Pennsylvania Family Law Blog – The Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz
Delaware County Divorce and Family Law Attorney
Delaware County is a prominent county in Pennsylvania with an estimated population over 550,864. Being comprised of suburbs of its neighboring city, Philadelphia, Delaware County is the fifth most populous county in Pennsylvania. Considering that approximately 206,320 households and 139,472 families reside in Delaware County, the area is no stranger to complex family law matters, making experienced Delaware County family law lawyers all the more important.
Family law in Pennsylvania is a highly complex and sensitive area of law that relates to issues involving divorce, pre-marital agreements, spousal support, property division, domestic violence, child visitation, child custody, and more. When dealing with a divorce, there are several complex matters that must be handled efficiently and in a timely manner in order for a person to obtain positive results. Divorces, if not handled properly, can significantly compromise an individual’s rights to child custody, support, or visitation, as well as other financial issues. A skilled Delaware County divorce attorney will make sure that your rights are protected and work to help you achieve a successful case outcome. Read the rest »
No-Fault Divorce May Soon Be Allowed in New York
On any given day, no-fault divorce is cited throughout most of the country as the primary reason why a marriage simply didn’t work. Of the 50 states, New York remains the lone holdout state that does not allow no-fault divorces in its court system. However, according to a USA Today article, no-fault divorces may soon be cited throughout the entire country, including New York, if legislation already approved by the New York State Senate is also agreed upon by a state Assembly conference committee.
According to statistics, the marriage rate in the United States in 2008 was 7.1 per 1,000 people, while the divorce rate was 3.5 per 1,000. This essentially supports the common adage that one out of every two marriages ends in divorce. Regardless of which reasons are cited for a divorce, a host of different elements need to be carefully examined in order to come to an agreement that is amiable for both parties. While many people hope that a marriage will inevitably improve over time, sometimes the differences are simply too great, and parties have no choice but to file for separation. For such parties in New York, declaring a divorce to be no-fault may soon be a possibility. Read the rest »
Should Military Deployment Be Considered in Custody Battles?
In any Philadelphia child custody case, every pertinent detail needs to be carefully examined in order to determine what course of action should be taken in order to keep the best interest of the child in mind at all times. However, in cases where parents are members of the armed services, the details surrounding custody arrangements can be especially complicated.
Recent legislature passed in the House, and now in the hands of the Senate, seeks to create a nationwide norm in regard to considerations given to parents who are deployed by the military and how such deployment can affect child custody arrangements. Read the rest »
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 »
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