Fairfax Legal Blog
Parental kidnapping: the charge and the consequences
Is it possible for a parent to kidnap his or her own child? The Code of Virginia says yes. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the alleged abduction and the intention of the parent who takes the child away, parental kidnapping is a crime that can incur serious...
What is negotiated in plea bargaining?
The vast majority of criminal cases involve some degree of plea bargaining. Whether or not it is a good idea for the defendant to accept a plea bargain depends on the details of the case, but usually plea bargaining occurs because it has the potential to be beneficial...
What is nesting?
If you are the parent of minor children, it is likely that you and your ex-spouse will have a co-parenting arrangement in the future. Co-parenting is developmentally best for children, but it is also rife with challenges. There is more than one way to have a...
In VA, a criminal charge could lead to a lifetime of consequences
In Virginia, a criminal arrest or charge stays on an individual’s record permanently, even without a subsequent conviction. From denied opportunities for education, employment and housing to the inability to pass a security clearance investigation, even a “mere”...
Could you accidently be guilty of indecent exposure?
There have been news stories in various locations where men have faced indecent exposure charges for going to the bathroom in public. It is something that men may wonder about when it comes to their risk of facing such charges. After all, an indecent exposure...
Should I take my divorce to trial?
There are two main ways of going about a divorce: trial and settlement. Generally speaking, settling a divorce is quicker and less stress than taking a divorce to trial. However, what if you are not getting what you want out of attempting to settle? According to...
New law in Virginia would limit access to some criminal records
Even when convicted of a crime, people have rights. They deserve dignity and respect when pursuing employment, applying for a loan or working on their educational goals. These tasks become significantly more challenging when there is a criminal record involved....
Is my spouse cheating?
Marital infidelity often means the demise of a relationship. That is why the prospect can be so upsetting to spouses who suspect something is wrong in their relationships. In many cases, there is no hard evidence pointing to the existence of an affair. Instead, there...
Police Interrogations And Junk Science
If you’ve ever watched a police procedural, you’ve probably been impressed that a brilliant detective could interrogate a suspect, pick up subtle clues that no one else can see and finally get a suspect to confess by catching them in a lie. These TV shows and movies...
How drained accounts can affect your divorce
In normal circumstances, you may have few worries about meeting the expenses that come with divorce. Yet, you may be agonizing over them if your spouse drained your joint checking and savings accounts. While their underhand move may seem extreme, it is unfortunately a...
