Last Thursday, Stephanie and Dan traveled to Richmond to attend the 28^th Annual Advanced Family Law Seminar: Pawns in the Game – Protecting Children’s Best Interests in Custody Litigation. The CLE examined high conflict custody cases, focusing on the use of scientific evidence and expert witness testimony. Providing practical insight into these cases, Dr. Maggie Bruck walked participants through a mock direct examination to qualify an expert witness seeking to testify about the credibility of abuse reported by a child. The CLE also featured a helpful overview of the CPS process and how to navigate the investigation process and the administrative and state levels of abuse and neglect prosecution. For the panel discussion, Judges Randall Blow (Virginia Beach JDR), Burke McCahill (Loudoun Circuit Court), and Frederick Rockwell, III (Chesterfield Circuit Court) provided their insight to practitioners on a wide range of custody topics, including presenting child witnesses in court, the impact of CPS determinations on their best interests analysis, and the use of parenting coordinators and GALs in high conflict custody cases.

 In discussing the legislative and case updates, both Edward Barnes and Larry Diehl discussed the recent ruling that permits a parent to use a Qualified Domestic Relations Order to collect child support arrears. Other notable developments include the requirement to include a revocation of death benefits notice in all Final Decrees of Divorce beginning July 1, 2012 and the ability to use of Affidavits in no-fault divorces.

 The CLE concluded with Dan’s creative and entertaining discussion of ethics issues, including the potential ethical traps associated with interviewing child witnesses and the spoliation of evidence. Dan’s presentation prompted a lively discussion among participants regarding whether it is necessary to obtain permission from the GAL representing the child prior to conducting a meeting with the child and the best ways to communicate with an unrepresented party about a Waiver form in no fault divorces.

This afternoon, Dan Gray is presenting at the Virginia State Bar Association’s 28th Annual Advanced Family Law Seminar — Pawns in the Game: Protecting Children’s Best Interests in Custody Litigation.  Dan’s presentation will focus on “Current Ethical Dilemmas Facing the Family Law Practitioner.”

Check back here for a summary of the CLE.  Good luck Dan!!

Hollywood celebrities and the tabloids combine to ensure that divorce is always a hot topic on the newsstand and on the Web. But outside of the more sensational coverage, there are many articles dealing with issues that the average person encounters when divorcing. Here are two such articles on interesting areas of family law. 

Divorcing When Drowning in Debt: 

http://www.jdsupra.com/post/documentViewer.aspx?fid=43d73d8e-f23f-4cb1-9b03-e88de0d24e02&utm_source=JFB&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=familylaw 

CIA Divorces: When Spies Split: 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/cia-divorces-the-secrecy-when-spies-split/2012/03/05/gIQAPpBZAS_story.html

Each year, our paralegals assist with the Fairfax Bar Association’s “Annual Valentine’s Day Project” which provides books and essential personal care items for the Fairfax Girls’ and Boys’ Probation Houses.  The Paralegal Section of the Fairfax Bar Association has been providing gifts and essentials to the Fairfax County Girls’ Probation Home since 2002. 

The Project started as a Valentine’s basket, but it grew into a Project that was primarily educational with the young people receiving two or three new books as well as an assortment of hygiene products.  The Project has included the Fairfax County Boys’ Probation Home for the past four years.    

Each year, the Project begins with a call for donations (money and books) in late December or early January.  This year, Tina Fewell (Shoun Bach Walinsky and Curran, P.C.), Courtnie Norris (Fairfax Bar Association), and our very own Joanne Randa co-chaired the Project.  Once they collected the donations, they shopped for the books that the girls and boys requested, as well as all the hygiene products. 

This year, there were 12 girls and 22 boys in attendance. Each girl received four new books and each boy received three new books.  They all received a reusable Trader Joe’s bag filled with hygiene products and various sundries.  The Paralegal Section delivered the items right before Valentine’s Day to ensure that everyone got a surprise for February 14. 

We want to thank Joanne (and Christina) and her co-chairs for all their hard work and dedication to this wonderful project. Check out our Facebook page for more photos!

We are happy to announce that our office construction is complete.  We now have 17 offices, two conference rooms, a kitchen, new copy room, and an updated lobby area.  Visit our Facebook page for a virtual tour of the finished product.

On March 2, 2012, Cooper Ginsberg Gray, PLLC, had the honor of representing a wonderful petitioner on a pro bono Special Immigration Juvenile Status matter.

Attorneys Stephanie Smith and Rob Worster joined forces with Chelsy Weber, an exceptionally talented staff attorney with Hogar Immigrant Services, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Arlington, back in July of 2011.

Our combined goal was to stop deportation proceedings for a juvenile victim of domestic sexual abuse.

After eight months of preparation, research, briefing, and a necessary appeal, this labor of love resulted in the entry of a Court Order that will jump start the path to citizenship for this delightful foreign national.

We are honored to serve the community and thrilled with the success of our client.

There are several interesting Virginia House and Senate Bills currently before the legislature. Here is a list of some of the more notable Bills:

HB104: If a Defendant fails to file an Answer after service, no additional notice is required.

HB126: Allows evidence of no-fault divorce by affidavit if there is a written settlement agreement between the parties.

HB 283: Allows courts to order maintenance of life insurance policies (and allocate costs) pendente lite.

HB 549: Provides for DSS to publish names of all persons with child support arrearages.

HB1283: Limits the definition of “persons with legitimate interest” in custody cases to grandparents, stepparents, former stepparents, blood relatives or family members.

Click here for a complete list of 2012 House and Senate Bills.  Stay tuned to see if any them become laws.

Phase 2 of our construction is now complete.  Check out Facebook to view start to finish photos.  Phase 3 is underway and is set for completion in early March.  We will post photos of Phase 3 on Facebook too.  We are nearing the end of construction and are very excited to see the final finished product.