Uniform Interstate Family Support Act Attorneys

Divorce for Deployed Members of the Military

Servicemembers are provided with a variety of rights and protections. One of the most important is offered under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA): the right to impose a stay on any legal proceeding, including a divorce. If the servicemember spouse is deployed and unable to appear in a legal proceeding to defend him or herself, the proceeding can be stayed or postponed until he or she returns to Virginia.

At HALE BALL MURPHY, PLC in northern Virginia, we encourage military members to take advantage of this right upon being served with divorce papers. Our lawyers will take the steps necessary to stay or postpone the divorce while using the additional time to position our client for a positive outcome when the case must resume.

Divorce Considerations for Active Duty Military Personnel

Once the divorce resumes, there are considerations that must be taken into account if the servicemember will continue to be on active duty in the future. With more than 30 years of experience on our side, we understand these considerations and we know the options available to ensure that they are properly accounted for.

One of the most common considerations is child custody and visitation arrangements. How can active duty military personnel maintain relationships with their children if they are going to be working in other states or stationed overseas? One opportunity is virtual visitation. We know how to help service members take advantage of communications technology in order to keep in regular contact with their children, protecting those precious parent-child bonds.