Child Custody

One of the biggest questions I am asked as a family law attorney around this time of year is about taxes. More specifically, about who can claim the children as dependents for tax purposes.

One of the most important aspects of raising a child is deciding how to educate them. As parents, you want to choose the best school district, research programs and credentials.

Before a client and I decide to work together on a child custody case, we meet for a forty-five minute to an hour long initial consulation to get acquainted.

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 […]

Child custody can often engender highly contentious debate when it comes time to decide who will have custody of the child or children.

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 […]

QUESTION: “At what age can my child choose where to live?” Children can never decide a custody case. If parents can’t agree on where a child will live, the decision is left up to the courts. The courts will consider the wishes of the child as well as 15 other custody factors. Considerations When a […]

You’ve been there for every day of your child’s life. You were there when she opened her eyes for the first time, when she took her first steps, when she rode her first bike… but, you may not be there for the next “first”.  You are getting divorced, and both of you want custody. Philadelphia […]

The Berks County Court of Common Pleas issued an opinion in November granting a father’s petition to modify custody to have equal custody time of his two children. The name of the case was Meister v. Meister. Prior to filing to modify custody, the father had partial custody while the children were in school but […]