Pennsylvania Family Law Blog

Former New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey will not owe his ex-wife, Dina Matos-McGreevey, any alimony, a judge has ruled, according to an Associated Press news report. The couple’s divorce is through after an eight-year marriage, which collapsed when McGreevey announced that he was gay. McGreevey resigned in 2004 after he admitted to having an affair with a male staffer, although the staffer alleged that he was sexually harassed by the governor. The couple separated the following year.

A superior court judge ruled McGreevey must pay $250 a week or $1,075 a month in child support for their 6-year-old daughter. The couple has shared custody of the child. Matos has asked for $2,500 a month in alimony for four years and $1,750 a month in child support. McGreevey, who is now a student, testified during the divorce trial that he is now too poor to pay alimony.

Alimony, child support and child custody are the most contentious issues in any divorce proceeding. Each couple’s divorce is different, the circumstances are different as are their economic standings and assets. How much alimony is paid and who pays whom hinges on these factors as well the determination made by the family court.

Whatever your situation may be, the success of your divorce case depends on the experience and competence your divorce and alimony lawyer brings to the table. If you or someone you know is going through a divorce and needs legal representation, please call the Law Office of Sheryl R. Rentz for a free consultation.

A Florida Judge has ruled that celebrity wrestler Hulk Hogan must pay his estranged wife, Linda Bollea, $40,000 a month in alimony while their divorce is pending. According to this Associated Press news report, the judge also allowed Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, to take $500,000 out of the couple’s assets for himself and use up to $400,000 for legal fees in their son’s criminal case. Nick Bollea is serving an eight-month jail sentence for causing an auto accident that left a passenger severely injured.

The judge also allowed Hogan to proceed with buying a Las Vegas condominium, a transaction that was in motion before the divorce proceedings began. These are of course celebrity cases that involve a lot of money and are usually well-publicized. But normal alimony hearings in Pennsylvania involve ordinary people who are going through a very tough time in their lives.

Alimony is defined as the amount of payment by one spouse to another following a divorce. The amount depends on different circumstances such as employment, assets and number of years the couple has been married. It also depends upon the ruling of the family court. It is very important to make sure that you have the best legal representation during an alimony hearing, which is why you should contact an experienced Pennsylvania divorce and alimony lawyer for assistance.

If you are involved in a divorce proceeding in Pennsylvania, please call the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz for a free consultation. Our office has years of experience handling divorce cases and can assist you in any of your alimony cases. Contact us today to get our qualified and aggressive attorneys on your side, fighting for your legal rights.

The New Jersey Supreme Court recently ruled on the question of Palimony and when it is deemed ‘appropriate’ in the eyes of the law. The court ruled that two people don’t have to live together for one to receive palimony when the relationship ends. Specifically, the court determined that living together is not essential, rather, “it is the promise to support, expressed or implied, coupled with a marital-type relationship, that are the indispensable elements to support a valid claim for palimony.

The court rejected the bid of a woman to collect from a married man with whom she had a 20 year affair, finding they did not have a marital-type relationship. The pair was found to have more of a ‘dating relationship’, since they didn’t share housing, finances or property or ever present themselves as a couple in public. The ruling was made despite the fact that during the affair, the man promised to divorce his spouse and even have a child with the woman he was having the affair.

Undoubtedly, this question will be debated in state courts throughout the country. As each state decides when and where the confines of a ‘marital type’ relationship are defined, the need for a competent divorce and palimony law attorney will become even greater. Sheryl R. Rentz, divorce law attorney, has offices in Pennsylvania. We offer a free consultation with Sheryl R. Rentz regarding any divorce related matter. We have years of experience dealing with Pennsylvania law when it comes to the issue of divorce and alimony.

Whatever your situation, if you are involved in a divorce proceeding in Pennsylvania or require the assistance of an attorney for any of your family law needs, do not hesitate to contact the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz, PC for a free consultation. Our office has years of experience handling divorce cases and can assist you in any of your alimony issues. Please contact us today to have qualified and aggressive legal representation on your side immediately.