Pennsylvania Family Law Blog – The Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz
Philadelphia County Divorce and Family Law Attorney
Philadelphia County is situated in Pennsylvania and shares similar boundaries with Philadelphia, which holds the county seat. As one of the first three counties established in 1682 along with Chester and Bucks counties, Philadelphia County is now the most populous county in Pennsylvania with an estimated population of 1,540,351 in 2008. In an area that encompasses 142.6 square miles, according to the United States Census Bureau, tons of families choose to call Philadelphia County home. With so many families inhabiting Philadelphia County, it is no wonder that family law issues often arise, especially when it comes to divorce.
Divorce in Philadelphia County may take place for a variety of reasons. While every divorce case is different, these types of family law issues typically involve several complex and detail-oriented factors that can influence a person’s financial stability and rights to spousal support, child support, child custody, and child visitation. A skilled Philadelphia County divorce attorney assists those seeking a divorce in many different ways. By making sure that every detail of a divorce case is thoroughly examined, an experienced lawyer will help you obtain a positive outcome while making the process as smooth as possible. Read the rest »
New Pennsylvania Child Support Guidelines
Whether you are currently thinking about filing for divorce and children are involved, or are presently receiving or paying child support in Pennsylvania, you should be aware of the new PA child support guidelines that went into effect on May 12, 2010.
One of the main child support guideline changes relates to the increase of the Basic Monthly Child Support Schedule. According to a Main Line Media News report, the Basic Monthly Child Support Schedule, which is a chart that determines the basic child-support amount based on the parents’ combined monthly net incomes and number of children, has been altered at all income levels. Read the rest »
Social Networking Sites Cited in Divorce Court
With the growing popularity of social networking sites, couples who are experiencing marriage difficulties need to be aware that what they post on sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace can be held against them in a court of family law. Chicago’s local ABC affiliate, WLS-TV, recently ran a news story discussing the growing reality that the information we post in cyberspace is just as real as any other information we choose to divulge. Reportedly, one couple’s divorce, like many couples throughout the country, was the direct result of using a social networking site, which ultimately led to their separation after 26 years of marriage.
Interestingly enough, as a result of the social networking phenomenon, many Philly family law attorneys are finding themselves instructing clients on what not to post on social networking profiles, even if those profiles are supposedly private, non-public sources of information. According to the report, it is a good idea to approach social networking as you would approach supplying your local newspaper with information about yourself. That is, unless you’re comfortable posting your personal information on the front page of a newspaper, you should be hesitant in posting that information on a social networking profile page. Read the rest »
Divorce Poses New Challenges for Same-Sex Couples
Entering into marriage is proving much easier than walking away from it, as many same-sex married couples are finding out. According to a recent CNN.com article, a new issue is starting to manifest itself, posing an interesting dilemma that has some states at odds over what to do. That is, while same-sex marriage may be legal in a handful of states across the country, those states who oppose such unions are now at the center of a new issue – divorce involving same-sex couples.
Reportedly, one such couple – two women who were legally married in Massachusetts, but who reside in Pennsylvania – were denied their request of a divorce in Pennsylvania. While states typically recognize the laws of other states, and act accordingly when making their own decisions, the issues of same-sex marriage has many state legislators confused as to how to proceed with divorce cases. One point of concern revolves around the idea that, if a state that opposes gay marriage signs off on a gay divorce, then that state may in essence be recognizing gay marriage as legal, despite state laws that say otherwise. Read the rest »
Pennsylvania Mother Defies Custody Order and Goes to Jail
A timeonline.com article reports that a former Beaver County mother was sent to jail for up to six months for violating court orders when she took her son to Turkey without legal permission and then did not return until four years later. The woman had ignored multiple court orders demanding that she return her 11-year-old son to Beaver County.
When the couple initially separated in 2006, the mother was granted primary custody and the father was given visitation rights. Later that year, the mother took their son to Turkey for a vacation but did not return, despite a court order that stipulated they had to be back by the end of summer. Read the rest »
Franklin County Judge Orders Shared Custody for Baby
According to an article published at www.publicopiniononline.com, a Franklin County judge gave a toddler’s parents joint custody in a temporary custody order, and then scheduled another hearing to determine permanent custody. The decision was made during a hearing to determine whether Colorado or Pennsylvania has jurisdiction in the case.
