Family Law

In mid-September, Senate Bill 1170 passed, amending the Judicial Code that permits expert witnesses to testify in court cases involving domestic violence and human trafficking in order to provide insight into the crime and how it impacts victims’ behavior following the crime. Previous code only permitted expert witnesses to testify in cases of sexual violence […]

Twelve-year-old Max Schollenberger from Lebanon County was reported dead after suffering horrific abuse at the hands of his father and stepmother. Representative Frank Ryan of Lebanon told Local 21 News that, “I can’t imagine what this young boy has gone through his entire life,” after authorities had discovered Schollenberger’s lifeless body, covered in human waste, […]

Parts of Pennsylvania faced stay-at-home orders under Governor Tom Wolf’s COVID-19 mandates from mid-March through June, leaving many of the most vulnerable in the Keystone State to endure fear and abuse. During the months-long orders, many survivors of abuse did not have the means to report violence as social services across the state saw a […]

We know the modern family unit looks a lot different than it did in our parents’ and grandparents’ day. It’s welcoming to new family members, friends who become family, and new parent-child relationships. While the emotional connection between a child and stepparent may be strong, the legal bonds may be a bit more fragile. This […]

An overwhelming amount of children in the United States are born to unmarried parents — approximately 40%. While in some cases, the parents may be in committed relationships but unmarried, the reality is that many of these children will grow up in a fatherless home. Unfortunately, the problem is that many fathers do not know […]

Right now, many of us are experiencing social isolation due to government mandates to shelter in place to slow the spread of COVID-19. While this is critical to protect those most vulnerable to catching the virus, this is largely impacting another vulnerable group who right now, needs protection more than ever. Victims of domestic violence […]

The division of marital assets is often a difficult task for divorcing couples. Pennsylvania is an equitable distribution state meaning that in a divorce, the needs of each spouse will be considered. But, equitable does not mean equal. So who gets the marital home? Equitable Distribution – Marital Home Subject to Division As per Pennsylvania’s […]

Under Pennsylvania law, spouses are not required to gain court approval for separation, meaning they can privately contract the division of their estate. Though you may think you and your soon to be ex can act civilly without court intervention, having a marital settlement agreement is beneficial. But what happens when you have no marital […]

Divorce is complicated. Not only are you worried about custody battles, relocation, and spousal support, you’re also dealing with the emotional components of a breakup. One element many couples do not realize can be problematic down the road is estate planning measures they had taken early in their marriage that now needs to be updated.  […]

Divorce can be messy and heartbreaking. Dividing property, sharing custody and settling spousal support is costly and time-consuming. But what happens when pets are involved with the breakup? For many individuals, our pets are family. Shouldn’t they be treated as such? Unfortunately, in the state of Pennsylvania, that is not the case. In the 2002 […]