Blog

10/29/12

Case Law Update – Family Law: Superior Court Rules That Parent With Sole Custody Has Right to Make Unilateral Decisions Regarding Child

By M.P. v. M.P. No. 2012 PA Super 215 Trial court denied Mother’s request to travel to Ecuador with daughter for 3 weeks to visit family and friends. A restraining order had been issued against Father and he had not exercised his supervised visits for a year and a half prior to Mother’s request, and the parties had agreed that Mother would have sole legal custody of daughter. Father opposed the visit arguing that...

10/23/12

Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore divorce update: Are they at odds?

Pennsylvania readers have likely followed the media reports about the separation of Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher. Though the A-List couple has apparently not actually filed for Reports indicate the power couple has been addressing financial issues through their respective attorneys. It seems, however, that they are not close to an agreement and may actually be further apart in negotiations. There have been rumors that Demi and Ashton may need a judge to decide...

10/17/12

Pennsylvania men can have need of domestic violence orders

It may be something of a surprise to readers to find that it’s not just women who are victims of domestic violence. Statistics, however, show that men can often be the victims of domestic violence as well. With October marking Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Pennsylvania residents who are considering filing for The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence indicates that approximately one-fourth of women will experience domestic violence at some point in their lifetimes. A...

10/8/12

Child support issues for Pennsylvania parents to consider

Few people enter into a marriage believing that it won’t be the “happily-ever-after” most envision. The reality of life, though, is that approximately half of marriages do eventually end in divorce. This can be even more emotionally damaging for children who are caught in the middle. That is one reason that Pennsylvania parents should strive to make amicable Obviously, family courts typically have the last say-so when it comes to officially establishing the required...

10/3/12

Adoption between Pennsylvania and other states can be difficult

Adoption can be a challenging process for parents and children alike under the best of circumstances. Throw in the proverbial wrench of an interstate Take the case of a woman from another state who wanted to adopt an older teen from Pennsylvania. She felt called to adopt a child who was close to aging out of the system because she felt that they would have a greater need for the close ties and assistance...

9/24/12

Cohabitation agreements can benefit Pennsylvania couples

Historically, combining finances typically involved getting married and a woman giving up control over her assets and income to a spouse. Nowadays, however, the merging of a couple’s finances has become vastly different than it was in the past. Not all Pennsylvania couples who share their financial resources and burdens get married. Some of those couples may want to consider the merits that Some couples choose to retain their own individual financial accounts while...

9/21/12

Dating after divorce: Tips for Pennsylvania exes

Divorce can often seem so much like the end of something that it’s hard to imagine picking up the pieces and starting again. However, many Pennsylvania couples who have gone through First and probably most important is to take the necessary time to heal. Even a marriage that might have been on the rocks for quite some time before the actual divorce papers were signed may take some time to move on from, and...

9/13/12

Tenth anniversary of Pennsylvania same-sex parent adoption

A recent multi-family picnic celebrated the anniversary of a victory granting same-sex couples the right to adopt each other’s children in Pennsylvania. The landmark lawsuit marked a five-year battle that went all the way to the state Supreme Court. By the end of this hard-fought case, same-sex parent Prior to that 2002 legal victory, children of same-sex couples were not always granted the same legal protections of their counterparts who had opposite-sex couples parenting...

9/8/12

Tips for Pennsylvania school-related child custody issues

It’s that time of year again, when children head back to school and parents’ lives fill up with school-related duties like shuttling kids back and forth and helping with homework. For Pennsylvania couples going through divorce, the issue of who gets Nevertheless, here are a few tips to make negotiating school-related child custody issues easier. First, try mapping out the school year ahead of time. Parents can pick a neutral location like a cafe...

8/29/12

More rallying for grandparents’ rights to visit children

The issue of grandparents’ rights seems to be a growing concern for many Americans across the country. Pennsylvania grandparents who have seen their children lose custody of their grandchildren know that it can be difficult to obtain visiting rights once the state takes over. Oftentimes, courts cannot legally order foster parents to let biological grandparents see their grandchildren. For reasons such as this, many people are starting to lobby for One grandmother who participated...