I came across this article from the Boston Globe about an unusual bill that has been proposed by the state legislature.

-Charlottesville Divorce Lawyer Rob Hagy.  For more information, call to schedule an appointment at (434)293-4562.

St. Patrick’s Day can be great fun, but when you are either about to be involved in a custody and visitation case or are currently involved in a custody and visitation case, a misstep on St. Patrick's Day could do a great deal of harm to your interests and to the interests of your children. Over imbiding on St. Patrick's Day can lead to assault and battery, trespassing, property destruction, drug possession, or DUI charges which could affect the amount of time you may be allowed to spend with your children.  Even if you don't get charged with a crime, photos of excessive drinking or lewd and lacivious behavior on St. Patrick's Day that make it to social media platforms can also come back and haunt you during a custody and visitation case.  Always hesitate to go out if you have visitation of your child during this time.  Some judges may frown on the fact that you chose to go out partying instead of spending that time with your child.  

If you can avoid the above referenced pitfalls, St. Patrick's Day can afford you some opportunities to shine in a custody and visitation case as well.  Engage in some St. Patrick's Day craft activities with your children or cook some St. Patrick's Day themed baked goods with your children.  Take pictures of you doing these activities and then you can use these photographs to show what you spend your time doing with your children.  Even if you can't do anything directly with the children, perhaps you can arrange to provide something for their school St. Patrick's Day activities.  A brief google search turns up a multitude of great actitivites you can do with your children on St. Patrick's Day.

-Rob Hagy, Charlottesville Custody and Visitation Lawyer.  For help with your custody and visitation case, please contace me at (434)293,4562 or email me at [email protected].

It started snowing just a few hours ago here in Charlottesville, Virginia, and there is more on the way. We're expecting a heavy snowfall.  We've been inundated in the last few days with warnings about the weather. We've been lucky.  This will be the first big snow storm of the year and maybe the biggest in a few years.  There wasn't a concensus on exactly when the snow would start.  There isn't a concensus on how much we are going to get.  But there has been enough information out there to let everyone know that they had better get ready. Even if we don't know exactly how much we are going to get, it is going to be enough to cause problems here in Charlottesville.  It's going to be tough to drive safely for the next few days.  Schools and government offices are probably going to be closed as well.  Grocery stores and hardware stores will be jammed.  Parents will have to make alternative arrangements for their kids if there isn't any school.  I've even heard that some of us might lose power.

Some of us are more prepared for the storm than others.  I saw a former client of mine in the hardware store today and she, like me, was picking up some sleds for her children, but she was also picking up some oil lamps as well....just in case.  She said her husband was a "prepper" and asked her to pick up the lanterns.  While I was in line, two or three people came in looking for kerosine heaters and the hardware store was out.  Three or four people came in looking for snow melt and the hardware store was out. Despite all of the weather reports we've gotten I bet there are even more unlucky folks out there who will be a little or even a lot unprepared for this year's big storm.  On my way home, I noticed that the traffic was starting to back up.  I saw a few folks speeding right along in trucks or SUVs at close to the regular speed limit and I saw others taking their time navigating through the streets.    

Snow storms are a lot like divorces.  Those of us about to be snowed in are a lot like soon to be divorcees.  Some of us are more prepared for divorces than others.  Some people want divorces and out right ask for them.  Some people want divorces and out right leave.  These people are the "preppers".  They have already grieved about losing the relationship.  There is no going back.  They likely have done their own reseach and they have met with a lawyer.  They may have already had a separation agreement prepared to hand over when they utter the words "I want a divorce".  

No matter what divorce warning signs are present some other people will be a little and even a lot unprepared for the divorce.  They shouldn't be.  There are plenty of divorce warnings out there for these people to see.  Couples are getting divorced all the time.  Close family friends are getting divorced.  Books and being written about divorce.  Movies and documentaries are being made about divorce.  Even in their own relationships the warning signs are present.  Some of these folks are already sleeping in different beds, arguing more than anything else, cheating on their spouses, being cheated on, drinking too much, et cetera, et cetera.  And they may continue doing all of these things until it is too late.  They won't go to a therapist to deal with their personal issues.  They won't go to a counselor with their spouse to help smooth over the rough patches in their marriage.  They won't say no to the other man or the other woman.  They won't go see a divorce lawyer just in case.  And then things will really start getting rough for them when it starts "snowing": when their spouse says they want a divorce, when they are served with divorce papers, or when they are kicked out of the house because their spouse had to get a protective order.  After these things start happening, these people are going to be in for some tough legal sledding.  Some of these people will do the smart thing and consult with a lawyer, but some will try to make it on their own.  Those folks will likely fail.  Some folks will consult with a lawyer, but if they have chosen poorly or if they have chosen wisely and fail to heed their lawyers advice, they will be acting just like those speeding SUVs: basically careening around on icy roads with the windshield fogged over, with no chains on the tires, and with too much confidence that their four wheel drive is going to allow them to get by.  I bet more than a few of those folks are going to end up in a ditch or up against a guard rail and I hope they don't get hurt.

There isn't any reason to be so unprepared for snow storms or divorce.  Lay up supplies before the snow season even starts.  Snow melt will keep.  Check your snow shovel to make sure it isn't about to break. Buy a safety kit and put it in your car just in case. Buy a generator maybe if you can.  Pick up a few laterns for when the lights go out.  In the case of divorce, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Pay attention to the warnings signs.  Communicate with your spouse.  Get the problems out in the open.  Don't be afraid to get professional help.  Contact the therapist or counselor early.  Get help for substance abuse problems.  At the earliest sign of trouble, talk to a lawyer.  Find out where you stand.  Find out where you can go from here.  Find out just how "deep" matters can get.  Don't wait until just before the storm starts to get what you need to make it safely through your divorce.  Your spouse might be way ahead of you and he or she might be ready for the long winter of divorce litigation.

-Rob Hagy, Charlottesville Divorce Lawyer.  For more information or assistance, please contact me at [email protected] or call my office to schedule an appointment af (434)293-4562.  

I spent yesterday attending the Virginia Trial Lawyer Association's 2013 Family Law Seminar titled "Everything You Wanted to Know About Child and Spousal Support".  I learned a lot that I'm eager to share with my clients!

-Rob Hagy, Charlottesville Divorce Lawyer.  For help with your child and spousal support needs, please contact me at (434)293-4562 or email me at [email protected].

Interesting article today from U.S. News and World Report.


-Rob Hagy, Charlottesville Divorce Lawyer.

It depends!  Click here to find out how long it will take for you to get divorced.

-Rob Hagy, Charlottesville Divorce Lawyer.

Another superb article with some practical (as opposed to legal advice) for successfully navigating your way through your divorce.

-Rob Hagy, Charlottesville Divorce Lawyer.

Father's Day is right around the corner.  It's not too late to help your child purchase or make a small gift and/or card for his or her dad.  It's important to remember that this holiday is not only for dads but for your child as well.  It's through moments like these that children learn compassion, selflessness, and the joy of giving.  No matter how much disdain you have for your child's father it is really the right thing to do to make sure that the child shares the holiday with his or her father in some way.

-Rob Hagy, Charlottesville Divorce Lawyer. 

In the case of Hillman v. Maretta, the United States Supreme Court ruled that an ex-wife and not the widow should receive life insurance proceeds where the deceased failed to change the beneficiary designation before his death.

-Rob Hagy, Charlottesville Divorce Lawyer of the Law Offices of Rob Hagy, P.C.  For help with issues like these, please call me at (434)293-4562 or email me at [email protected].