Custody & Visitation

Protecting Your Rights as a Parent

We understand how valuable your relationship with your children is. We know how important it is for you to preserve a healthy relationship, even as your marriage is coming to an end.

At the Law Office of Richard L. Downey in Fairfax, Virginia, we work with parents to protect their custody and visitation rights. We put the weight of our experience to work on the child custody or visitation agreements that will define your role as a parent for years to come. Family law attorney Richard L. Downey has been certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

A Child Custody Agreement to Work for Your Family

When children are involved, custody arrangements are one of the most important decisions made during a divorce. Depending on the situation and status of the parents involved, a custody agreement will consider options such as:

• Joint Custody: will both parents make decisions about the child's upbringing?
• Physical Custody: with which parent will the child reside?
• Sole Custody: is either parent unfit or incapable of providing a good home?
• Visitation Arrangements: where will the children spend the holidays?

The parenting plan that works for any one family may be entirely different than what works for the next. For example, Northern Virginia is heavily populated by military families who experience distinct parenting challenges. Richard L. Downey and his staff will help you address those unique challenges to make sure that fathers on deployment have legitimate and fair access to their children when they return home.

The rule of the courts is to find solutions that work best for the child. In the past, that may have meant a bias toward one parent above the other, but as the law has become more sophisticated, so too have the options available. We can help you fully explore all the options available to reach your child custody goals.

Working For You, Working With You

We offer empathetic support, wise counsel and tireless efforts, as well as steady advocacy through a tough emotional time. We make it a priority to adapt our approach to your needs. We have developed the tools and understanding to meet the needs of a wide range of clients.

Call 703-763-4067 to schedule a consultation to sit down with Richard L. Downey today, or contact us online.