court and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court sit at the Judicial Center on Lee Avenue.
Circuit Court
Prince William County Circuit Court
31st Judicial Circuit
HearsThe divorce, property division, and changes to a final decree.
DecidesEquitable distribution, and modifications when the decree allows.
WhereThe Judicial Center at 9311 Lee Avenue in Manassas, west of Lake Jackson.
NoteSome terms, like the property split, are final; others can be revisited.
J&DR Court
Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court
Family matters outside a divorce
HearsCustody, visitation, and child support, including motions to modify them.
StartMost cases open at the Court Services Unit intake before a hearing.
WhereIn the same Judicial Center complex on Lee Avenue in Manassas.
NoteCustody and support changes after a divorce are usually heard here.
Alisa Chunephisal, Esq.Family Law Attorney
Attorney Insights
What I tell Lake Jackson clients about changing an order.
A court order reflects the day it was entered. When life moves on, the law lets the order move with it, if you ask.
- 1
Show a real change
Courts do not reopen an order on a whim. You have to show a material change in circumstances since the last order, a new job, a move, a child's changed needs. We help you frame what qualifies.
- 2
Custody and support can change; property usually cannot
Custody and support are modifiable when circumstances shift. The property division in your decree, on the other hand, is generally final, so we tell you early what is open and what is closed.
- 3
Do not just stop paying
If support no longer fits, the answer is to ask the court to change it, not to stop. Unpaid support keeps adding up until a judge changes the order, so we move quickly to modify it.
Why Families Trust Us
Help when circumstances change.
When the order no longer fits your life, you want counsel that knows what Virginia will revisit and how to make the case.
Experience
50+
Years Combined
Years of modifying custody and support orders for Lake Jackson families.
Expertise
100%
Family Law Focus
Family law is the whole practice, post-divorce modifications 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 Lake Jackson families and others across Prince William County.
Recognition
Recognition that keeps up.
We have helped Lake Jackson families bring an outdated order in line with their lives, changing custody and support when circumstances genuinely changed.
Our commitment to Lake Jackson
From Our Clients
Lake Jackson families in their own words.
Read what Lake Jackson clients have shared about modifying an order with our attorneys.
Questions People Actually Ask
Plain answers, about modifications.
These are the questions Lake Jackson clients ask first. If yours is not here, just ask.
Have a question about changing an order?Call 571.260.0999 or send us a message.
Which court hears a Lake Jackson case?
Lake Jackson is in Prince William County, so divorce and property division go to the Prince William County Circuit Court at 9311 Lee Avenue in Manassas. Custody and support, including motions to modify them, are usually heard at the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court in the same complex.
Can I change a custody order?
Yes, when circumstances have changed. You must show a material change since the last order, then that a new arrangement serves the child's best interest. Children growing, a parent moving, or a schedule that no longer works can all qualify.
Can child support be changed?
Yes. A meaningful change in either parent's income, the custody schedule, or a child's needs can justify a new support order. The court reruns the guideline with the current numbers. Support does not adjust on its own; you have to ask.
Can the property division be reopened?
Usually not. The equitable distribution in your decree is generally final once entered. Custody and support remain modifiable, but the split of property and debt is meant to be settled for good, which is why getting it right the first time matters.
What if I cannot afford my support payment?
Ask the court to modify it; do not simply stop. Unpaid support keeps accruing, with interest, until a judge changes the order. If your income has dropped materially, we move quickly to bring the amount in line with reality.
Before You Decide
Reading on changing an order.
Plain English guides Lake Jackson clients reach for most when an order needs to change.
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 update the order.
Tell us what has changed in your Lake Jackson case, and we will help you bring the order in line with your life.