Monday - Friday8:30AM - 5PM
OfficesFairfax | Manassas
Family Law Attorneys · Widewater, Virginia
When parents were never married, it starts with paternity.
Around Widewater, plenty of children are born to parents who were never married. Before a father has custody rights or a mother can pursue support, the law needs paternity established. We help unmarried parents settle parentage, custody, and support, with the case heard in Stafford County. Reach us when you are ready.
A first call is friendly, and it is free.
You Are Not Alone
Around Widewater, many families are raising children outside a marriage and sorting out rights as they go. None of them do it alone, and neither will you.
Two ways
paternity is set by signed acknowledgment or genetic testing
Va. Code § 20-49.1
Then
custody and support follow once paternity is established
Custody and support
Best
interest of the child decides custody
Va. Code § 20-124.3
50+
years of combined family law practice
Three Northern Virginia offices
What We Handle
Family law help for Widewater families.
For unmarried parents, paternity is the gate that custody and support pass through. Here is the work we take on, for mothers and fathers alike.
Looking for a family law attorney near Widewater? NOVA Legal Professionals helps Widewater clients with paternity, custody and visitation, child support, and the full range of family law. Talk with an attorney at 571.260.0999.
01 /
The matter of parentage.
01
Contested Divorce
When unmarried parents cannot agree, a Stafford judge decides custody and support. We prepare the case and present what the court needs to see.
When You Cannot Agree 02Equitable Distribution
Virginia divides marital property by fairness, not a flat half. For married couples, we work the statutory factors so the division is right.
Fair, Not Equal 03Asset Division
The house, the accounts, the cars, and the retirement, we identify and value every asset so it is divided clearly and fairly.
The Marital Estate 04Separation Agreements
A clear written agreement can settle custody, support, and parenting for unmarried parents too. We draft yours so the plan is solid and enforceable.
First Protection 05Child Support
Child support follows the state guideline once paternity is set, built on both incomes and the parenting schedule. We make sure the number is right.
Guideline & Beyond 06Custody & Parenting
Custody is decided on the child's best interest, married or not. We build the parenting plan around your child's school, activities, and routine.
Parenting Time 07Spousal Support
Spousal support applies when there was a marriage. Whether you would pay or receive it, we work toward a fair amount and a fair term.
Maintenance 08Military Divorce
Some Widewater families include a service member or federal worker. We handle custody and support with the military rules in view.
Service MembersWhere Your Case Is Heard
Where a Widewater case is heard.
Widewater is part of Stafford County, so a Widewater case is heard at the county courthouse. Paternity, custody, and support for unmarried parents are handled in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court; a divorce, if there is a marriage, is filed in the Circuit Court, both at the Judicial Center on Courthouse Road.
Circuit Court
Stafford Circuit Court
15th Judicial Circuit
HearsA divorce, when the parents are married, and property division.
DecidesEquitable distribution, plus custody and support within a divorce.
WhereThe Judicial Center at 1300 Courthouse Road, Stafford, in the 15th Judicial Circuit.
NoteUnmarried parents usually start in the J&DR court instead.
J&DR Court
Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court
Family matters outside a divorce
HearsPaternity, custody, visitation, and child support for unmarried parents.
StartA paternity case can begin here, with testing ordered if needed.
WhereAt the Stafford Judicial Center on Courthouse Road, near the Circuit Court.
NoteThis is where most unmarried-parent cases are decided.
Alisa Chunephisal, Esq.Family Law Attorney
Attorney Insights
What I tell Widewater parents about paternity.
Paternity is not just a label. It is the door to a father's rights and a child's support, and nothing else moves until it is settled.
- 1
Paternity comes first
A father has no custody or visitation rights, and a mother cannot collect support from him, until paternity is established. It can be done by a signed acknowledgment at birth or later, or by genetic testing if there is a dispute.
- 2
Then custody works like any case
Once parentage is set, custody and visitation are decided on the child's best interest, the same standard married parents face. Being unmarried does not lower or raise the bar.
- 3
Support follows the same guideline
Child support uses the statewide guideline whether the parents were married or not, based on both incomes and the parenting schedule. Establishing paternity is what lets it be ordered.
Why Families Trust Us
Help for unmarried parents.
When parents were never married, you want counsel who knows how paternity, custody, and support fit together in Stafford.
Experience
50+
Years Combined
Years of handling paternity and custody for Widewater parents.
Expertise
100%
Family Law Focus
Family law is the whole practice, unmarried-parent cases 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 Widewater families and others across Stafford County.
Recognition
Recognition parents rely on.
We have helped Widewater mothers and fathers establish paternity, build parenting plans, and set fair support, so their children were provided for and both parents had a real role.
Our commitment to Widewater
Client Voices
Widewater families in their own words.
Read what Widewater clients have shared about paternity, custody, and support with our attorneys.
Questions People Actually Ask
Plain answers, about parentage.
These are the questions Widewater parents ask first. If yours is not here, just ask.
Have a question about paternity?Call 571.260.0999 or send us a message.
How is paternity established in Virginia?
Two main ways. Parents can sign a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity, at the hospital or later, or a court can order genetic testing if paternity is disputed. Once it is established, the father has rights and obligations toward the child.
Does a father have rights if we were not married?
Once paternity is established, yes. An unmarried father can seek custody and visitation, decided on the child's best interest, the same standard a married father faces. Without established paternity, he has no legal rights to the child.
Can I get child support as an unmarried parent?
Yes, once paternity is set. Child support follows the statewide guideline based on both incomes and the parenting schedule, regardless of whether the parents were ever married. Establishing paternity is what allows support to be ordered.
Which court handles these cases?
Paternity, custody, and support for unmarried parents are heard in the Stafford Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court at the Judicial Center on Courthouse Road. There is no divorce to file, since there was no marriage.
What if the other parent will not cooperate?
The court can compel it. A parent can file a petition, and the court can order genetic testing and then set custody and support. You do not need the other parent's agreement to establish paternity or to ask for support.
Before You Decide
Reading for unmarried parents.
Plain English guides Widewater parents reach for most while sorting out custody and support.
A
Co-Parenting and Notice
How notice and a parenting schedule work when you are raising a child across two homes.
Co-ParentingBFamily Law in Virginia
The plain English overview of how Virginia handles custody, support, and more.
Virginia GuideCWho Pays the Bills?
How families handle money and support while arrangements are still being set.
SeparationWhen You Are Ready
When you are ready, let's settle parentage.
Tell us about your child and your situation, and we will help you establish paternity and set custody and support in Stafford.