Pennsylvania Family Law Blog – The Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz
Learn About LGBT Divorce
Recent changes in the legal landscape that pertain to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities have resulted in new challenges when it comes to family law. In particular, in Pennsylvania, the case Whitewood v. Wolf was a federal lawsuit that successfully challenged the Pennsylvania marriage laws, which were amended in 1996 to ban same-sex marriage. The decision of the district court in May 2014 found that the ban violated the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the United States Constitution and thus made same-sex marriage legal in Pennsylvania. Of course, a year later, the Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
These changes, still only a few years old, have been a great boon for LGBT rights, but have also created new issues in the way family law is adjudicated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania—considering that those laws pertaining to marriage, divorce, and child custody were crafted with only heterosexual couples in mind. Read the rest »
Equitable Distribution in a High-Asset Divorce in Pennsylvania
If you are a business owner, executive, or some other type of high-income individual, or if you are the married to someone with significant assets, it’s important to understand how marital property is divided in Pennsylvania. The state’s equitable distribution laws requires courts to consider a number of important factors when making these decisions.
Do Social Media Posts Have the Power to Affect Your Divorce Case?
Social media has become a routine part of everyday life for the general population. It’s a great way to stay connected with family and friends and to document thoughts and experiences. However, social networking is no longer just a harmless activity relegated to the cyberworld. Posts on popular sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat are now finding their way into the courtroom and making divorce cases even more complicated than they already are.
If you are going through a divorce in Montgomery County, it’s vital that you recognize how social media posts can have a direct affect on your case. It’s best to consult with an experienced Pennsylvania divorce attorney if you have any uncertainties about things you or your spouse has posted. Read the rest »
Let’s Discuss Dog Custody After a Divorce
Any dog owner will tell you that he or she views that dog as a member of the family—a child even, or a “fur baby” as they are sometimes called. When an unfortunate event like divorce happens, you might expect the custody of the pet to be treated the same as child custody. However, that is not the case.
No matter how you may personally view your pet, in the eyes of the law, your pet is property. It is split up the same way other assets—such as a car, furniture, or money— are in a divorce. Read the rest »
How Can Non-Biological Parents Gain Custody of Their Children?
It is common practice in Pennsylvania custody cases to give preference to the rights of biological parents. This is especially relevant in cases where custody is being decided between one parent and one non-parent, whether it is a more distant relative, such as a grandparent or aunt, or a non-related caregiver who has some interest in the child’s welfare. One situation that is particularly challenging involves a stepparent—who has been involved in the child’s upbringing from a very young age—asking for custody. Read the rest »
How Is Pet Custody Decided in a Divorce?
We are all aware of how stressful and traumatic a divorce can be and the severe impact it can have on our families. One aspect of divorce often gets overlooked: what happens to our pets? In the event of a marriage’s dissolution, this question has many divorcing couples scrambling for an answer. Read the rest »
Can My Child Support Orders Be Modified?
Usually, when a judge settles a case, the ruling he or she makes is permanent. And it can only be appealed with great expense and difficulty. However, when it comes to divorce proceedings, determinations regarding child custody, child support, and alimony are not intended to be permanent, but rather can be modified if new circumstances call for it. This is especially true when the order pertains to children.
According to Pennsylvania law, “Either party to a child support order may request an order modification any time they experience a material change in circumstances such as a change in income; child care expenses; medical coverage; custody; age of the child; incarceration; relocation; disability; death; or, special needs of the child.” This means that your child support order could be subject to a change at any time, whether requested by you or by your former spouse. Read the rest »
10 Finalists Chosen for the 2017 Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz Scholarship!
The Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz is offering a $500 scholarship to ONE worthy college-bound student. The scholarship was open to any graduating senior or current college student with a 3.0+ GPA, from anywhere in the United States. We want to reward and celebrate these hard-working students. We asked,
- How will attending college help you achieve your future goals?
- How do you plan on leaving your mark on the world, and in what way will a college education help you achieve your intended goals?
Why Would a Parent Have Temporary Custody in PA?
When you and your spouse have decided to separate, there will be many different matters to discuss and many decisions to be made, such as possession of the marital home, car, spousal support, and child custody. These issues may take months to resolve before the separation can be made legal. If children are involved in the separation, a temporary custody order is designed to address this matter to ensure that they are not adversely affected by the changes in their family situation.
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