Custody and Visitation - Child Support - Divorce - Name Change

Family Law Services in Abingdon, VA

Family law is an area of law that deals with matters regarding family relationships, such as marriage, adoption, divorce, and child custody. As a result, it is critical to have a family court attorney in whom you can place your entire trust.

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Whitney Pennington

My passion has always been family law. I enjoy helping clients through difficult times and guiding them through their trials with individualized attention. It was because of this passion I attended Campbell’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law in Raleigh, North Carolina where I majored in trial advocacy.

During my time in law school, I focused on family law and estate planning. In early 2013, I passed the Virginia Bar. Since that time, I have been in private practice as well as worked in other legal capacities.

Family Law Services

Customer Reviews

"Whitney was absolutely INCREDIBLE!! She listens to her clients and she fights with everything she has for them. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND her. She was truly a blessing in my case. I will be using her for any of my other legal needs. If your looking for somebody who will go in with guns blazing Whitney is definitely the lawyer you need!!"

"Whitney is very professional and very informative. She has helped us tremendously and guided us through the law process that we have to go through for our case. She is experienced and works hard for her clients. It’s always nice to have someone that is willing to help you and your family in anyway she can."

"Mrs. Pennington was attentive to my needs and her work was exemplary. I will definitely use her again when I have any legal needs. Thank you so much for listening to me and being understanding as well as a great advocate."

"If you are in this area and need an attorney I would highly recommend Whitney Pennington. She did some estate for us and she was a real trooper and got it done for us. We really appreciated all she did for us and I’m sure she will take good care of you."

"Pennington Law Firm helped our family with legal paperwork for our small business. Whitney was very thorough and took the time to make sure we had everything completed as a new business in VA. Definitely would recommend her for all legality needs!"

"Whitney is knowledgeable, understanding, experienced, and helpful. She is always quick to respond and was helpful through everything. She’s aggressive and firm in cases when needed. I highly recommend her!"

Custody and Visitation

When it comes to the custody and visitation of your children, you need a custody lawyer that has experience dealing with complex custody and visitation issues. At the Pennington Law Firm, we have dealt with custody matters in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and Circuit Court.

Ms. Pennington has also represented clients on sensitive issues such as the needs of children diagnosed with severe cases of cancer and children who have been emotionally and mentally abused by one or both parents. The issues surrounding custody and visitation can be emotional and fraught with difficult decisions. This firm believes in a tough negotiation and vigorously defending your position in court. We believe in listening to each client and advising them based on their unique situation. There are legal custody and physical custody in Virginia.

Legal custody is the ability to make decisions regarding the medical, academic, health, and welfare of the child. Legal custody can be shared between parents or one parent could have sole legal custody. There is also physical custody of a child. The varying types of physical custody are primary physical custody, shared custody, and split custody. Ms. Pennington is capable and ready to represent you in court regarding any of the mentioned legal and physical custody arrangements.

Child Support Attorney

When it comes to child support, you need a family court lawyer who is familiar with Virginia law and how it determines a parent’s support obligation. Further, you also need a family law attorney who can litigate the enforcement of a child support order. Ms. Pennington can help you whether you are a custodial parent or you are a non-custodial parent. In her time as an Assistant Attorney General for the Division of Child Support Enforcement, Ms. Pennington litigated over 3,000 child support hearings for both initial petitions, motions to modify, and enforcement hearings.

She has dealt with cases involving Social Security Disability, voluntary underemployment, and TANF cases involving the Division of Child Support Enforcement. When it comes to child support, Ms. Pennington offers vast experience in not only setting support but litigating any appropriate legal action you may take if the monthly obligation of child support is not met.

Divorce

Divorce can be stressful and overwhelming and it’s critical to have a divorce lawyer on your side throughout the entire process. Whether it is dividing personal property, real property, business assets, retirement accounts, vehicles, or debts, Virginia law provides for equitable distribution of all assets acquired during the marriage unless they constitute separate property. The Pennington Law Firm has negotiated settlements and litigated equitable distribution trials for clients with all types of financial and asset portfolios.

Each case is different and requires the navigation of Virginia law and a knowledge of how to negotiate the division of marital assets. Ms. Pennington is a divorce attorney who will meet with clients individually to review all assets and help determine how best to approach their particular case. Ms. Pennington understands that financial matters can often be emotional and approaches each case with clarity and the intent to represent her client’s interests to the fullest extent possible.

We understand that going through a divorce can be a challenging and emotional process. At Pennington Law Firm, we are here to guide you through the uncontested divorce process with care and efficiency.

Below is an outline of the steps involved in an uncontested divorce and what you can expect along the way:

1. Drafting the Property Settlement Agreement (PSA):
Our team will begin by drafting a comprehensive Property Settlement Agreement tailored to your specific needs. This initial step typically takes us around 3 weeks to prepare the first draft.

2. Revision and Client Feedback:
Once you receive the first draft of the PSA, we encourage you to review it carefully. Any revisions or adjustments based on your feedback will be promptly addressed by our team. Please note that each revision cycle may take about 1 week to complete.

