The Coastal Virginia Law Office of Brook M Thibault & Associates PC

The Coastal Virginia Law Office of Brook M Thibault & Associates PC Full Service Law Firm The Coastal Virginia Law Firm is a full-service law firm, serving the Tidewater, VA region.

Whether you’ve been accused of a crime, charged with a DUI, , been injured, or in need of help getting through a divorce or military divorce, our attorneys and staff are here to help. Stop by The Coastal Virginia Law Firm today to request a FREE consultation! Visit 760 Lynnhaven Pky Suite #140, Virginia Beach, VA 23452

A court date may not always fit a person’s work schedule, medical situation, childcare responsibilities, or ability to p...
10/01/2026

A court date may not always fit a person’s work schedule, medical situation, childcare responsibilities, or ability to prepare, but missing court is not a solution.

In Virginia, whether a continuance is available depends on the case, the reason for the request, the timing, the court’s rules, and the judge’s decision. A request may need to be made through the proper process and supported with relevant information. Approval is not automatic, and a person should not assume a court date has changed until the court confirms it.

If you are facing a court appearance in a divorce, custody, criminal-defense, or personal-injury matter, understanding the procedure early can help you make informed decisions and avoid preventable confusion.

Coastal Virginia Law provides personalized legal guidance and courtroom representation throughout Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads. Request a free consultation at www.coastalvirginialaw.com.

This post provides general information only and is not legal advice. Reading it or contacting Coastal Virginia Law does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Atlantic hurricane season can turn a routine custody exchange into a fast-moving safety decision. If Virginia Beach or H...
10/01/2026

Atlantic hurricane season can turn a routine custody exchange into a fast-moving safety decision. If Virginia Beach or Hampton Roads schools close early or remain closed because of a storm, separated or divorced parents should plan ahead.

Start by reviewing your custody order and parenting plan for weather, school-closure, or emergency provisions. Discuss how an early dismissal, closure day, or extended closure will affect parenting time, and confirm any agreement in writing.

Put safety first. If roads, bridges, tunnels, or evacuation routes are unsafe, communicate promptly and consider delaying the exchange or choosing a safer arrangement. Share evacuation or shelter plans, keep both parents informed of the child’s whereabouts, and update emergency contacts with the school and each parent.

If parenting time is missed because of dangerous conditions, discuss reasonable make-up time when conditions improve. A storm-related change should not become a reason for retaliation or escalating conflict. Save school alerts and messages documenting any agreed schedule change.

Clear, early communication can reduce confusion when weather changes plans. Your custody order still matters, and the right approach depends on its specific language and your circumstances.

This post provides general information, not legal advice. Coastal Virginia Law offers free consultations for families in Virginia Beach and throughout Hampton Roads. Contact us to discuss your Virginia custody or parenting-plan questions.

Receiving a subpoena in Virginia can be unsettling, especially when you are unsure why your testimony or records are bei...
10/01/2026

Receiving a subpoena in Virginia can be unsettling, especially when you are unsure why your testimony or records are being requested.

A subpoena may require someone to appear, provide documents, or take another action by a stated date. The wording, issuing court, service, scope of the request, and any objections or response deadlines can matter. Ignoring it may create additional legal problems, while responding without understanding the request may not protect your interests.

Whether the matter involves family law, criminal defense, or a personal-injury case, prompt legal review can help you understand what the subpoena requires and what options may be available.

Coastal Virginia Law serves clients throughout Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads with careful case review, clear communication, and courtroom experience. Schedule a free consultation at www.coastalvirginialaw.com.

This post provides general information only and is not legal advice. Reading it or contacting Coastal Virginia Law does not create an attorney-client relationship.

A first-time DUI charge can create two separate legal and disciplinary processes for a college student in Virginia Beach...
10/01/2026

A first-time DUI charge can create two separate legal and disciplinary processes for a college student in Virginia Beach or Hampton Roads.

The Virginia criminal case may proceed in General District Court. Separately, the college or university may begin a student-conduct, honor, or disciplinary process.

These processes are independent. They may involve:
• Different deadlines
• Different decision-makers
• Different standards of proof
• Different potential consequences

A campus process can affect enrollment, housing, student organizations, athletic eligibility, scholarships, and clinical, internship, or study-abroad placements. Resolving the criminal case does not automatically resolve the campus matter, and the reverse is also true.

Practical steps:
• Read the campus notice promptly and calendar every response deadline.
• Remember: a student-conduct meeting is not a court hearing.
• Preserve the summons, charging paperwork, and court date.
• Save campus notices and conduct-office emails.
• Before making statements about the incident to campus officials or anyone else, speak with a Virginia DUI attorney.

Separate processes and short timelines are exactly why early legal guidance matters. Coastal Virginia Law offers free consultations for students and families facing DUI charges in the Hampton Roads area.

Call or visit coastalvirginialaw.com to get started.

This post is for educational information only and is not legal advice. Every case is different.

Discovery can feel overwhelming, especially when your child’s best interests, safety, and stability are involved. You do...
10/01/2026

Discovery can feel overwhelming, especially when your child’s best interests, safety, and stability are involved. You don’t have to navigate it alone.

