Child-centered divorce promotes the well-being of the child. Mediation provides a good process. Waugh Law & Mediation provides these services in Virginia and West Virginia

While our office does not offer free consultations in family law matters, we work to provide information about divorce, custody, parenting plans, and support in our offices in Leesburg and Charles Town. Sign up for a free session to have questions answered, for free, by lawyer and mediator, Brenda Waugh.

The media can’t seem to stop generating stories about how Bruce Jenner is now Caitlyn Jenner. I watched Diane Sawyer’s interview with Jenner about the physical and emotional process. How about the legal process? Has "Bruce Jenner" legally become "Caitlyn Jenner?" I don’t know. I do know that the process of changing your name is not difficult, but like any legal process, it’s not simple.

Legally changing your name requires filing documents with the court. You must give notice to anyone who may be affected. Some states require a hearing, and the process concludes when the judge signs the order. Like many legal proceedings, a petition for name change can be filed pro se, without an attorney. However, it may be cost effective to hire an attorney. The attorney can identify potential problems and help you through the process. Free forms are available in Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia to assist you in changing your name.

Among decisions, parents make when divorcing includes decisions on how to fund their children’s college tuition. Sometimes students qualify for an in-state discount based upon their parents’ residence. In this article, I describe how different states grant reductions based on the family’s residency.

This post is part of a three part series addressing how divorcing parents might address higher education costs.  Yesterday, we addressed the question:   “How long is a parent required to pay support?”   Today, we’ll consider whether divorcing parents should agree to share the costs of their children’s college. The laws in the states where I practice do not require parents to pay college costs, but parents can agree in their divorce agreement to share in the costs.   Consider several questions before entering into an agreement to be sure your agreement is in the best interest of your child and your family.

Starting a divorce does not have to mean starting a war. Whether you are in Virginia or West Virginia we provide collaborative law and mediation to help you find a win-win resolution.