Blog Category | Family law
November 24, 2025
3 reasons why local representation matters in Camp Hill cases
When facing legal concerns in Camp Hill, you might be wondering whether it makes a difference to work with a local attorney or a firm from big cities such as Pittsburgh or Philadelphia. The choice seems straightforward at first, but knowing the difference between the two can impact the outcome...
Read MoreNovember 11, 2025
Does overtime pay count when calculating child support?
When Pennsylvania courts calculate child support, they focus on each parent’s income. Overtime pay often raises questions about whether that extra money counts. The answer depends on how steady and predictable the overtime is. How Pennsylvania defines income for child support Pennsylvania law defines income broadly. It includes wages, bonuses,...
Read MoreAugust 20, 2025
How Are Assets Divided in a Pennsylvania Divorce?
When married couples divorce, one of the biggest concerns that they will have to navigate and figure out together is how to split their assets. If the couple cannot agree on a resolution, their assets will be assessed by the court and divided according to state law. How is marital...
Read MoreAugust 07, 2025
Emergency Custody
Dealing with custody issues can often be highly emotional for parties, and it is often important to determine which issues need to proceed through the regular custody process and which custody-related situations constitution an “emergency” such that the Court would need to address the matter urgently. While there is no...
Read MoreAugust 01, 2025
Where Single Parents Can Find Help in Camp Hill
Being a single parent means carrying the weight of two roles without the time, energy or backup that most families take for granted. If you’re raising kids in Camp Hill and trying to keep everything steady, you shouldn’t have to do it without support. From practical services to emotional and...
Read MoreJuly 07, 2025
Enforcement of Child Support Orders
Child support is necessary for many families in order to meet the needs of the child after the separation and/or divorce of the parents. The financially dependent parent can apply for child support at the county Domestic Relations office. After a conference, an Order of Court will be entered determining...
Read MoreJune 29, 2025
Evidence in Custody Cases
At various stages in a custody case, it may be necessary (or advisable) to present evidence regarding various factors that the court must consider in determining the custody schedule that is in the best interest of the minor child. Emails and text messages between parents, children, and other parties are...
Read MoreJune 27, 2025
Requesting Marriage Counseling in Divorce Proceedings
In most divorce actions, if either spouses (the Plaintiff, who filed the divorce complaint, and the Defendant, who was served with the complaint) believes that the marriage can be saved through marriage counseling, that spouse may request the Court to Order the parties to attend marriage counseling during the divorce...
Read MoreJune 23, 2025
Pennsylvania Child Custody Relocation
When parties separate, they often have to find new housing options. When one party’s move to a new residence is such that the other parent’s custodial time with the minor children will be significantly impacted, the moving party cannot relocate to the new residence without either first obtaining the consent...
Read MoreJune 23, 2025
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania Adoption Lawyers
Child Support in Termination of Parental Rights and Adoption Cases Involuntary Termination of Parental Rights Stepparent Adoption Surrogacy and Custody in Pennsylvania
Read MoreJune 12, 2025
Co-Parenting Counseling
In many custody actions, parents have different parenting styles and difficulty seeing eye-to-eye on parenting decisions. This can make it difficult for them to cooperate to make choices or plans for their child, such as signing the child up for extracurriculars, arranging transportation, choosing the best healthcare providers for their...
Read MoreMay 24, 2025
Reunification Counseling
For various reasons, parents and children may face long periods of separation due to a parent’s incarceration, drug or alcohol dependency, and many other issues which prevent a parent from caring for or spending time with their child. When a parent later wants to be involved in the child’s life...
Read MoreMay 08, 2025
Surrogacy and Custody in Pennsylvania
While surrogacy is legal in Pennsylvania, it is important to establish clear guidelines early in the surrogacy process and to seek legal counsel to ensure that the intended parents are actually listed as parents on the child’s birth certificate. Some counties in Pennsylvania may be willing to establish pre-birth court...
Read MoreApril 16, 2025
Child Support in Termination of Parental Rights and Adoption Cases
When a parent’s parental rights are terminated by the Court, it is no longer possible for the other biological parent or the adopting parent(s) to receive child support from the parent whose parental rights were terminated. However, any child support arrears remaining can still be collected from the parent whose...
