A notice that you're being evicted. Unexpected divorce papers. Documentation informing you that your wages will be garnished. Civil complaints. Summonses. Subpoenas. If you've ever received one of these, you're familiar with that awful, sinking feeling that you get when someone knocks on your doo...

Break-ups are never easy. But if one person becomes violent in the wake of a break-up, it can be downright terrifying for the other person. A judge in Pennsylvania who refused to accept that her boyfriend was breaking up with her allegedly turned to violence.  If you are experiencing abuse or vi...

In Pennsylvania, domestic violence cases are all too common. Victims of domestic abuse can seek protection by applying for a Protection from Abuse (PFA) order against their attackers. This type of legal protection helps keep potential domestic violence victims safe—without one, the risk of violen...

Domestic violence is, unfortunately, a common issue in Pennsylvania. The law aims to protect victims of domestic abuse, but if you aren't aware of how to seek out that protection, it's not much help to you. If you are in a domestic or intimate relationship with another person and you feel threate...

A Pittsburgh TV news report highlights “a dangerous flaw” regarding the lack of confidentiality in residential addresses for some Protection from Abuse Orders (“PFA”). The PFA program was designed to protect domestic abuse victims and stalking victims. Its flaw appears when it comes to abuse vict...

Kayden's Law arises out of the 2018 horrific murder of seven-year-old Kayden Mancuso by her biological father, Jeffrey Mancuso. The father wrote a vengeful message on Kayden's body directed to her mother and stepfather and then killed himself. The parties had been involved in a contentious, multi...

Last year, York County, Pennsylvania, reached a grim milestone of having an all-time high of murder-suicides. According to coroner Pam Gay, six murder-suicides claimed 14 lives in the county. This spate of shootings and stabbings has left behind shell-shocked communities and dozens of people in m...

When people hear about domestic violence, they often think it only concerns adults who are married or in serious relationships. However, teenagers who are dating can be victims of domestic abuse as well. Young adults who are trying to navigate their first romantic relationships may encounter a pa...

During the holidays or other times of celebration, it can be tempting to do whatever it takes to provide a nice experience for your children and other family members. But for many women, that includes enduring physical abuse or threats from their partner because they feel taking action to stop it...

Our increasingly wired world makes it easier to locate and track people, including via their cars. For domestic violence victims, this creates one more avenue by which they can be followed and denied their right to go about their lives free of fear. The purpose of a Protection from Abuse order (...

SafeNet, a domestic violence agency that provides emergency shelter for abuse victims in Erie, PA, recently noted that it saw an increase in men and families using their shelter to escape abusive relationships in 2022-2023. Men are often overlooked as victims of domestic abuse. Yet, one in four m...

In 2018, Washington State voted to prohibit licensed therapists from the use of Conversion Therapy on patients under the age of 18. In 2021, a Washington state therapist and advocate of conversion therapy, Brian Tingley, filed a federal lawsuit challenging the ban. A federal district court and, e...

The melodrama involving famed sax player Kenneth Gorelick, better known as "Kenny G," and his former spouse, Lyndie Benson, has been surfacing for air in tabloids since they split in 2023. The latest chapter, as detailed by People.com in November 2023, addresses the sax player's alleged claims re...

In late November, Chester County Authorities continued their ongoing roundtable series addressing domestic violence reporting within the Latinx community. Participants included representatives from the local domestic violence shelter, police department, and local faith communities. Although conve...

As reported by Men's Journal in October 2023, Fast and Furious star Tyrese Gibson made news after he fled to social media to post a "scathing" 12-minute-long video discussing the intimate details of the divorce from his ex-wife, Samantha Lee. Gibson's furious rage was considered by many to be out...

On November 14th, a new renters law protecting DV victims was unanimously approved by Pittsburgh's City Council. Triblive.com reported on the legislation, explaining that it allows DV victims to exit leases early without penalties. Should the tenant choose to stay in the lease, landlords are also...

Last month, Washington County (Maryland) Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson was shot to death in the driveway of his family home by alleged suspect Pedro Argote. Hours before, Judge Wilkinson ruled in divorce hearings that Argote could have no visitation or contact with his wife and four childr...

In early November, multiple news outlets, including ABC 27, reported on a domestic violence case that resulted in a husband and father receiving 11 to 24 years in state prison due to numerous domestic violence cases, including the strangulation of his wife and two counts of simple assault of his ...

In September 2023, CBS local news reported that a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper had been arrested for false imprisonment, assault, and strangulation. The state trooper, who was married then, solicited his colleagues to wrongfully arrest his ex-girlfriend and have her falsely committed to a me...

The death of a child is tragic, no matter what the circumstances. The death of a child at the hands of their own parents, however, is so heartbreaking, so devastating, that most people can't even manage to wrap their minds around the concept. Perhaps particularly for people who are parents themse...

Between 2011 and 2021, the divorce rate in the United States experienced a fairly substantial decline. According to the United States Census Bureau, there were 9.7 divorces per 1000 people in 2011. A decade later, that rate had dropped to 6.9 per 1000. Ask any parent who is divorced or in the pr...

There is no more devastating accusation than child abuse. The accusation, whether true or false, can tear families apart. Authorities have to take allegations seriously, as do parents and guardians. The health and welfare of children is paramount. Pennsylvania law discusses the procedures that ar...

Nearly everyone knows Oscar-winning actor Kevin Costner, the star of the blockbuster movie “Dances with Wolves” and the hit television show “Yellowstone.” But lately, Costner received more publicity for his acrimonious divorce, which played out in a California courtroom. Costner and his wife of 1...

Would it surprise you to learn that the divorce rate in the United States is dropping? In the year 2000, 944,000 Americans untied the knot—a rate of approximately four per 1,000 people. By 2021, however, that number had fallen--only 2.5 of 1,000 got divorced that year. That's a pretty big drop! ...

Over the past decade or so, issues related to gender-based self-identification have been more broadly explored by the media and popular culture. As a result, these issues have become increasingly addressed in a variety of ways in workplaces, classrooms, medical facilities, legislatures, courtroom...