Experienced and Compassionate Attorneys Representing Clients in Marriage and Family Law Matters Throughout Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia
If you are facing divorce, it is essential that you have an effective advocate on your side to guide you and safeguard your interests through what is always a difficult personal situation, and often a complicated legal process. At Klingner Jazayerli LLP, the attorneys take an individual approach to each case, focusing on securing the best possible result for an individual in every case.
Reliable advocacy for contested divorce cases
In a contested divorce, there may be one or more important issues that you and your spouse are disputing. Whether through negotiation or litigation, we strive to obtain favorable outcomes for our clients concerning matters pertaining to:
- Property division — Washington D.C. and Virginia are both equitable distribution jurisdictions. This means that marital assets and property are not divided equally during divorce, but rather, in a way that a judge deems fair.
- Alimony — During divorce proceedings, and for a length of time after the divorce has been finalized, alimony may be awarded to the financially dependent spouse. A judge will consider a number of factors to determine the amount and duration of an alimony award.
- Child support — Both parents have an obligation to financially support their children. In Virginia, child support is based on an “Income Shares Model” that considers the amount the parents would spend on their children while living in one home and each parent’s income. In the District of Columbia, child support is based on a hybrid model that starts with the “Percentage of Income” model that sets support as a percentage of only the noncustodial parent's income, but then reduces the amount of support owed by the noncustodial parent using a formula based on the custodial parent's income.
- Child custody — Child custody comes in two parts. Physical custody concerns where the children reside and legal custody decides who will make decisions concerning their healthcare, education, religious instruction and more. Either type of custody can be “joint,” and shared by both parents or “sole” and belong only to one. Custody decisions are decided by a judge based on what is deemed to be in the best interests of the children.
We take the time to understand our clients’ objectives and implement a customized strategy to help them achieve their goals.
Competent representation for uncontested divorce matters
If you and your spouse agree on all the major issues that must be decided during a divorce, your divorce may be considered uncontested and therefore not require the more adversarial court process associated with contested divorces. However, it is still crucial to have an attorney by your side to protect your rights. We provide individualized attention for clients considering uncontested divorces and discuss any pros and cons in each specific case.
Knowledgeable attorneys guiding you through the legal separation process
Sometimes, couples may find it preferable to obtain a legal separation over a divorce, such as when marital status is important for religious reasons, tax treatment, health care or eligibility for certain government benefits. Generally, the same issues must be decided, including child custody and support, alimony and property division. We advise clients on legal separation and help them determine whether it may be the best course of action for their situation.
Contact our skilled Washington, D.C. divorce and family law attorneys
Klingner Jazayerli LLP provides high-quality legal services for clients facing divorce and family law matters in the Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia area. Call (202) 349-3744 or contact us online to schedule a consultation.