Read MoreApril 05, 2025
Victims of Abuse
VAWA U Visas Asylum in the United States
Read MoreFebruary 26, 2025
The Biggest Hurdle for Stepparents Adopting Their Stepchildren
Becoming a stepparent can be a very rewarding experience. Stepparents frequently develop close bonds with their stepchildren. Stepparents provide for the daily needs of their stepchildren, including love, financial support and guidance. The relationship between a stepparent and a stepchild can be deep and profound. From a legal standpoint, it...
Read MoreFebruary 24, 2025
High Income Support Cases
In most child and spousal support cases, a set formula is applied which takes into account both parties’ incomes, the number of children they have (if applicable), and in some cases, mortgage, health insurance, and certain other expenses. Generally speaking, unless a party has an extraordinary expense beyond the usual...
Read MoreFebruary 20, 2025
Pennsylvania Child Support Attorneys – Articles
Alimony Pendente Lite/Spousal Support Appealing a Support Order Child Support in Termination of Parental Rights and Adoption Cases Child Support With Split Or Joint Custody Child Tax Credits and Support Collecting Support from out of state parent Tips to Lessen Financial Burden Day Care, Health Insurance and Other Expenses Double...
Read MoreFebruary 20, 2025
Legal Custody v. Physical Custody
Legal custody is the ability to make important decisions for a child, such as school enrollment, choice of medical providers, religious affiliation, and many other decisions which may have long-term impacts on a child. Physical custody refers to the physical custody arrangements—essentially where, when, and how a parent cares for...
Read MoreFebruary 20, 2025
Criminal Records and Custody
It is not uncommon for parents, or others seeking custody of a child, to have criminal records. Not every criminal charge is equal, and the Court is not required to consider all criminal charges in the same way. There is a list of specific offenses that the Court MUST consider...
Read MoreFebruary 10, 2025
“Double Dipping” in Divorce and Support Cases
“Double dipping” refers to the act of counting an asset for equitable distribution purposes in a divorce matter while also counting it for income purposes in a related support matter. For example, if the wife in a divorce proceeding received a $20,000 settlement from a car accident during the parties’...
Read MoreFebruary 08, 2025
Are My Juvenile Criminal Records Sealed?
There is a popular notion in our society that juvenile court records are ultimately disposed of, or otherwise inaccessible to public view, or even to law enforcement and courts. These ideas derive from the common perception that crimes committed by minors should be treated with more leniency and addressed with...
Read MoreFebruary 03, 2025
Surrogacy and Custody in Pennsylvania
While surrogacy is legal in Pennsylvania, it is important to establish clear guidelines early in the surrogacy process and to seek legal counsel to ensure that the intended parents are actually listed as parents on the child’s birth certificate. Some counties in Pennsylvania may be willing to establish pre-birth court...
Read MoreJanuary 04, 2025
Marital Settlement Agreements
A marital settlement agreement (or “MSA”) is a binding contract between two parties in a divorce matter, which typically includes agreements as to how the parties will divide any marital assets and debts, and may also include provisions for alimony, timelines for the sale of real estate or other property,...
Read MoreDecember 11, 2024
Can I Still Get a Divorce if My Spouse Won’t Sign the Paperwork?
It is not uncommon for the defendant spouse in a divorce to refuse or fail to sign the paperwork necessary to obtain a divorce by mutual consent. Sometimes, the defendant spouse might simply be forgetful, while in other cases, the defendant spouse might refuse to sign either because they contest...
Read MoreNovember 25, 2024
How can I get an out-of-state order for child support transferred to Pennsylvania?
1 Is Pennsylvania the proper venue to handle the case? The first step in trying transfer a child support case to Pennsylvania is determining whether Pennsylvania is the proper venue (i.e. the right place) for your case. That involves figuring out where the parties (the plaintiff, who filed the case,...
