Initial Juvenile Court ("JDR") Hearings in Virginia: How to Prepare.
So, you filed a petition for custody, visitation/parenting time, child support, or spousal support in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court (“JDR”), or you’ve been notified that your co-parent/co-caretaker has, what now? Today we’ll give you some helpful tips on how to prepare for your first appearance in JDR court.
First, read, read, read, and read again, the summons, petition, and/or orders you receive in the mail or via service by the Sheriff’s Department/process server. This is critical in planning for your first appearance in JDR Court. Note specifically:
- Date and time of your hearing.
- Location of your hearing.
- Items/documentation you must bring to the hearing;
- Etc.
Additionally, quickly perform an online search of the JDR Court you must appear, so that you can decide the parking situation. Some of our courts in Virginia do not have their own parking lots and you must pay to park. Even more important, find out what methods of payment does the available parking require. Some take only cash, some need electronic payments, only. The bottom line is...PLAN AHEAD!
Planning is not only important to ensure you have everything you need, but to ensure you arrive ON TIME! We cannot stress this point enough. It is better to be early than to be late to your hearing time. Download our free report , here to learn about what could happen if you do not appear on time, or at all, to your court hearing.
Finally, it might be in your best interest to consult with an experienced family law attorney.
If you have questions, need more information and guidance, or simply want to know what to expect in your pending JDR matter, a consultation is an important step for you. Our experienced attorneys at Morris Williams LLC – A Family Law Firm are here to empower you to make the best decisions for your future by ensuring that you contemplate all potential scenarios that could be affected by any pending/future JDR filings. Make sure you contact us right away, so that if your matter requires our help, we can appear with you at that first hearing, and guide you from there.
Contact us to today to schedule your consultation by calling (757) 226-9425 or email us at admin@morriswilliamslaw.com.
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