Pennsylvania Family Law

The process of establishing paternity in PA The process of establishing paternity in Pennsylvania is relatively straightforward in most cases, but it can become more complex when certain factors come into play. Either by agreement or legal assumption, the paternity of a child is often straightforward. However, in some instances, the process takes a different […]

Are you staying in an unhappy marriage for financial reasons? Are you worried that you won’t be able to make ends meet, much less pay for your divorce attorney? Are you scared you’ll lose your children because you don’t make enough to fight your spouse? Don’t let financial dependence stop you from living the life […]

Each month, you get a payment from your ex for both spousal support and child support. You don’t really think about how much money is for you and how much is for your kids; you simply use this money to pay your family’s expenses. After all, all the money is going towards providing a good […]

Taking the First Steps on Your Path to a Better Life You’re not happy in your marriage, and you’ve decided that it is time to get a divorce. Now what? Do you talk to your spouse? Fill out a form? Call a lawyer? Although every divorce is different, every couple must follow the same steps […]

In this video: Firm partner and Philadelphia Divorce Lawyer Melinda Previtera covers the basics of a PA Divorce, including the grounds for a Fault and No-Fault Divorce in the Keystone State. Melinda Previtera, Esquire Divorce Lawyer in Philadelphia What is No Fault Divorce? In Pennsylvania, a no-fault divorce is a type of marital dissolution where […]

Even before I met you, my child, I knew I loved you.

How does a mother involuntarily terminate her parental rights? A recent case of involuntarily termination of parental rights involves the removal and placement of a child into foster care after the Department of Household Services (DHS) received a report that the child was sexually abused by the father and the mother, suffering from drug addiction and […]

Victims of sexual violence and intimidation desire safety and protection from future interactions with their offender and, now, as of July 1, 2015, Pennsylvania has become the 34th state to establish protection for sexual-assault victims. The Protection of Victims of Sexual Violence or Intimidation Act is modeled closely after the Protection from Abuse Act, but […]

Social Security is extremely important to our economic security. Social Security stands as one of the most complex areas in financial planning (let alone divorce planning), but most people overlook it. For divorcing couples, if proper planning is not done, the result could be economically detrimental. The purpose of this guide is to address some […]

In America, the backbone of  our adversarial system is a jury trial. But as family law practitioners, we are often heard by judges sitting without a jury. Some Judges presiding at nonjury trials often circumvent the rules of evidence.  Judges often admit evidence indiscriminately, ruling on weight and relevance only after all the facts of […]