Pennsylvania Family Law

QUESTION: “Who has to pay child support?” Traditionally, Pennsylvania has embraced the doctrine of paternity by estoppel. This means that the person who acts as a parent to a child id the child’s parent, even if they are not biologically related. DNA does not matter. What does this mean for you if you cared for […]

In an opinion issued on March 20, 2014, a Dauphin County judge upheld and explained his prior order denying an ex-husband’s request that he be entirely discharged from paying alimony to his ex-wife.  The case was Eugene v. Eugene. The ex-husband had asked for discharge of his alimony obligation, which was outlined in his written […]

Do I Really Need a Divorce Attorney? QUESTION: Is there any particular reason why I should hire a lawyer rather than doing a do-it-yourself divorce? You’ve seen the ads for $59 do-it-yourself divorce and you are wondering, “Why should I pay an attorney, when I can fill out the forms myself?” Some people have no […]

U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III ruled that Pennsylvania’s 1996 statutory ban on recognizing same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. Judge Jones said, “By virtue of this, ruling, same-sex couples who seek to marry in Pennsylvania may do so, and already married same-sex couples will be recognized as such in the Commonwealth.” Before the ruling, Pennsylvania […]

Philadelphia divorce attorney Thomas Petrelli provides tips about Preparing for Your Child Custody Trial in this three part video series. Thomas Petrelli, Jr. Philadelphia Divorce Lawyer In this video, Philadelphia family law attorney Thomas Petrelli describes how documentation can help your custody case if you can’t reach a custody agreement and have to take your […]

Philadelphia divorce attorney Thomas Petrelli provides tips about Preparing for Your Child Custody Trial in this three part video series. Thomas Petrelli, Jr. Philadelphia Divorce Lawyer Do you take lots of pictures of your child? Those pictures are good for more than Facebook posts; they can be used as evidence in your custody trial. Gather […]

You are already related to the child you love, but you are not his or her biological parent. Whether you are that child’s grandparent, aunt, uncle, or other relative, you have a family bond. You would do anything to protect the child. But as you raise him or her as your own, there may be […]

QUESTION:Can my divorce be finalized even though we haven’t completed separated all of our assets we still have a house on the market that hasn’t sold as yet? You and your spouse have decided to divorce. So far, the process has been amicable. You’ve agreed on child custody, support, and property division. There are just […]

QUESTION:My husband and I are divorcing and my husband says he doesn’t want to have anything to do with the raising of our children; can I force him to take some responsibility for their upbringing? When parents divorce, they often argue about who will get custody of the children. In most cases, both parents want […]

A case decided in January by the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court highlights a practical issue for many divorced parents with shared custody arrangements. As reported in The Legal Intelligencer, the case of Watts v. Manheim Township School District involved divorced parents who resided two miles apart in the same school district and shared equal custody time […]