This weekend I will be joining lawyers from all over the United States in Harrisonburg, Virginia to participate in a symposium, “Restorative Justice’s Role in the Expanding Concepts and Structures of the Practice of Law in the United States.” Sponsored by the Campbell University College of Law and the Zehr Institute for Restorative Justice, we will be addressing topics such as “A Trauma-Informed Legal Practice” and “How Restorative Practices are Affecting Systemic Change.”  Of course, I am most excited to hear what Professor Zehr will bring to the symposium during Friday night's  session, “Restorative Justice: Continuing the Conversation.”    

Many times parents believe that the child should have a chance to articulate their opinion in a divorce or child custody case. Many courts prefer that their opinions be addressed through the appointment of a specially trained lawyer, or a Guardian Ad LItem, who may interview the child outside of the courtroom.  Another option is to include children in mediation.  While this option should be employed sparingly, for some families it might serve to empower the children and bring the family closer.  Only a specially trained mediator, often working with a child specialist, can assess the situation and determine whether or not the child's participation is beneficial.  Our office accepts cases in West Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia and can work with families to determine the best mediation structure for you.

I am on my way to Morgantown to attend a symposium focusing on Prisons in Appalachia.  I will be joining a fabulous roundtable discussion on Restorative Justice and Alternative Sentencing tomorrow morning featuring Judge Michael Aloi, Jacqueline Roebuck Sacko, Jim Nolan and Valena Beety.  In my portion of the session I’ll be providing a bit of an introduction to restorative justice.

Can you represent yourself in court? It depends! Some matters are simple and litigants can find the resources that they need to go to court without a lawyer. In other situations, you should never go to court without a lawyer to guide you through the process. Brenda Waugh provides legal and mediation services in Virginia and West Virginia and can help you decide when you need a lawyer and what process—litigation or mediation may be best suited for your legal problem.

When you are considering divorce, be sure to consider both mediation and collaborative law as options. Both of these options are usually healthier for your family and tend to be less costly than litigation. With offices in Leesburg, Virginia, Charles Town, West Virginia and Washington DC, Brenda Waugh can provide you with mediation or legal services and help you to weigh the costs and benefits of the various processes available.