The court considers all evidence that could be relevant to the court in making a custody determination. Judges determine custody and visitation based on the best interests of the child standard in Virginia Code Section 20-124.3. Introducing a new romantic partner to your children will be relevant in your case no matter what. But what impact does that have on your custody case? By the time your divorce is final, chances are both spouses will have moved on. Contested cases can take 1-2 years depending on the issues in the case and local court schedules. Even filing an uncontested divorce takes time. For those with children under 18, it can mean waiting a year.
It can take a while to get a divorce in Virginia.
But what about your divorce? If your case isn’t final yet, things can get complicated quickly. You start living your separate lives and realizing you are ready to move on. You’ve been through the hard part – you and your spouse separated and you’ve been moving through your divorce.