In a Virginia custody, visitation, or support case, discovery is the formal pre-hearing exchange of information. It may include interrogatories, written questions answered under oath; requests for production of texts, emails, school, medical or counseling records, calendars, financial records, and photographs; requests for admission: specific facts to admit or deny; and depositions, sworn questioning outside court.

Discovery is not the same as evidence presented at a hearing, a subpoena duces tecum seeking records from a specific third party, a custody evaluation, or a Guardian ad Litem investigation. It also does not decide custody, enforce an existing order, create emergency or temporary custody, or replace courtroom preparation. A written answer is not a judge’s finding, and an objection is not automatically a win or loss. Public posts and produced documents may be used by the other side; withholding documents or answering falsely is improper.

Virginia’s Supreme Court Rules generally govern discovery, but Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court practice may be more limited than Circuit Court practice and may require a motion or permission. Local procedures differ in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and throughout Hampton Roads/Tidewater. Deadlines matter: late, incomplete, or evasive responses can lead to a motion to compel or other consequences.

Read every request carefully, track each deadline, answer separately and honestly, don’t guess, preserve documents without deleting or altering them, organize copies by date, and send discovery to your attorney. Don’t coach your child or use the child to gather information. Communicate in writing and continue following the existing order. Discovery supports, but does not replace, the best-interest factors in Va. Code § 20-124.3.

For general information, not legal advice, visit www.coastalvirginialaw.com. Contact Coastal Virginia Law for a free consultation, and verify current Virginia statutes, court rules, forms, local practices, deadlines, thresholds, and requirements with an attorney.

Newer vehicles can warn, brake, steer, or adjust speed, but what does that mean after a Virginia crash?Features such as ...
10/01/2026

Newer vehicles can warn, brake, steer, or adjust speed, but what does that mean after a Virginia crash?

Features such as lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, and blind-spot monitoring may operate differently depending on the vehicle, settings, road conditions, and circumstances. Drivers may not know exactly which features their vehicle has or when they engaged.

A vehicle having these features does not, by itself, establish or defeat legal responsibility. The relevant questions are fact-specific, including what actually happened, what the system was designed to do, and whether the driver understood that they were still expected to remain attentive and in control. A driver's expectations of, and reliance on, a feature may be one part of that analysis.

After a crash, consider these practical steps:

1) Note which features the vehicle was equipped with and which were enabled or available.
2) Keep the owner's manual and any software-update or feature-display information.
3) Before repairing, resetting, or altering the vehicle's configuration, seek appropriate guidance.
4) Avoid guessing about how a system behaved, and don't assume the technology proves fault, fault-free driving, or any particular outcome.

If you've been injured in a crash in Virginia Beach or elsewhere in Hampton Roads, Coastal Virginia Law offers free consultations to discuss your situation.

This post provides general information only and is not legal advice. Every situation is different, and no result is guaranteed.

Blended families need school-year boundaries. Write stepparent/new-partner roles, respect the Virginia parenting plan, a...
10/01/2026

Blended families need school-year boundaries. Write stepparent/new-partner roles, respect the Virginia parenting plan, and note changes. Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads: free consultation. General info( not legal advice.)

When communication breaks down, parenting time gets harder to protect.The order still controls. That means the clearest ...
10/01/2026

When communication breaks down, parenting time gets harder to protect.

The order still controls. That means the clearest path is to follow it closely, keep your messages short and respectful, and save every text, email, and change in plans.

If a visit is missed or disputed, documentation can make the next step much clearer. It also helps your attorney see the full picture if you need to talk through your options.

Reach out for a consultation.

https://www.coastalvirginialaw.com

Refused a breath or blood test after a Virginia DUI arrest? That refusal may create a separate legal problem, while the ...
10/01/2026

Refused a breath or blood test after a Virginia DUI arrest? That refusal may create a separate legal problem, while the DUI case is still pending.

Virginia treats two tests differently:
• Roadside preliminary breath test (PBT): Refusing it generally does not trigger an implied-consent suspension.
• Evidentiary breath or blood test after a lawful arrest: Refusing can lead to an automatic one-year suspension of driving privileges and a separate refusal charge. One arrest can create two problems, not one.

Implied consent is an administrative licensing consequence. It runs alongside the criminal DUI charge. Refusing does not make the DUI disappear or automatically “beat” the case. Whether a refusal is the right or wrong decision depends on the circumstances, prior record, and what evidence the Commonwealth can prove.

What changed July 1, 2026?
For a qualifying first refusal offense, a Virginia court may grant a restricted license during the one-year refusal suspension if an ignition interlock is installed and maintained for at least six consecutive months without alcohol-related interlock violations. The former 30-day wait to petition for that restricted license was removed. Court approval and specific conditions still matter.

A DUI arrest may also affect family-law matters, including custody concerns. In Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads, local court procedures can be important.

The roadside decision happens quickly. Don’t guess about your rights or the consequences. Coastal Virginia Law offers free consultations, personalized representation, and courtroom experience challenging evidence.

Visit www.coastalvirginialaw.com to speak with our team.

General information only, not legal advice. Every case depends on its facts.

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2388 Liberty Way Suite 200
Virginia Beach, VA
23456

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