Read MoreNovember 18, 2024
Transferring an Out-of-State Support Order to Pennsylvania
In today’s society, people are mobile. They do not always stay in the same state where a child support order may have initially been filed and entered. It is not always convenient to try to modify a previous support order from a previous state when you are no longer living...
Read MoreOctober 31, 2024
Earning Capacity
In child or spousal support proceedings, an “earning capacity” may be imposed on a party for the purpose of calculating support if that party willfully fails to maintain or obtain appropriate employment. Assessing someone an earning capacity means that that party’s support obligation will be calculated on a determination of...
Read MoreOctober 03, 2024
Contempt
The term “contempt” arises in many different types of legal proceedings, and it means a willful disregard of a court Order or of a court’s authority. In custody cases, contempt issues often arise when a parent is not following the custody order. Sometimes, a parent is justified in making a...
Read MoreSeptember 27, 2024
Vacating or Reopening a Divorce Decree
Typically, the Court’s involvement in a couple’s divorce ends upon the entry of a Divorce Decree. In some cases, however, one of the parties may wish to vacate the Divorce Decree or to reopen the divorce in order to seek various types of relief. The grounds for vacating a divorce...
Read MoreSeptember 26, 2024
Surviving Spouse Green Card Applications After the Death of the U.S. Citizen Spouse
Occasionally, a US citizen spouse will die before, or during the process of their foreign spouse’s green card application. In such cases, it may be possible for the surviving spouse to complete the green card application process as a widower. To be eligible to apply for a green card as...
Read MoreSeptember 26, 2024
Child Support with Split Custody
When the obligor (the parent who pays child support) has partial physical custody of child and the child spends less than 40% of overnights with the obligor, the obligor will pay the full amount of child support according to the guidelines as set forth in Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-1—1910.16-7. When the child...
Read MoreSeptember 14, 2024
How are Health Insurance, Day Care Expenses and Private School Expenses Calculated with regard to a Child Support Obligation?
Each party will be responsible for a certain percentage of additional costs incurred to raise a minor child. These additional expenses are calculated and allocated between the parties in addition to the basic child support obligation. Examples of additional expenses that will be allocated between the parties are child care,...
Read MoreAugust 27, 2024
Emergency Custody Petitions
Ordinarily, if you want to file for an initial Order for custody or if you want to modify an existing custody order, one would need to file a Custody Complaint or a Petition for Modification of Custody. The Court must then schedule a custody conciliation within forty-five (45) days of...
Read MoreAugust 26, 2024
Marital Settlement Agreements
When parties are going through a divorce, decisions must be made as to how to divide the marital assets and debts. Rather than fully litigating these matters through the Courts, the parties are often able to reach an agreement as to the distribution outside of Court. It is important, however,...
Read MoreAugust 26, 2024
Establishing Paternity
In Pennsylvania, a child born to a mother who is married to a man is presumed to be that man’s child. This presumption can be overcome if the parties agree that the child does not belong to the husband, or if a genetic test shows that he is not the...
Read MoreJuly 29, 2024
What Counts as Income in Support Proceedings?
Because support is calculated based on the parties’ respective incomes, it is necessary to determine the parties’ incomes in support proceedings. Income typically includes wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, and other earnings from employment. However, it is not uncommon for parties to have other types of income, such as Social Security...
Read MoreJuly 21, 2024
Preparing for a Support Conference
Whether you are filing to receive child or spousal support, or you may be required to pay support, you will need to present information and evidence regarding your income and expenses at a support conference. The following are the types of documents that are typically required, regardless of the type...
Read MoreJuly 10, 2024
School Attendance for Children of Separated Parents
When parents separate and the separation results in one parent living in a different school district than the residence in which the children resided during the intact relationship, it may lead to a dispute over which school the children will attend. Will the children remain in the current school district?...
Read MoreJuly 04, 2024
3 Financial Mistakes to Steer Clear of During Divorce
Divorcing spouses should protect themselves financially by minimizing asset waste, budgeting accurately and seeking all available property and support. Many people who are seeking divorces in Harrisburg appreciate the financial challenges that come with this process, which often results in direct legal costs and increased living expenses. Unfortunately, despite this...
