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Archive for the ‘Family Law’ Category

Know Thy Trust: A Plain English Guide to Orchestrating Assets in Divorce Cases

March 13th, 2019
By Raffaele Puppio

Living trusts and testamentary trusts are an essential part of a complete estate plan, but they can be challenging to set up and difficult to understand how they work. Trusts in divorce cases must be especially scrutinized, along with other estate documents, to help avoid any bad situations. Published by the American Bar Association, “Know…

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Protection from Abuse…and Harassment

March 7th, 2019

It is the day before Thanksgiving, November 22, 2017. You are standing in open court seeking a Protection From Abuse (PFA) order against the shackled person in an orange jumpsuit accused of physically abusing you for years and charged with simple assault, intimidation of a witness, stalking, and harassment. The judge presiding over your case…

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Truth or Consequences: Why Honesty is the Best Policy When Dealing With Your Lawyer

February 28th, 2019
By Raffaele Puppio

In a divorce, all parties want to be treated fairly. It’s important to choose an attorney that you are comfortable with and feel that you can share personal information freely and honestly. When first meeting with a new attorney, be organized and know your goals, assets and debts, finances and marital themes of conflict. At…

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Pennsylvania Alimony and Equitable Reimbursement

February 21st, 2019

In Pennsylvania, marital assets and debts are divided in a process called “Equitable Distribution.” During this process, the courts also decide whether alimony will be awarded to the dependent spouse. The “dependent spouse” is a term that may be used to describe the spouse with the lower income during the marriage or a spouse who…

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Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Affected by the Opioid Epidemic in Pennsylvania

December 13th, 2018

Approximately 2.6 million children are being raised by grandparents in the United States and that number continues to rise. In Pennsylvania, more than 100,000 children are being raised by grandparents or other relatives. Pennsylvania has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic. As of the publishing of this blog, thousands of residents have died from…

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Federal Tax Reform Effect on Alimony Deductions in 2019

November 29th, 2018

When parties file for divorce there are usually two main issues that need to be addressed before the parties will receive a decree in divorce: How the marital property is distributed between them – think: houses, bank accounts, investments, retirement accounts, etc. If one party must pay the other alimony. Alimony is not always awarded,…

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Three Types of Spousal Support in Pennsylvania: How Are They Awarded?

October 3rd, 2018

Three different types of spousal support exist in Pennsylvania: spousal support, alimony pendente lite, and alimony. When examining these types of support, the spouse with a lower income is often referred to as the “dependent” spouse. Spousal support is available only for parties who are separated but have not yet filed for divorce. After a…

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Protecting Your Children Before, During, and After Your Divorce

August 29th, 2018
By Raffaele Puppio

When going through a divorce, your children need special attention before, during and after your divorce to help them get through this very difficult time. Published by the American Bar Association, “Protecting Your Children Before, During, and After Your Divorce” outlines ways of helping your children get through the struggle of divorce. The recommendations start…

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Educational Decisions for Children After Divorce in Pennsylvania

July 31st, 2018

When creating a custody order a court must make decisions regarding both physical custody and legal custody of children. Physical custody dictates who a child lives with and when. The State of Pennsylvania defines legal custody as, “The right to make major decisions on behalf of the child, including, but not limited to, medical, religious and…

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Exclusive Possession of the Family Home in Delaware County, PA

May 30th, 2018

During a pending divorce matter, the court has the power to award to a party the right to exclusively reside in the marital residence, otherwise known as “exclusive possession.” To be awarded exclusive possession of a residence the party must file a Petition for Exclusive Possession with the court. Unless both parties agree that that…

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