Lawyer of Firm Description

About Cordell & Cordell — Divorce Richmond VA

Cordell & Cordell brings divorce Richmond VA clients a dedicated family law practice from its Forest Avenue office in Henrico County. The firm handles contested divorce, custody, parenting plans, and child support matters throughout the Richmond metropolitan area, drawing on a team of attorneys that includes Richard Johnson Jr. — whom clients describe as intelligent, confident, and ideally suited to complex divorce proceedings. Attorney Teri Curry has also earned strong individual praise, with one client crediting her with securing sole legal and physical custody against significant odds through meticulous preparation and commanding courtroom presence.

Divorce Richmond VA clients at Cordell & Cordell benefit from the firm’s specialized family law focus in a state where equitable distribution rules and custody standards require both legal precision and strategic judgment. Virginia courts evaluate custody under a best-interests-of-the-child standard with no automatic presumption favoring either parent, making the quality of legal representation a meaningful factor in outcomes. The Richmond office handles matters across Henrico, Chesterfield, and the City of Richmond with familiarity in local court procedures.

What Clients Say

Clients who worked with Teri Curry credit her with the ability to grasp complex, multi-layered custody situations quickly and to demolish opposing arguments in cross-examination. One client described securing “sole legal and physical custody” in a case others called impossible, praising Teri’s sensitivity alongside her courtroom effectiveness. Richard Johnson Jr. receives praise for his intelligence, calm demeanor, and clear communication throughout lengthy proceedings. Clients who had strong individual attorney experiences describe a high-quality professional environment.

Divorce Richmond VA — Practice Areas & Services

Contested Divorce: Litigation in Richmond-area courts on property division, spousal support, and debt allocation.
Child Custody & Visitation: Sole and joint custody proceedings, Guardian ad Litem coordination, and parenting plan development.
Spousal Support: Establishment, modification, and termination of spousal support orders in Virginia family courts.
Post-Decree Matters: Enforcement of court orders and modification of custody, support, and visitation arrangements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Virginia a 50/50 divorce state?

Virginia follows equitable distribution, meaning marital property is divided fairly rather than automatically split 50/50. Courts consider factors including the length of the marriage, each spouse’s contributions to the marital estate, how and when assets were acquired, and each party’s economic circumstances going forward. A thorough inventory of all marital and separate property — including retirement accounts, business interests, and real estate — is essential before any divorce negotiation begins in Virginia.

How does Virginia determine child custody?

Virginia courts evaluate ten statutory factors when determining child custody, including each parent’s role in the child’s life, the child’s relationship with siblings and extended family, the child’s age and developmental needs, and any history of abuse or neglect. Virginia has no statutory presumption favoring joint custody, though courts often approve agreed-upon joint arrangements when both parents are fit and cooperative. Contested custody cases require detailed evidence of each parent’s parenting history and capacity.

Quick Facts: Divorce in Richmond, Virginia

Virginia divorce rate: Virginia’s divorce rate is approximately 2.6 per 1,000 residents, slightly above the national average, with the Richmond metro among the state’s highest-volume family court jurisdictions — Divorce.com
Virginia custody factors: Virginia Code 20-124.3 lists 10 specific factors courts must consider in custody determinations, making experienced legal representation critical to presenting a compelling case — Virginia Code
Richmond-area family courts: The Henrico Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and the Richmond Circuit Court both handle family law matters in the greater Richmond metropolitan area — Virginia Courts

Related Guide: Divorce Lawyers in Virginia

AI-Powered Reviews Summary

Cordell & Cordell – Divorce Attorney Office in Richmond, Virginia, is a law firm specializing in divorce and family law services, known for its excellent staff and knowledgeable attorneys. Clients have praised the firm for its professionalism and transparency throughout the legal process, with many experiencing favorable outcomes thanks to their dedicated lawyers. While some reviews express dissatisfaction, the overall sentiment highlights a commitment to understanding client needs and providing effective legal representation.

Users Reviews Comments – Google

Excellent staff. Very knowledgeable and helpful.

Very professional throughout the entire process and transparent as situations changed. In the end we go the result we hoped for, all within an expedited time frame thanks to our lawyer, Richard.

Completely unacceptable! They don’t care for the children. They Only care for the money. I have evidence of Parental alienation happening, They don’t care if a child is being mentally abused. All they care about is being paid. They are completely untrustworthy. Jacob Smith was my attorney, But Left Because of personal reasons. All they did was throw me to the curb like a bag of trash.

My experience with the firm has been fantastic, my lawyer is easy to work with and understands what my right and left limits with the law are. All the people I have had communication with at the firm has been professional and easy to work with.

PLEASE READ ME!! I had the pleasure of working with Teri Curry and her firm, Cordell & Cordell. I couldn’t be more satisfied with her Family Law work, which secured me “sole legal and physical custody” of my son, despite others saying it was impossible. The case was complex and unique, but she quickly grasped all the detailed nuances. She simplified the essential elements and presented a compelling, factual argument to the Judge and Guardian Ad Litem. In court, she was a ‘Boss,’ and her cross-examination skills were better than Tom Cruise in “A Few Good Men,” completely demolishing the opposing counsel’s ‘star witness.’ Teri is also a very understanding and empathetic attorney who showed great sensitivity to the human element throughout the arduous process. I highly recommend retaining Teri’s legal services.

Run from this place. They do not care about you only about the money. I closed my account and they charged me twice to close the file $98 and $69. Then the file was never closed so I had to call accounting for them to close it so I could get my retainer back but wait they charged $18 to do that. What a joke of a firm. Do not use the attorney Terri. She will never get back to you, worst attorney.

This place is a money pit. And you dont get what you pay for. $20,000 over the course of 1 year and never been to court or had anything resolved. The attorney would say he would call client on specific day and that day would come and go with zero contact. Would afford attorney a week or more to get in touch and he never would. How are you going to send out bills when you cant even communicate with your client? And good luck trying to get in touch with anyone else in that office to bring your concerns to. They only care about money. Newsflash Cordell and Cordell – people cant continually throw money at you if you arent doing the bare minimum of your job! You are representing REAL people with limited funds. I am DISGUSTED with the lack of Virginia divorce law this individual has and the complete disregard of your office for the clients. SHAMEFUL!!!

Terrible law firm, they lost both of my cases trying to keep what my ex and I had in place. They say they work for fathers but that is a blatantly false slogan.

Great service and excellent response to some difficult issues. They are who you want to represent your interests!

I’m with a Richard Johnson Jr. and he is absolutely great. Very intelligent. I firmly believe he was the best for my case. And that has to speak volumes on the form itself

Jacob was a great lawyer in my divorce. He was cool, confident, and calm. He kept me from doing anything stupid, he battled for me and got me through it.

If I could give a negative rating I would..my lawyers communicated great and sold me on a idea that they were the best for the job…that being said none of my concerns were ever brought up none of my needs as a client that paid thousands of dollars over the course of a year were met..and on top of it all that within the last couple months my case was passed off three times to different lawyers…I’ve had better experiences with a small town Hardee’s than this and it’s my kids well being and future

Horrible experience.

Sheinika ( sp?) Harris helped a friend of ours.

Decided not to use this firm afterall. 3 weeks later I’m still waiting on my refund.