Pennsylvania Family Law Blog – The Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz

The Legalities of Revenge Porn

By Sheryl Rentz on June 11, 2018

When you’re in a relationship with someone, you trust them with your deepest and darkest secrets. With the rise in social media and technology, people are trusting their significant others with more than just secrets. Couples are sending nudes or risqué photos to each other, not thinking of the long-term effects they could have. Read the rest »

The Winner of the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz 2018 Scholarship Is…

By Sheryl Rentz on June 4, 2018

It’s time to announce the winner of our 2018 Scholarship! On May 16^th, we managed to narrow it down to six finalists. After a tough discussion, Sheryl R. Rentz and her team agreed to award the scholarship to…
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Sheryl Rentz Announces 6 Finalists for 2018 Scholarship!

By Sheryl Rentz on May 16, 2018

Over 500 college-bound students applied to the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz’s 2018 Scholarship! Our firm had quite a time reading about how these students intend to use their college education to achieve their future goals AND make a difference in their communities.

The applications were, on the whole, so well-written and thoughtful that it was very hard for us to narrow it down to five finalists, like we were supposed to…so we went ahead and picked SIX! Read the rest »

Let’s Just Say This Never Happened

By Sheryl Rentz on April 9, 2018

You’re out in Las Vegas having the time of your life. It’s been a long time since you’ve had a vacation, and you plan on living it up. Then you run into an amazing person and hit it off right away. It’s a whirlwind of romance the whole weekend you’re there, so you figure, why not get married? When you’ve found “the One,” there’s no need to wait. Life is too short—shouldn’t we all just live in the moment? Read the rest »

What Is an Anonymous Divorce?

By Sheryl Rentz on March 19, 2018

Anyone who has gone through a divorce will tell you that it is a highly emotional time. Now imagine the added stress of millions of people knowing about your divorce and talking about it constantly on TV, radio, and social media. That’s an issue high-profile couples have to deal with when they split up. Every salacious and embarrassing detail of your marriage is now common knowledge. If you have children, they can do a quick Google search and find out things that you may want to keep hidden. This is driving a lot of high-profile couples to request an anonymous divorce. Read the rest »

Pets: Divided Like Property, or Shared with Custody?

By Sheryl Rentz on February 28, 2018

Any pet owner will tell you that she views her pet as a member of the family. When couples divorce, one would expect pets to be treated the same as children, given how much they mean to their “pet parents.” In some states, like Illinois, the laws are moving in this direction. However, that is not the case in Pennsylvania. Read the rest »

Valentine’s Day Sees an Increase in Divorce

By Sheryl Rentz on February 9, 2018

When you hear Valentine’s Day, thoughts of love, roses, chocolates, and happy couples come to mind. You may also think about the lonely single people of the world who dread the day or just pretend it doesn’t exist. No matter what emotions the day brings for you, you would never think that the traditional day of love is when most people file for divorce! But in truth, February 15^th sparks the beginning of divorce season, and we family law attorneys across the U.S. become very busy. Read the rest »

Don’t Be Fooled by Cuffing – Divorce Lasts Longer Than Marriage

By Sheryl Rentz on January 8, 2018

During the summer, people generally want to be single and free; but once it gets cold, singles feel the need to settle down and find someone to be with for the winter months. “Cuffing season” refers to this time of year when people desire relationships. Although it sounds like a joke, it’s actually scientifically proven that humans want to mate during the colder months. Since it gets darker quicker, this activates your melatonin, which makes you sleepier and lazier. Ultimately, you would rather be inside having intimate interaction instead of going out and being around a lot of people. Read the rest »

Is Parallel Parenting Right for You?

By Sheryl Rentz on December 1, 2017

Ending a relationship is always a tough thing to get through, but it can be harder when you have children with that person. While other couples get the luxury of never speaking to each other again, that can’t be the case when a child is involved.

Although co-parenting is an ideal situation, it doesn’t work for everyone. If there is a lot of conflict between the two parents, parallel parenting might be the best option. (If domestic abuse is the reason, the court would have to determine whether it’s safe for the child to be around that parent before any parenting plan can be put in place.) Read the rest »

When Is Custody Not Given to Either Parent?

By Sheryl Rentz on October 24, 2017

Child custody battles are hard to get through, especially when parents cannot get along. But parents must put their feelings to the side and do what’s in the best interest of the child. They might as well.

Pennsylvania’s family court judges will stick to this rule whenever they are faced with a custody decision. They do not show favoritism, or automatically side with the mother as most people believe. However, there are times when the “best interest of the child” is to NOT give custody to either parent, but to a legal guardian or a responsible family member. Read the rest »