Divorce and Family Law Articles
Updates on Parenting Coordination Programs in Pennsylvania
By: Lindsay H. Childs, Esquire
It has been over five years since the Pennsylvania Supreme Court brought Parenting Coordination programs back to our state. On March 1, 2019, Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 1915.11-1 was enacted, providing that a Parenting Coordinator may be appointed by a…
Donna Marcus Case Note Published About Protection From Abuse
Vetrano | Vetrano & Feinman Family Lawyer Donna M. Marcus has published a case note in the PBA Family Lawyer about developments in a case about protection from abuse for victims of sexual violence or intimidation. The case note can be found in Volume 46, Issue No. 1, (Spring, 2024), or you can…
Who Keeps the Family Pet After Divorce?
By Donna Marcus
During a divorce, assets such as bank accounts and real estate will need to be divided and distributed, and if children are involved, custody will need to be addressed. But who retains custody of the family pet after divorce? In most households, pets are like members of the…
ADR in the Golden Years: The Case for Using Alternative Dispute Resolution in Gray Divorces
Originally published in PBA Pennsylvania Family Lawyer, Volume 45, Issue No. 3, Fall 2023.
By: Lindsay H. Childs, Esquire
As a family law practitioner, you have likely heard the term “gray divorce.” It seems that there are an increasing number of programs regarding how to handle a divorce for…
Family Lawyer Discusses Name Changes for Adults and Children
Any time that someone wants to change their name, and the change is not due to a marriage or divorce, that person must file a petition with the court to seek permission for the name change. Due to a risk of fraud and the fear that some individuals may try to change their name to avoid…
I’m Not the Child’s Parent – Can I Obtain Third-Party Custody?
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Sometimes it is in the best interest of a child for a non-parent to have custody. This is particularly true when the child’s parents have mental health or substance abuse issues, are incarcerated or deceased. In Pennsylvania, third-party custody is a legal…
Using Alimony and Child Support as Qualifying Income for a Mortgage
A major factor to consider during the divorce process is how to handle the division of the marital residence. The parties may choose to sell the marital home and use their share of the profits as a down payment for their respective new homes. In the alternative, one party may wish to remain…
Appeals: The “Uphill” Quest for Justice
Previously Published in the July/August 2021 issue of The Pennsylvania Lawyer Magazine
The purpose of litigation is to correct a wrong; in other words, to attain justice:
Law . . . must be judged by the results it achieves, not by the niceties of its internal structure; it must be valued by…
Premarital Purchase of Real Estate – Pitfalls and Solutions
Thinking about purchasing a house with your significant other? If you are not married, you should consult with an attorney before making that commitment. Many people assume that if they purchase a home with their boyfriend or girlfriend, and the relationship later breaks down, the law will…
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Pennsylvanians seeking a quick resolution of their divorce or family law matter should consider alternative dispute resolution processes. Due to COVID-19, the Pennsylvania Courts were closed for all but emergent matters from mid-March until the beginning of June. Therefore, the Courts are…
COVID-19 Family Law and Custody Questions
At Vetrano | Vetrano & Feinman, we know that these are uncertain and unprecedented times in the world. With children at home, custody exchanges, uncertainty over income, and trying to work from home and manage your household, as well as your ex-partner, this can all be overwhelming. We…
A Main Line Family Law Attorney Advises: How do you File your Taxes when your Divorce is Pending?
As Main Line family law attorneys, we know that when a divorce is pending, clients are often confused as to whether they are considered “married” or “divorced” for tax filing purposes. Since there is no “legal separation” document that is filed in Pennsylvania, you are not considered divorced…