Law Office of Gary R. Swavely, Jr. Blog

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), nearly 20 people a minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. Emotional abuse is even more common. As a family law attorney, I work with a victim of some sort of abuse at least once a week.

It’s incredibly frustrating that abuse is so common, but it is wonderful to know that I am able to use the legal system to help my clients escape the situation they are in. I frequently help clients who are going through a divorce or battling over child custody get Protection From Abuse (PFA) Orders.

In many cases, a person works with a Pennsylvania child support lawyer when the person is involved in a custody and support case. Unfortunately, when questions about child support arise years after the case was settled, a person may not contact an attorney for answers to child support questions. The problem with not contacting an attorney with a question about child support is that you may believe a child support myth that can get you into trouble if you rely on the myth.

Can an arrest impact custody?

Going through a divorce can be an emotional process. Even when couples agree to all terms of the divorce, the process of ending a marriage can be difficult. When the parties do not agree to the terms of their divorce, the stress, expense, and time of a litigated divorce action can make matters even tenser. However, using divorce mediation may be a way to resolve issues in a manner that is less costly and time-consuming. A Pennsylvania family law lawyer can review your situation to help you decide if divorce mediation is right for you.

Five Things You Need to Consider If You Want to Mediate Your Divorce Case

Before you agree to mediation, you should consider at least these five things:

1. Can we resolve all issues through mediation?

Q: Can I lose custody of my child over a social media video?

Getting divorced in Pennsylvania can be stressful. There are so many issues a couple needs to work out – – or have a judge decide for them if they are unable to come to an agreement.

At a minimum, a couples have to divide their marital property and must determine if one spouse will be paying spousal support (or alimony as it's more commonly called) to the other.

Going through a divorce can be an emotional process. Even when couples agree to all terms of the divorce, the process of ending a marriage can be difficult. When the parties do not agree to the terms of their divorce, the stress, expense, and time of a litigated divorce action can make matters even tenser.

Going through a divorce is a stressful time for most individuals. There are many issues to be settled in the divorce, including custody, support, property division, alimony, and division of debt. While many people are somewhat familiar with Pennsylvania’s equitable distribution statutes of marital property, they may not be aware that these laws also apply to marital debt. You could be saddled with your spouse’s debt after a divorce. Therefore, it is important for you to consult an experienced..

In some states, a spouse must prove that the other spouse is guilty of wrongdoing or “fault” to obtain a divorce. However, many states are moving to a no-fault divorce system that makes it easier, less costly, and quicker to obtain a divorce. In some states, including Pennsylvania, lawmakers combined the two types of divorce to give spouses a choice between no-fault divorce or fault divorce.

Q: Can harsh punishments cost me custody of my child?

If you're considering getting divorced in Pennsylvania, you may be in wondering what is involved in the process. If you are parting ways, you'll need to divide your property. In addition, you'll need to consider if one spouse will pay spousal support, also known as alimony, to the other and if so, how much will the payments be and how long will they continue.

When you are adopting a child in Pennsylvania, you must terminate the parental rights of the birth parents before you can proceed with the adoption. This step must be done regardless of whether the adoption is private or public. It is also required for family and non-family adoptions. Parental rights may be terminated voluntarily or involuntarily. Once the parental rights have been terminated, the adoptive parents are listed on the child’s birth certificate as the birth parents.