5 Divorce and Custody Rules by a Virginia Private Investigator

The 5 Rules of Advice

From

East Coast Confidential, LLC

1. I encourage you to keep a journal. Start one today and back date it with any information that you can remember. In this journal you would put everything inside; from important dates and times to conversations and incidents that occurred. If this is a divorce and or custody case then it could possibly be a year or so before you actually go to court. Trying to remember important dates or incidents will be hard to do especially during court when you may have to testify about these dates. Usually if you refer to your journal when you are asked to testify, your testimony will be much more credible.
2. Do not sign anything with your spouse until your attorney has reviewed it. It doesn’t matter what it is, what it’s typed on, whether handwritten or notarized, do not sign it. If you make an agreement with your spouse that agreement can easily be made the court order in court. Do not legally bind yourself to an agreement without discussing where you stand with your attorney. If you do not have an attorney at this moment I advise you to retain one tomorrow. We have referrals if you would like help in choosing one.
3. If your child/children are not living with you then I recommend paying child support to your ex partner as soon as possible. If your ex files for child support it could be several months before your case is heard by a judge. When a judge orders child support it is usually back dated to the original date filed. That would mean a huge lump sum for you to pay! Paying support now is not only the right thing to do but it will demonstrate to the courts that you understand your obligation to support and care for your child and will most likely consider your support efforts when determining custody and visitation. Also, try to pay with a check or obtain a receipt if you are paying cash so you can provide proof if there is a dispute.
4. If you have sexual intercourse with someone other than your spouse at any time while still legally married, then you are committing adultery! Same rules apply before separation as well as after separation. If the court finds out that you did indeed commit adultery then the courts can ban you from spousal support.
5. Consult with your attorney before dating. You shouldn’t date around your children and especially have someone of the opposite sex sleep the night over. If this is something you must do then I advise you to have your partner spend the night when your children are with your ex. Virginia case law provides that having a date spend the night in the presence of your child is exposing your child to an immoral environment that is not healthy. Doing this can be held against you in your custody case.

For more information visit the website for East Coast Confidential, LLC; a professional, private investigation firm in Virginia! We specialize in family law investigations!