3. Sending the PSA to the Other Party:
After finalizing a proposal that you are satisfied with, we will send the document to the other party via mail or email. A specific response deadline will be included in the communication. It is important to note that in an uncontested divorce, we cannot force the other party to respond.

While we can request that they respond by a certain date, since we are aiming to resolve issues out of court, there is no strict schedule that must be adhered to. We appreciate your understanding and patience throughout this process.

4. Negotiation Phase:
Negotiations with the other party will commence upon their response to the PSA. It is common for both parties to engage in a bargaining process to reach mutual agreements on all issues.

5. Signing the Property Settlement Agreement:
Upon reaching an agreement, both parties will need to sign the Property Settlement Agreement and have it notarized. It’s important to note that signing the PSA does not finalize the divorce process.

6. Preparation of Final Divorce Documents:
Once the signed PSA is in place, our team will prepare the final divorce documents for submission to the court if you have been separated for the period Virginia requires by law. Final documents cannot be submitted until this period has passed. Please see #7. Your cooperation in signing these documents is crucial for the next steps.

7. Submission to the Court:
Depending on whether you have children, the finalized documents can be submitted within either 6 months (no children) or 1 year (with children) after the separation date. Please be patient during this waiting period.

8. Judicial Review and Finalization:
The court will review the submitted documents, and the timeline for finalizing the divorce may vary based on the judge’s caseload. This process can take weeks or even months before the divorce is officially granted.

**This information is not comprehensive legal advice but rather an overview of how the process generally works.**

**Please be aware that the specifics of your case may vary.**

Talk to Us About Your Problems

If you are involved in a family law issue, it is critical that you understand all of your legal choices. Contact Pennington Law Firm P.L.L.C. and request a case analysis. We will listen closely to your story and requests, help you in creating the most effective legal strategy for your specific situation, and answer any questions you may have.

Name Change

As a part of the divorce, you may want to change your name. There are also times when a person simply wants to change their name for a non-fraudulent purpose. The Pennington Law Firm can help you with a name change petition. Get in touch with us.

Premarital Agreements

Before getting married, a couple may want to protect themselves financially and pre-arrange any spousal support or financial obligations that could arise as a result of the marriage. A premarital agreement allows a couple to address these matters prior to divorce when neither party is angry or emotional. If this is the case, the Pennington Law Firm can help you.

Protective Orders

There are three types of protective orders:

Emergency Protective Order
Preliminary Protective Order
Permanent Protective Order

In her time as a magistrate and in private practice Ms. Pennington has both issued Emergency Protective Orders and private practice litigated Permanent Protective Orders.

At this firm, we know the importance of litigating such matters and how they can impact some of your civil liberties. We also understand the importance of peace of mind and the protection a protective order can give a person who is reasonably in fear of bodily harm, injury or death.

Property Settlement Agreements

Negotiating the settlement of your divorce can be a pivotal time in your life. It can be filled with high levels of emotion, stress, and anger. At the Pennington Law Firm, we understand how passionate this process can be and we work with you to settle the affairs of the marriage from child custody, child support, spousal support, to equitable distribution of all assets and debts of the marriage.

Ms. Pennington has negotiated property settlement agreements since 2013 and believes in hearing each client’s concerns so that she can negotiate and work on your behalf.

Genetic Tests

If you and the child’s mother disagree about whether you are the child’s biological father, you can establish paternity by taking a DNA test that shows your genetic relationship with the child. DNA testing that are currently available are more than 99% accurate. You pay for the test if it shows that you are the biological father. If the test shows that you are not the biological father, then the Commonwealth of Virginia will pay for the test.

Establishing paternity in Virginia is usually a straightforward process. If there is a dispute about paternity or about custody, visitation rights, or child support after paternity is established, you can resolve the dispute in the family courts. If you have any questions about your paternity case, please contact us and we will gladly answer them.

Acknowledgement of Paternity Forms

If you were not married to your child’s mother when the child was born, you can establish legal paternity in Virginia by filling out a voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity (AOP) form. The easiest way to do this is to complete the form and have it notarized before you leave the hospital with the newborn baby.

Best Abingdon Prenup Lawyer

Even when the choice to divorce is made mutually, the breakdown of a marriage is often an emotional and difficult event. When two people share space, chores, and financial responsibilities for years, and perhaps raise children together, ending this arrangement is typically difficult. When substantial wealth and possessions are at question, the stakes might be especially high.

Obtaining a prenuptial agreement prior to marriage is one strategy to proactively avoid issues relating to the distribution of assets and property in a divorce. A prenuptial agreement, often known as a prenup, is a legal instrument that specifies the property rights of both parties in the event of a divorce.

Whether you are planning a prenuptial agreement before marriage or you already have one and a divorce is close, it is in your best interest to consult with a prenup attorney with vast experience in this field. I will take you through this procedure in the most efficient and painless manner possible.

Honest and Experienced Counsel Focused on Your Needs

We work with our clients to determine their priorities, which include their problems and concerns, their relationships, the assets they want to protect, and their personal and financial goals. Call at (276) 477-1422 or fill out the form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

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We charge a $100 consultation fee!

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