As a domestic attorney, I hear many different stories as to why individuals make their way to my office and, eventually, end up pursuing a divorce. From family to family, the details differ, but I have reached the conclusion that most divorcing people have experienced a disconnect with their spouse in at least one of four main areas (in no particular order): how to manage money,
At the completion of my document signing meetings for my estate planning clients, many have questions about what to do with their newly-executed documents. As a result, I spend a good amount of time at the conclusion of these meetings educating my clients about their estate planning “next steps.” Until recently,
“I’ve been clean and sober for 8 years, my parents sent me
to rehabafter I graduated from high school, college, and law school. Don’t
ever give up on your kids.” These were
the words spoken to me by the prosecutor in the City of Richmond as we left the
court room after my son’s criminal case for possession almost 10 years ago.
In recent years, many divorcing couples have chosen mediation as an alternative to litigation. Mediation involves many of the same procedures as litigation, but is geared to produce less hostility and lower the costs for the parties. Many mediators in Virginia have been properly trained for this process; however, some mediators have not.
The holiday season is perhaps the most difficult time of year for clients going through a divorce (or even those who have previously gone through one), especially if the client has a minor child or children. Like clockwork, as the major holidays come and go, so too does the barrage of phone calls to my office regarding the holiday visitation schedule.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch interviewed Sam Kaufman in its Saturday “Getting to Know You” profile feature. In addition to being a partner at Owen & Owens, Sam is President of the University of Richmond Alumni Association. To read more about Sam, including his best and worst business decisions and his first job out of college,
As a lawyer who practices in both the areas of domestic relations and estate planning, I can’t help but think about the interplay between the two.
Recently, I had a potential client who came into the office wanting to divorce her husband, but not wanting to do without his money. She relayed to me that,
MIDLOTHIAN, VA (November 15, 2011) – The law firm of Owen & Owens is proud to announce that Mary Burkey Owens was named one of the “2011 Legal Elite” by Virginia Business Magazine.
This year Virginia Business Magazine received more than 1,600 ballots from members of the Virginia State Bar. Members nominated those Virginia lawyers they believed were the most outstanding representatives of their profession in a variety of practice areas.
Child custody is the most difficult issue in a divorce. A variety of combinations exist to protect the best interests of the child. If the mother or father cannot agree on a custody arrangement, a judge will decide what is in the child’s best interest. In these cases, absent an appeal to a higher court,
Virginia Lawyers Weekly has named Joe Owen as a 2011 Leader in the Law. This award recognizes lawyers who are “setting the standard” for other lawyers in Virginia in the practice of law and service to the community. A reception for the honorees will be held on Oct. 20 at the Science Museum.
