Pennsylvania Family Law Blog – The Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz
Pennsylvania Family Law: Paternity by Estoppel
In a recent ruling in a family law case, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania deemed that paternity in Pennsylvania by estoppel will continue in the state. Paternity by estoppel acts to impose an obligation on the party who holds himself out as the father of a child and continues to provide support for the child as well. The mother in this particular case acknowledged that she had an extramarital affair with the alleged father during the course of her marriage to her husband. Testing did establish that her husband was not the biological father of the child.
The alleged father asserted paternity by estoppel to defeat the child support claim and argued that the husband had established the father relationship with the child, adding that his involvement in the child’s life had been insignificant. Also, the mother and her husband remained married even though they were separated. Read the rest »
Practical Solutions to 3 Financial Fights Couples Have
Marriage is certainly difficult, and a number of things may put a strain on an otherwise happy twosome. Newlywed or not, one of the most common things for a pair to fight about is finances, which is also one of the primary reasons a couple may get a divorce. In recognition of this unfortunate fact, Creditcards.com offers their assistance by providing solutions to several financial problems couples frequently fight about. After interviewing relationship and financial experts, here is the information that can help you avoid a future money-related spat with your partner: Read the rest »
Dennis Rodman Back in Court, Allegedly Owes More Than $800,000 in Child Support
Former NBA basketball star Dennis Rodman is again in legal trouble for purportedly owing his ex-wife $860,000 in child and spousal support, according to a report by the Associated Press. The 50-year-old was found in contempt of court in November for failure to pay child support for his two children, and he appeared in an Orange County court recently for sentencing but the hearing was postponed until May 29. The former NBA star may face up to 20 days in jail unless he pays the amount that his ex-wife contends he owes.
Rodman’s attorney asserts that her client owes far less than $860,000 and will provide evidence of his payments to the family court judge. She also aims to have his contempt of court finding overturned. His attorney also claims Rodman is “broke” and is barely able to keep up with his living expenses, let alone the $5,000 in child support he pays for a son from another relationship and the $4,500 a month in spousal and child support he is supposed to pay to his ex-wife in this case. Read the rest »
“Women Unchained”: Jewish Women Denied a Religious Divorce by their Husband
Beverly Siegel, a Chicago-based filmmaker, made a documentary about Jewish women whose husbands refuse to grant them a religious divorce, known as a GET. The film, entitled “Women Unchained,” explores this phenomenon, which occurs because in traditional Judaism a husband may withhold a divorce. If this happens, the women seeking the divorce are then considered agunot, or “chained wives,” and between 2005 and 2010, a total of 462 cases existed in the U.S., according to a recent survey.
Secular courts in the U.S. cannot interfere in a religious divorce, which further complicates matters for the women, and violence may occur as a result. For example, a New Jersey couple was apprehended for arranging the kidnapping and beating of a man who refused to give a GET. Thus, some are promoting more civilized solutions to this problem. Read the rest »
Divorce in the Military: How to Divide a Pension
During a divorce, there are a number of financial issues that may further complicate an already difficult process. One such financial problem is dividing a retirement plan, which becomes a more complex matter when one spouse is in the military. For someone who has served in the military, a pension is typically their largest asset, so the issue of dividing the retirement plan during a divorce affects million of military couples. Read the rest »
Post-Divorce Financial Issues to Be Aware of This Tax Season
A number of complicated issues can arise both during and after a divorce, and if the matters aren’t appropriately addressed and resolved, the problems can continue for years after the divorce is final. With tax season in full swing and the April 15 deadline fast approaching, it is important for couples who may have made the decision to part to understand the financial issues that should be addressed during the divorce process to help avoid problems in the future. Marketwatch.com offers these thoughts: Read the rest »
The Business Side of Marriage: Is a Prenuptial Agreement Right for You?
When a couple gets engaged, it is a time to celebrate and eventually begin planning for the big walk down the aisle. This can include decisions on where the wedding will be held, what flowers to display, the kind of cake that will be eaten and … whether or not to get a prenuptial agreement? Though discussing a prenuptial agreement, also known as a premarital agreement or prenup, seems very unromantic and can make a partner feel like the other thinks the relationship will end, having one drafted may actually be quite sensible and is growing in popularity.
A recent poll indicates that three-quarters of divorce lawyers reported an increase in prenuptial agreements over the last five years, according to Theindychannel.com. With an estimated 40 percent of marriages ending in divorce in the U.S., discussing this option with your future spouse may help avoid a great deal of stress in the future. Read the rest »
The Basics of Divorce Mediation
When a married couple makes the difficult decision of ending their union, a number of complicated matters are certain to arise throughout the divorce. To help sort out these issues in an amicable, stress-free manner, a pair might choose the process of mediation. During a divorce, mediation is one way of finding solutions to issues such as spousal support or child custody, and is basically an alternative to the formal process of divorce court. A court appointed third party, known as the mediator, meets with both parties in the divorce and their respective attorneys to assist with negotiating resolutions to their divorce.
Both parties in the divorce have the opportunity to discuss relevant issues, clear up any disagreements, and arrive at a mutual agreement. The primary goal of the mediator is to simply act as an intermediary and an objective third party; he or she does not aim to force an agreement or resolve problems. However, a mediator may offer his or her opinion or make suggestions. The process of mediation has some benefits, such as: Read the rest »
Study Reveals Divorcing at a Younger Age May Be Hazardous to Your Health
The Huffington Post reports that a new study conducted by Michigan State University finds that divorcing at a younger age may be more dangerous to your health than separating later in life. The study’s researcher, Hui Liu, examined health information for a total of 1,282 participants over the last fifteen years in order to analyze the potential difference in well-being between those who stayed married throughout the study and those who divorced. For couples who made the decision to end their marriage, Liu discovered that those who split at a younger age tended to have more health problems than those who divorced later in life.
The findings of the study, which were published in Social Science & Medicine, seem to indicate that older individuals may be better equipped to handle the stress of divorce than younger people. Liu states another explanation of the study’s findings is that older people may be among “the most unhappily married due to years of pressure to stay in their relationships,” and therefore experience greater feelings of relief following the divorce. The finding surprised Liu as she thought younger couples would carry less stress from a divorce because it is more prevalent for the younger generation. Read the rest »
How Facebook May Be Used Against You in Family Court
According to the Upper Dublin Patch, social media may be the latest weapon used against a spouse in the court of law. The law journal The Legal Intelligencer reports that instances of posts made on the popular social networking site Facebook are frequently being used as evidence and is an increasingly common occurrence in family court. The article cited a handful of examples from court cases in which the social media site became part of the proceedings. Three such examples are: Read the rest »
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