Pennsylvania Family Law Blog – The Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz
Interstate Child Custody Battle Between Adoptive Mother, Biological Father Settled
The Los Angeles Times reports that an inter-state custody battle between a girl’s adoptive mother and her biological father was recently settled. The now-famous case, which has been referred to as the “Baby Vanessa” case, involved a woman from California and a man from Ohio. The contentious child custody case has lasted for more than two years.
The woman started the adoption process before the girl was born, but proceedings were stopped after the girl’s biological father filed for custody. The girl’s biological mother alleged that her pregnancy was the result of a one-night stand and believed the man was not the father. However, a genetic test proved otherwise. Court records from 2005 showed the man had spent time in jail for domestic violence, further complicating the family law matter. After the two parties were not able to reach an agreement during mediation, a child custody trial was scheduled in Ohio in 2009. In July 2010, the woman was ordered to return the girl to Ohio, but appealed the decision and was able to keep the girl until further notice. Read the rest »
Maryland Considers Bill about Divorcing Couples and Pet Custody
According to The Washington Post, a new bill has been proposed in the Maryland General Assembly Senate that will define what happens to pets when their owners divorce. With many households considered to be DINKs (duel income, no kids) these days, it is not surprising pets have become an important part of divorce proceedings.
If passed, the bill will give courts the power to grant a custody agreement for a divorcing couple’s pet. The court will also be permitted to give one party sole ownership of a pet, as well grant one party sole ownership of a pet with the other party given visitation rights on a court-approved schedule. The court will also be able to give both parties ownership of a pet and both parties can share custody on a court-determined schedule. However, the court will not be able to order either party to pay pet-related expenses to the other party. Read the rest »
Act 112 of 2010: Relocating in Pennsylvania with Your Child after Divorce
House Bill 1639 (now called Act 112 of 2010) is the new law regarding child custody in Pennsylvania, and went into effect on January 24. The new law deals with many aspects of child custody, but its focus is on setting a framework for the Pennsylvania court system to employ when handling a party’s request for location with a child following a divorce from another party.
Under the Act, a person who wishes to move is required to give notice to anyone else with custodial rights to their child. Keep in mind that “relocation” is defined as a child’s residence change that significantly inhibits the capability of the non-relocating party to implement their custodial rights. Relocation is not restricted to moving outside of Pennsylvania or moving between PA counties; even moving within the same county could be considered “relocation.” Read the rest »
Brooke Mueller Obtains Temporary Restraining Order Against Charlie Sheen
The Los Angeles Times reports that Brooke Mueller, the estranged wife of troubled actor Charlie Sheen, was granted a temporary restraining order against Sheen on Tuesday, March 1. Additionally, as part of the move, the couple’s children were taken from Sheen’s home by a representative for Mueller that night. The order also strips Sheen of contact with his two youngest children, 23-month-old twins Max and Bob, and forbids him from coming within 100 yards of Mueller for 19 days. Read the rest »
AAML Survey Finds Cohabitation Agreements are Increasing
According to The Detroit Free Press, a survey was recently conducted that found many unmarried couples who live together are increasingly deciding to sign a cohabitation agreement to give them protection should their relationship end.
The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) is a grouping of approximately 1,600 divorce attorneys and conducted the survey amongst its members. The survey discovered about 48 percent have seen a rise in the number of couples who are “duking it out in court” during the past five years. Of those, about 39 percent report an increase in the number of couples who chose to have a cohabitation agreement if their arrangement is outside of legally recognized marriages. Read the rest »
New Bills Proposed to Require Couples Counseling before Divorce
An article on The Huffington Post reports that a Nebraska state senator recently proposed legislation that would provide judges the option to send couples with children who are minor-aged to counseling before granting a divorce. Moreover, in cases where no minor-aged children are involved and one spouse believes the marriage could be saved, counseling would be required. The bill does not specify who would pay for the counseling.
In Wyoming, a similar bill was introduced, and would make it mandatory for any couple wishing to marry to attend three hours of marriage counseling. If they failed to do so, they would have to wait a year before receiving a marriage license. Additionally, the bill would require couples who are seeking divorce to attend three hours of counseling. If they fail to do so, they would have to wait one year to file for marriage dissolution. This bill would require couples to pay for the counseling. Read the rest »
Putting an End to Domestic Violence in Pennsylvania
A recent article on PennLive.com discusses the progress that has been made to prevent domestic violence in Pennsylvania, but notes that work still remains to be done to put an end to it.
Founded in 1976, the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence now has a network of 60 domestic programs that provide free services for victims of domestic violence in all of Pennsylvania’s 67 countries. Services include transportation, emergency shelter, counseling, and transitional housing. The network has helped over 2 million domestic violence victims escape continued abuse and rebuild their lives. In 2010, almost 100,000 men, women, and children were given assistance through the coalition. Read the rest »
What to Expect in Your Initial Consultation with a Pennsylvania Divorce Attorney
When the difficult decision is reached to divorce your spouse, you may not know what to do next. At this time, it is crucial to find a Pennsylvania divorce attorney to help ensure that your legal rights are fully protected once the divorce process begins. Because divorce can be one of the most painful and complicated chapters of a person’s life, it is important to have an experienced lawyer fighting on your behalf.
When you contact a law office to schedule your initial meeting, make sure you will be meeting with the attorney themselves, not an assistant. A skilled attorney will be able to answer any questions you have about the divorce process in Pennsylvania, and you will be able to discover if they are the right attorney for you during the meeting. Read the rest »
Reworked Pennsylvania Child Custody Law Goes Into Effect in January 2011
PhillyBurbs.com reports that a state law regarding child custody in Pennsylvania has been revised. It goes into effect this week to help alleviate the pain for families during the divorce process.
In November, state legislature approved new rules regarding child custody intended to improve transparency and fairness as a family goes through a divorce in Pennsylvania. It will be mandatory for a judge to state their rationale for reaching a decision on the record. This helps parents better understand a judge’s thoughts regarding the conclusion of a child custody decision. Read the rest »
How to Make Your Pennsylvania Divorce Easier for Yourself and for Your Divorce Attorney
A recent article in The Sun Herald discusses several useful tips to help make the divorce process easier for both a divorce lawyer as well as the individual seeking a divorce. The article notes that after hiring an attorney, you shouldn’t just sit back and relax – there are some things you can do to help your lawyer, which is to the benefit of both of you.
First, you should tell your attorney the truth. They need to know the good facts as well as the bad ones. But rest easy – under attorney/client privilege, you can disclose all aspects of your marriage without any fear of the details being leaked. If your lawyer knows all the facts surrounding your marriage, it will prevent them from being blindsided in the middle of a court hearing, which you should try to prevent at all costs. You may want to write a very brief summary of the facts of your case to give to your lawyer. Read the rest »
We know your problems are unique & special.
Call us, we will listen.
(610) 645-0100
Meet Attorney