NORTHERN VIRGINIA FAMILY LAW ATTORNEYS
A full-service family law firm representing clients throughout Northern Virginia
No matter what issues confront you and your family, we have the experience and skill to help you resolve them in an efficient manner.
Protecting your interests is our top priority
Learn more about what our firm can do for you in each of the areas of law below.
Divorce
The Hopkins Law Firm specializes in divorces. Michelle Hopkins has extensive experience litigating and settling divorces of an array of circumstances. Michelle and her legal team can help you gain equitable results from your divorce, including a fair distribution of assets, equitable division of debts, equitable child support payments and child custody or visitation rights. The attorneys at The Hopkins Law Firm have substantive experience resolving contested divorces and efficiently formalizing uncontested divorces. Whatever unique circumstances your divorce contains, we are ready to accommodate them to help make the process smoother for you.
Mediation
Most ideal for parties who communicate well, mediation is an excellent alternative to litigation. It is less expensive and allows both parties to have more of say in the ultimate outcome of the case. The mediator’s job is to remain totally neutral to help the parties work through areas of their divorce which they do not agree upon, then memorialize what the parties agree upon in a mediated separation agreement. Michelle Hopkins is a mediator and has extensive mediation experience. To maintain neutrality, all communications with the firm must occur with both parties, never separately. To arrange mediation services, both spouses should jointly contact The Hopkins Law Firm.
Estate Planning
It is always wise to think about putting your affairs in order. The attorneys at The Hopkins Law Firm are ready to discuss your estate and last wishes, as well as the best documents to accomplish your intentions. Whether your estate requires a Will or Trust, or if you want to memorialize your health care wishes with an Advanced Medical Directive, the legal team at The Hopkins Law Firm can help you. In the event that you are unable to leave your home or unable to use stairs to access our office due to health reasons, The Hopkins Law Firm can bring the documents to your home to execute them. Contact us today to discuss your estate work needs.
Same Sex and LGBT+ Matters
Same-sex divorces may present unique issues such as division of fertilized eggs or sperm donations, or debt associated with fertility treatments, surrogacy or adoption costs. The Hopkins Law Firm has experience with these matters and is here to help you make the dissolution of your same-sex marriage as smooth as possible.
Marital Property Division
The division of marital property may be simple or complex depending upon the assets accumulated during the marriage, and if the parties are in agreement or disagreement with the post-marital disposition of these assets. The attorneys at The Hopkins Law Firm can help you understand what an equitable distribution of your marital property looks like, which allows you to understand what may happen with your assets at trial or what a reasonable settlement offer looks like. Contact us today to schedule a consultation to discuss the division of your unique marital properties.
Equitable Distribution Trials
When parties to a divorce cannot come to an agreement during settlement discussions or mediation, the remaining option to finalize the divorce is an Equitable Distribution (ED) Trial. The purpose of an ED Trial is to present the case in front of a Judge, who determines the disposition of marital property such as assets and debts, and who determines a parenting plan to include child support, custody and visitation if minor children are involved. The Judge determines the disposition of these matters based upon the law of the state of Virginia. To accurately present all applicable matters to the Judge, significant preparation is required for any case, but more extensively so for marriages that acquired significant assets. The attorneys at The Hopkins Law Firm have comprehensive experience preparing for ED Trials. As such, it is best to obtain an attorney as far in advance of your ED trial as possible. The legal team at The Hopkins Law Firm is ready to assist you with your trial and individual needs.
Parental Rights
Child Support
In Virginia, child support is payable until a child graduates high school or reaches the age of 19. In special circumstances, such as a disability, child support may be paid into adulthood. The Hopkins Law Firm will help you determine what amount of child support should be paid based upon the income of both parents and the child support laws of Virginia. Your Hopkins Law Firm attorney can also assist you with understanding what expenses you can receive credit for towards your child support payments. Michelle Hopkins and her team advocate that a legally fair child support amount is paid to protect the interests of the children involved.
