We believe it is important for you to receive good value for the use of our firm. We also believe that attorneys should be transparent in the fees that they charge.

The attorneys fees charged to clients will differ depending on the nature of the case. In some instances, most notably, personal injury cases, we charge a percentage of what we win for you. In other cases, we charge an hourly fee that we disclose to you before we take the case and is based on the difficulty of the case and the attorney who is involved. In many cases, we request that clients pay us a "retainer fee" which we then use to pay ourselves as the work is done. In some cases, but not all, we extend free consultations, but we always inform clients about the costs of first visits before they make appointments.

We offer limited free on-site parking in the rear of our building, which is accessed by the driveway between 211 East High St. and our neighbor, the Villiage School, at 215 East High St.

Under Virginia law, in order to make a valid will, you must be at least 18 years old and mentally competent to make a will. This means basically that you understand you are making a will and know what property makes up your estate. The will must be in writing (a typed document counts as writing), and it must be signed and dated by the person making the will (the testator). The will must also be signed by two competent witnesses who witness the testator's signature, and they must sign the will in the testator's presence. While it is not necessary to have the will notarized, a notarized will is "self-proving" and can be admitted to the probate court without the need to call the witnesses into court or provide any other evidence that this is the testator's will.

Virginia also recognizes the validity of holographic wills. A holographic will is one that is written entirely in the testator's own handwriting and is signed and dated by the testator. A holographic will does not have to be witnessed to be valid.

A will can still be challenged on several grounds, such as if it includes invalid topics, is the product of fraud, duress or undue influence, or if another will is found to be in existence that may supersede the other will.

Your will is the legal document you execute to dictate how your property will be distributed after you are gone. The will can also name an executor or personal representative for your estate and appoint a guardian for any minor children. A living will is a legal document used to inform others how you want certain end-of-life decisions to be made on your behalf if you are unable to make them or communicate them. Along with a will, a living will is an important part of a comprehensive estate plan that you should discuss with your estate planning attorney when creating or revising an estate plan.

To be valid, a premarital agreement in Virginia must be in writing and signed by both parties, and it must be entered into voluntarily by both. If an agreement is found to be unconscionable (grossly unfair to one side), it will not be enforced unless both parties were provided with a fair and reasonable disclosure of the property and financial obligations of the other, or the party or parties waived their right to disclosure voluntarily and expressly in writing.

A valid premarital or prenuptial agreement can dictate how property will be divided in the event of separation, divorce, death or some other event. The prenup can also dictate the terms of spousal support, require the making of a will or trust to carry out the provisions of the agreement, require the issuance of life insurance and death benefits, and other matters. Some issues, like the right to child custody, cannot be altered by a premarital agreement.

Virginia law also recognizes the validity of marital agreements, which can be entered into at any time during marriage and do the same things those premarital agreements do. Premarital agreements can be beneficial to any couple contemplating marriage, particularly in the case where one party has significantly more wealth than the other or when one or both parties have been married before and went through a tough divorce.

It can. If a child's parentage is not established at the time of a divorce, a determination of paternity may be necessary. A child's legal father has the legal obligation to provide financial support and may also have the legal right to custody or visitation. Paternity is often established through genetic testing, although other evidence can prove or disprove paternity. A child can also benefit from knowing his or her parentage in many ways, such as knowing the family medical history and having a legal right to inherit or access government benefits such as social security or veteran's benefits.

When parents are unmarried at birth, paternity can be established through voluntary acknowledgement and filling out a form at the hospital. Otherwise, establishing or challenging paternity may require a legal proceeding at which both parties may be represented by an experienced family law attorney.