Blog

Who gets custody when mom and dad are underage? This complicated scenario often plays out with teen pregnancy because they’re unintended and leave the new parents, and new grandparents, scrambling for the best custody...

Child custody exchanges are an important part of co-parenting when the parents don’t live together. They help maintain and build relationships between the child and each parent, and distribute responsibility for caring for...

It’s no secret that divorce is usually difficult for children, particularly older teens. Youths around 16, 17, and 18 are just beginning to gain independence and make their own choices. Divorce, and their lack of control...

Developing a custody agreement is a high-priority issue for most divorcing parents. Fortunately, parents don’t have to get courts involved to make a custody plan. Pennsylvania courts encourage parents to fashion their own...

If you’ve had a child with your partner but never married, you may have concerns about your custody rights upon a breakup. Many people assume that an unmarried mother in Pennsylvania automatically gets custody, but that is...

You and your spouse have separated but never got around to filing for divorce. Suddenly, your ex falls ill and amasses substantial hospital bills, much of which is uncovered by health insurance. Are you legally responsible for...

There’s some pretty compelling evidence that couples who pool their respective paychecks or combine their finances in other ways (say, each contributing to a joint savings account, but maintaining separate checking accounts,...

Dating violence is a serious problem in Pennsylvania and around the country. Although many people automatically think of domestic violence as abuse between a married or a cohabitating couple, one 2018 University of Pennsylvania...

If you’re embroiled in a custody battle, you know how stressful—and expensive—it can be. You may also feel the best person to tell your side of the story is you. Pro Se, meaning to argue on one’s behalf, can be an...

Child custody is inevitably the most concerning and emotional issue when parents divorce. In virtually all states, including Pennsylvania, the parties must determine whether one parent will have custody of the child or if both...

One of the hardest parts of being a parent is handling your child’s misbehavior. Many kids will disobey the rules or act out to test limits or get their own way, and parents have to decide how to respond. Some parents may...

Online dating is the new normal, but it is really still a lot like the Wild West. Not only are we, as human beings, in pretty uncharted social territory, but our legal system is struggling to keep up with the times. What happens,...

The consequences of domestic abuse, also known as intimate partner abuse, are more insidious than many people might imagine. You probably already understand that such victims can be injured not just physically but also emotionally...

If you are an unmarried adult, chances are pretty good that you live with a roommate. Whether you are in college, attending a summer retreat, or employed and trying to save money on living expenses, it would not be unusual for you...

An annual event called the “Walk a Mile In Her Shoes” event was canceled in York, PA earlier this year after the organization behind the walk decided to change course and make the event more inclusive to all. The Walk a Mile...

Domestic violence is a serious issue in Pennsylvania and across the country. According to the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in four Pennsylvanians will experience domestic violence. The police will serve...

Caregivers play an important role in protecting those in their care from abuse, including special needs and elderly adults, whether it’s physical, emotional, verbal, sexual, or financial. One way to do this is by helping...

A Protection from Abuse (PFA) Order is a legal tool intended to protect domestic violence victims from abuse. Also known as a Restraining Order, a PFA can greatly impact a person’s life, whether you have requested the order...

Spurred by recent shootings at a neighborhood grocery store in Buffalo, New York, and an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, Congress passed on June 25, 2022, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA). The legislation represents...

In Spring 2022, the defamation trial in Virginia between former spouses Johnny Depp and Amber Heard captured headlines. Beneath the Hollywood gossip veneer, the case shed light on the complexities of domestic abuse. The case began...