Child Custody & Visitation
Richmond Child Custody & Visitation Attorney
Your relationship with your child matters. We help you protect it in court and out of it.
- Virginia Bar Member Since 1999
- Personal Attention From Your Attorney
- Serving Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield & Hanover
- Free Consultation
Few legal matters feel as personal as a custody dispute. As a Richmond child custody lawyer, Wendell Allen represents parents and other family members in custody and visitation cases in the City of Richmond and the surrounding counties. Whether you are asking for custody for the first time, trying to change an existing order or dealing with a parent who will not follow one, you need someone who listens and keeps the focus on your child.
Virginia courts decide custody and visitation based on the best interests of the child, using factors written into state law. That means preparation matters: the court will want to know about each parent's role in the child's life, the child's needs, and each parent's willingness to support the child's relationship with the other parent.
Many custody matters can be resolved through negotiation or mediation, which is often less stressful for everyone, especially the children. When agreement is not possible, we prepare you and your case for a hearing in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.
Throughout the case, we keep you informed and help you avoid common missteps, such as arguing in text messages, posting about the dispute online or withholding visitation without a court order. The goal is an outcome that gives your child stability and protects the relationship you have worked to build, now and as your child grows.
What We Handle
How Our Richmond Child Custody Lawyer Can Help
Initial custody and visitation orders
Establishing custody and a visitation schedule when there is no court order in place.
Modifications
Changing an existing order when circumstances have materially changed.
Enforcement and contempt
Holding a parent accountable when they do not follow a custody or visitation order.
Relocation
Cases where one parent wants to move with the child, or opposes the other parent's move.
Supervised visitation
Requesting or responding to supervised visitation when a child's safety is in question.
Grandparent and third-party visitation
Petitions by grandparents and other people with a legitimate interest in a child's life.
Custody involving protective orders
Custody and visitation questions that arise alongside a protective order.
Emergency custody hearings
Urgent hearings when a child may be at risk and the court needs to act quickly.
The Process
How We Handle Your Case
Step 1: Listen and review your situation
We learn about your family, your child's needs, any existing orders and what you hope to achieve.
Step 2: Strategy and documentation
We help you gather the records, schedules and information the court will want to see.
Step 3: Negotiation or mediation
Where possible, we work toward an agreement that serves your child and avoids a contested hearing.
Step 4: Court hearing and final order
If agreement isn't possible, we present your case to the judge and work toward a clear, enforceable order.
Know the Basics
Virginia Law at a Glance
A few plain-English facts that often matter in these cases. Every situation is different, so talk with a lawyer about yours.
Best interests of the child
Virginia courts decide custody and visitation under the best-interests standard, using factors listed in Va. Code § 20-124.3.
Where cases are heard
Custody and visitation cases are commonly heard in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court of the locality where the child lives.
Legal vs. physical custody
Legal custody concerns decision-making about the child's upbringing. Physical custody concerns where the child lives. Either can be joint or sole.
Orders can change
A custody or visitation order can be modified when there has been a material change in circumstances and the change serves the child's best interests.
This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change; the attorney reviews current Virginia law for your specific case.
Why Clients Call Us
Why Choose Wendell Allen
Focused on your child
Advice and strategy built around what matters most to the court and to your family.
Calm, steady guidance
Custody cases are emotional. We help you make decisions with a clear head.
Prepared for court
If your case goes to a hearing, you will know what to expect and how to present yourself.
Questions
Child Custody & Visitation FAQs
Answers to questions we hear often. For advice about your situation, call (804) 358-0368.
Virginia judges decide custody based on the best interests of the child, using the factors in Va. Code § 20-124.3. These include the child's age and needs, each parent's role in the child's care, the relationship between the child and each parent, each parent's willingness to support the child's relationship with the other parent, any history of family abuse and, in some cases, the child's own reasonable preference.
Legal custody is the right to make major decisions about the child, such as education and medical care. Physical custody is about where the child lives day to day. Parents can share either type jointly, or one parent can have sole custody.
Yes. A parent can ask the court to modify custody or visitation when there has been a material change in circumstances since the last order and the change would be in the child's best interests. Examples include a move, a change in work schedules or concerns about a child's well-being.
You can ask the court to enforce the order, including through a show-cause or contempt proceeding. Keep a record of missed visits, late exchanges and other violations. A lawyer can help you decide whether to seek enforcement, a modification or both.
Grandparents and other people with a legitimate interest may petition for visitation in Virginia. When the parents object, courts generally require strong evidence that denying visitation would harm the child, so these cases need careful preparation.
Most custody and visitation cases are heard in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court of the city or county where the child lives, such as Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield or Hanover. We can tell you which court has your case during your consultation.
Related Services
Where We Serve
We handle child custody & visitation cases for clients in City of Richmond, Henrico County and Chesterfield County, along with the rest of the Richmond region.
Free Consultation
Facing a custody decision? Let's protect your time with your child.
The sooner you call, the more options you usually have. Tell us what happened and you'll hear back from Wendell Allen's office, not an answering service.
Request a Free Consultation
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