Being a father is perhaps the most important role you will ever have. Fathers play an important part in a child's life, beyond finances. The love and emotional support that fathers provide can build the foundation for a happy and healthy life, for the child but also...
House Bill 1984 protects survivors of abuse
Until recently, Pennsylvania had a law on the books that made life more difficult for some victims of rape and incest. In cases where these survivors bore children from the rape, they were generally unable to terminate the rapist's parental rights. This meant that...
How to prepare for your divorce
It's never too early to start preparing for your divorce in Pennsylvania. Even if you and your spouse haven't made it official, you can start closing accounts, gathering documents and taking steps to make the divorce as quick and painless as possible. Here are some...
Visitation and custody rights for unwed fathers
Biological parents in Pennsylvania possess a right to spend time with their children. The right exists whether or not parents were married at the time of the child's birth. The court will decide what is best for the child when the visitation or custody rights of an...
How prenuptial agreements protect your assets
Contrary to popular belief, asking for a prenuptial agreement isn't an indication that you think your marriage is going to fail. Instead, it can be an effective way to protect an ownership interest in a Pennsylvania business or other assets that you acquired before...
Creating an effective parenting plan
Creating an effective parenting plan to share custody of children is one of the most important issues to address during your divorce. It can be difficult to come to an agreement with your ex, but studies show that children do best when their parents work together....
How will the court divide up our property when we divorce?
One of the most challenging parts of a divorce is determining how to split up the assets you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse have acquired over the course of your relationship. Family law courts vary from state to state when it comes to property division rules. Some...
Divorce need not be adversarial
Although the divorce process can be contentious and adversarial at times, it certainly does not have to be. Sometimes, a marriage or a partnership just stops working. The legal term for this in Pennsylvania is an "irretrievable breakdown" of the marriage. And, if both...
In Pennsylvania, separation can be grounds for no-fault divorce
Sometimes a marriage just stops working for one reason or another, and whether consciously or not, spouses start living their own lives without regard for the other spouse. Under Pennsylvania family law, this is known as living "separate and apart." And living...
Don’t rely on a handshake to settle child custody issues
People can be pleasant in Pennsylvania. Divorcing parents who get along well may be tempted to make decisions about child custody informally and agree on them with nothing but a handshake. Unfortunately, the waters of child custody are not always smooth. Custody...