Adoption
Whether you are interested in adopting your stepchild, a family member, or a new addition to your family, the legal team at The Hopkins Law Firm considers it an honor to assist with your adoption. Contact us today to discuss your family’s adoption needs.
Domestic Violence
Seeking Protective Orders
If you are fearing for the safety of yourself and or your children or family, The Hopkins Law Firm can assist you with seeking a protective order. The legal team assembled by Michelle Hopkins understands the delicacy of situations wherein clients feel unsafe and stand ready to help you today.
Representing Protective Orders
If a protective order has been issued against you, The Hopkins Law Firm can represent your interest in Court and help you navigate the next steps after the Judge’s ruling. The attorneys at The Hopkins Law Firm are ready to listen without judgment; please do not hesitate to contact us today.
Child Abuse
If you are fearing for the safety of yourself and or your children or family, The Hopkins Law Firm can assist you with seeking a protective order. The legal team assembled by Michelle Hopkins understands the delicacy of situations wherein clients feel unsafe and stand ready to help you today.
Grandparent Rights
If you are concerned about the wellbeing of your grandchildren, scheduling a consultation to discuss your legal rights as grandparents is an excellent starting point to understanding what options are available to you to keep them safe. The Hopkins Law Firm attorneys are ready to discuss your concerns today.
Guardianship
Military divorce
Military divorces present unique challenges that require an experienced attorney to navigate. Determining the proper division of military benefits can be a complicated matter and are unique to each case. We understand the nuances of family law as it applies to members of the military. The Hopkins Law Firm can help protect your interests during divorce. As a thank you to our military for their service and sacrifices, The Hopkins Law Firm is happy to offer a discount to veterans and active members of the military.
Child custody and visitation
The Hopkins Law Firm understands that your children are your world, so we work relentlessly to protect your parental rights. Custody and visitation simply cannot be handled with a “one size fits all” approach. We focus on the bests interests of the children, instituting creative solutions such as a custody and visitation arrangement engineered for their individual needs. The dissolution of a marriage can be especially difficult when minor children are involved; we are ready to assist you with making the creation of, or alteration of an existing custodial arrangement, as smooth as possible. Contact us today to discuss your custody and visitation case.
Children are especially vulnerable during divorce.
Our hallmark is we always act in the best interest of the children.
Spousal support
Both parties must rebuild their lives after divorce; spousal support should not cause economic hardship to the payor or leave the payee struggling to make ends meet as they establish themselves independently. When minor children are involved, the recipient of spousal support should be able to obtain an appropriate residence for the children to reside in. We help protect our clients’ assets and advocate for their interests by establishing a realistic equitable amount of spousal support.
Pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements
While a marriage is an exciting prospect, parties may be apprehensive if they have experienced a divorce during their last marriage. The Hopkins Law Firm understands that you want to give your marriage your all, but also want to prepare for the unexpected. Pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements can alleviate some of the stress should you ever decide to get divorced. These documents are actually a form of self care; they allow you to focus on your marriage without worrying about what-ifs. The legal team at The Hopkins Law Firm drafts agreements that protect your interests in a reasonable yet effective way.
Separation agreements
If you are considering getting a divorce, a separation agreement, which formally divides marital assets and debts, is required by the state of Virginia to finalize the divorce in an effort to avoid litigation. These agreements are contracts between spouses that incorporate division of assets, debts, personal property, real property, future child support and spousal payments, tax considerations, and parenting plans. When parties to a divorce are able to work together to finalize these agreements, they can be completed without the intervention of the courts. We can help you protect your interests while drafting your separation agreement and provide advice regarding your individual circumstances.
Get the results you need today
If you need a compassionate family law attorney to handle your case, call The Hopkins Law Firm, PLLC at 571-248-2210 or feel free to contact the firm online to schedule an initial consultation. From our office in Gainesville, we represent clients throughout Northern Virginia, including but not limited to Arlington, Falls Church, Alexandria, Reston, Fairfax, Chantilly, Centreville, Aldie, Leesburg, Haymarket, Gainesville, Manassas and throughout Prince William, Loudoun and Fairfax counties.