Read MoreJuly 02, 2024
Tips to Lessen the Financial Burden of Divorce, Custody, and Support Litigation
Many family law clients have to maintain a difficult balancing act: they have genuine concerns and needs which they want to pursue through divorce, custody, and support litigation, but they also have many other financial obligations to fulfill. Protracted or complex litigation can become costly for many clients. Depending on...
Read MoreJune 25, 2024
Mental Health and Custody
Mental health concerns are frequently addressed in custody cases. Parents, the children, or others involved in a case may experience a vast array of mental health concerns which may affect the custody matter. When the parents or others individuals who are parties to the custody matter have mental health issues,...
Read MoreMay 06, 2024
Support for Disabled Adult Children
While child support in Pennsylvania generally ends when a child turns 18 or graduates from high school (whichever occurs later), it is sometimes possible to receive support for a disabled adult child who is no longer in high school. In order to continue to receive support for a disabled adult...
Read MoreApril 25, 2024
Grandparent Custodial Rights in Pennsylvania Since Recent PA Supreme Court Ruling
On September 9, 2016, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued a riveting opinion in the matter of D.P. v. G.J.P., 146 A.3d 204 (Pa. 2016) which ruled a statutory provision, 23 Pa.C.S.A. § 5325, that previously afforded grandparents standing to seek custody of their minor grandchildren, to unconstitutional and therefore invalid....
Read MoreApril 16, 2024
Child Custody in Pennsylvania
Custody Processes And Legal Framework Custody Conciliation Custody Evaluations Custody Modifications Custody Stipulations and Agreements Custody Trial: What to Expect Mental Health and Custody Risk of Harm (5329) Evaluation Custody Types And Issues Joint Custody Legal Custody v. Physical Custody Grandparent Custody Guardianship In Loco Parentis Custody Challenges And Complications...
Read MoreApril 13, 2024
How Could My Criminal Record Impact My Custody Case?
Clients often ask how having a criminal record can impact their custody cases. There is no simple answer, as it varies widely depending on a client’s circumstances. All parties in a custody case in Pennsylvania are required to submit a criminal record form, on which they will need to report...
Read MoreMarch 20, 2024
Kayden’s Law: Changes to Pennsylvania’s Child Custody Laws Surrounding Abuse
Kayden’s Law is a law that was passed in 2024 in response to the tragic 2018 murder of a child, Kayden Mancuso, by her father, Jeffrey Mancuso, during an unsupervised visit. Jeffrey had a history of suicidal ideation and violence against others. The goal of Kayden’s Law is to ensure...
Read MoreMarch 05, 2024
Custody Evaluations
A custody evaluation is an evaluation conducted by a psychologist to analyze the living situations, family dynamics, any mental health issues of the parties, and other relevant concerns and to make recommendations based on the child(ren)’s best interests in an ongoing custody matter. In Pennsylvania, custody evaluations are authorized by...
Read MoreFebruary 25, 2024
Parenting Coordination
What is it? Parenting coordination is a process by which a neutral third party helps opposing parties in a custody matter resolve certain custody-related issues. The current version of the parenting coordination statute, found at Pa.R.C.P. 1915.11-1, came into effect on March 1, 2019. What Sort of Issues Can a...
Read MoreFebruary 12, 2024
Acquisition of US Citizenship through Adoption
Children born abroad and adopted by US citizen parents may acquire US citizenship from their parents. Starting on February 27, 2001, children who could satisfy the following requirements before their 18th birthdays automatically became US citizens: The child was lawfully adopted (whether in the US or abroad) by at least...
Read MoreJanuary 17, 2024
What is Marital Property?
Clients frequently ask which assets are considered to be “marital property” subject to equitable distribution in a divorce. Generally speaking, most assets acquired during the marriage are marital property, unless the parties have signed a pre- or post-nuptial agreement which specifies differently. This is true regardless of how those assets...
Read MoreMay 28, 2020
Modifying Child Support in Pennsylvania
In the time since your divorce, things have probably changed. You probably have a new home, a new schedule and a changed relationship with your child. You may also have a new career. If the changes in your life have come with a change in you or your ex’s ability...
Read More