The child was born in Colorado but has lived with his paternal grandmother in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania for the last four months. In a special arrangement between the grandmother and mother, the child was to stay temporarily while the mother was on bed rest due to her current high-risk pregnancy. When the mother came to get her son last month to take him home to Colorado, the grandmother refused to turn him over. The father then filed for custody. The father acknowledged that he was not named on the child’s birth certificate and did not have custody of the child. Under the temporary order, the child will be turned over to his mother when she arrives back in Pennsylvania. The article states that a final appealable custody order is expected to be issued August 6, 2010. Read the rest »
Virginia Woman Defies Court Order to Surrender Custody of Child
A Virginia woman failed on Friday to surrender custody of her 7-year-old daughter that she shares with a former lesbian partner of over 4 years, defying a Vermont court’s order. The New York Times reports that the woman was ordered by a Vermont judge to surrender custody of her daughter to her former partner at 1 P.M. on Jan. 1, 2010 at the home of the woman’s parents in Falls Church, VA. However, the Virginia woman failed to show up at that time. The whereabouts of the woman and the girl are unclear at this time and Vermont police will likely issue a warrant for her arrest.
According to The New York Times, the Virginia woman was first awarded custody of the couple’s daughter and her former partner was granted liberal visitation rights. After she repeatedly denied her former partner those visitation rights, a Vermont judge found her to be in contempt of the court and awarded full custody to the former partner in Nov. 2009. Read the rest »
Woman Arrested in Pennsylvania on Washington Kidnapping Charge Following Custody Dispute
Police report that a woman accused of kidnapping her children has been arrested after eleven years on the run. An arrest warrant was issued in Spokane, Washington in 1998 for a 48-year-old woman who was recently arrested in her Milton, Pennsylvania home December 29, 2009. She left with the children when her ex-husband was awarded custody after their divorce. The woman claims she was a victim of domestic violence and her children, now 15 and 17-years-old, were sexually abused by their father. Police believe these claims have no merit; however, these kinds of situations are very complex and require thorough investigation.
Even though this kidnapping took place in Washington State, custody disputes are all too common in Pennsylvania. Separation and divorce are difficult enough situations, but when children are involved, emotions can run very high. Nevertheless, it is never appropriate to take a child away from the custodial parent, even if your intention is to protect the child. There can be serious legal ramifications. Obtaining a custody order by a court in Pennsylvania is the key to a secure future custody of the children. Read the rest »
Philadelphia Police Department to Improve Relationship with Domestic Violence Agencies (Part 2)
Every day in Philadelphia hundreds of victims of domestic violence turn to one of the four main domestic violence agencies in the city. These include Women Against Abuse, Women in Transition, Congreso de Latinos Unidos, and Lutheran Settlement House. On some days, the number of victims seeking assistance in Pennsylvania is nearly 2,500. You can visit this website for more information: http://www.helpwomen.org/pr/DV08Sum.pdf.
The Philadelphia Police Department is investigating new ways of strengthening their partnerships with the agencies mentioned above by scheduling follow-up visits and making referrals after 911 calls. Help is available to victims, but services are also offered to abusers as well. Most abusers were victims in their lifetime, and counseling and education are available to help break the vicious cycle. Read the rest »
Philadelphia Police to Improve Domestic Violence Reporting (Part 1)
According to an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia experienced a dramatic surge in domestic murders in 2009. While the overall homicide rate in the city dropped 23%, domestic murders were up by an alarming 67%.
When a Philadelphia police officer responds to a domestic violence call, the officer does not have any information about the history of domestic violence in that home, such as the number of previous domestic abuse calls, or whether someone living there has an active restraining order. If there are no obvious signs of violence, an officer can only leave behind a business card with hotline numbers, but offer little else in the way of help to the victim. Read the rest »
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