It is no secret that custody battles come with tremendous emotional stress and legal complexity. In the throes of divorce proceedings and the custody battles that often follow, many parents are anxious to make any mistake that might impact child custody. If you are concerned that your fault in a ...

Custody can get complicated, especially when the safety of a child is in question. In some cases, judges order that one parent has full custody while the other is allowed to see the child on a schedule known as visitation. But when one parent's fitness is in doubt, a judge may require that those...

If you are co-parenting with a former spouse or partner, you already know the juggling act that complying with the schedule in a child custody order can be. Vacations, car trouble, illnesses, and work demands are just some of the factors that can add another ball to the set you already have in th...

A 2021 jailhouse interview by journalist Kelsey Christenson with TikTok creator Ali Abulaban prior to his trial was summarized by an online true crime website, oxygen.com. The details of the crime involved Ali's arrest for the double murder of his wife Ana and her friend Rayburn Barron. Ali was k...

August is Child Support Month, a time when parents in Pennsylvania face the burden of back-to-school expenses. The cost of raising children is significant, and the needs of a new school year are endless—clothes, backpacks, supplies, extracurricular activities, fees, and costs. Child support, ther...

After a breakup or divorce, many Pennsylvania parents find that a co-parenting arrangement is essential to a healthy family life. Shared custody arrangements are increasingly common in the US and reflect changing ideas on divorce and co-parenting. Although co-parenting can be challenging, it beco...

Domestic violence is a serious problem that often requires victims to seek help from the police. Unfortunately, many cities have been forced to cut budgets for police and law enforcement, and Pennsylvania cities are no exception. In April of 2024, Pittsburgh Police announced that they would no lo...

Friend Murdered After Coming to Help If a domestic violence incident unfolds, call on the protection of the law before you call your mama. Lives changed and perished in Philadelphia recently when a young woman called her mother and sisters for help during a heated argument with her boyfriend, Ki...

Study after study has shown that children living in a home where domestic violence is taking place suffer both short-term and long-term harm, even in situations where the violence only takes place between the parents. The effects can be seen in children of any age – from pre-school through grade ...

When parents disagree over the legal and/or physical custody of their child--whether during divorce proceedings or between unmarried parents--both parents are usually seeking what they believe is best for their child. However, the process of the custody battle itself can often have detrimental ef...

Factors for Co-Parenting in Pennsylvania Courts In Pennsylvania, courts are required to consider a number of factors in determining the best interests of the child for joint custody purposes in a divorce. These include the level of cooperation between parents, the level of conflict between paren...

What may have started as a fairytale romance doesn't always have a happy ending. Unfortunately, these relationships can lead to devastating domestic violence and abuse, whether physical, mental, or emotional. Domestic violence is a cycle; it will repeat and repeat. You must break the pattern. You...

Celebrity entertainer Tyrese Gibson is suing his ex-wife Norma Mitchell Gibson in court to reduce his child support payments by $25,605.50, which he has already paid for his daughter's private school tuition since it wasn't paid by his ex-wife. To ensure he would be repaid, he petitioned the cour...

A recent news article from Hornellsville, New York, concerned a 62-year-old man from Monaca, Pennsylvania, arrested and held in jail on charges of criminal contempt of court for violating a protection from abuse order (PFA) for having intentional physical contact with the plaintiff.    Criminal ...

A WPXI.com March 14, 2024 news article stated that the Pennsylvania Governor's Office announced  $12 Million in federal funding will be allocated to services to help victims of violence. The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) will be awarding STOP (Services, Training, Officer...

On March 25, 2024,  Penn Watch News reported that a new Senate Bill could soon protect animals that are also subject to domestic violence. The Senate bill was introduced by Senator Dan Laughlin ( R-49) to provide protection to abused family pets. Senator Laughlin cited data from the Humane Societ...

In March 2024, George Mason University announced the receipt of a $5 million gift to support research into the use of AI in detecting domestic violence. The research uses a combination of alternate light sources and AI to identify injuries. The research looks to be more accurate than the current...

On March 25, 2024, The Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved an amendment numbered House Bill 1446 to the Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation  Law (UC) that would make it easier for victims of domestic violence to collect unemployment benefits in cases where they were forced to quit t...

In Pennsylvania, many couples choose to remain married but live separate lives. In practice, this type of arrangement works well for many people. Legally, however, separation can be a bit tricky in Pennsylvania.  At the LLF Law Firm, our Family Law Team can help you with all the legal aspects pe...

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...