Monthly Archives: February 2014

How to Prepare for Your Support Hearing

Posted on February 26 2014 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

Prior to the support hearing, provide your family law attorney with paystubs, tax returns, W-2s, 1099 forms, bank statements, and other documentary evidence of your income. Be prepared to describe in detail your occupation or business, earnings, and job perks as well as your spouse’s business, earnings, and job perks. Do not overlook other sources of income such as investments, trusts, parental gifts, gratuities, and “under the table” income. In addition to understanding your financial status, your attorney will work with you to assess your realistic needs, goals, requirements, earning and earning capacities.

To speak with an Allegheny County family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.

Pennsylvania Court Helps Divorced Parents

Posted on February 20 2014 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

Transportation is a common problem for divorced parents who share custody of their children. School districts do not make things easier when they insist on providing transportation only to one parent’s residence.

But a court ruling from earlier this year will go a long way toward helping divorced parents by forcing school districts to provide bus transportation to both parents’ homes so long as they each reside in the district.

The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court upheld a Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas judge’s ruling that ordered the Manheim Township School District to resume busing services for a middle school student who alternates weeks with his mother and father.

The Court cited Pennsylvania laws requiring school districts to provide transportation to resident pupils and prohibiting school districts from forcing students to travel more than 1.5 miles from their homes to the bus stop.

To speak with an experienced Pittsburgh family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.

Promoting Love for Both Parents Helps Children

Posted on February 13 2014 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

According to family therapists, the worst thing is for children to feel torn. The message you need to give your children is that it is safe to love both parents, not that your child cannot love one parent because the other will be upset.

Children who are forced to take sides will feel torn, lost and angry. Children have to learn to evaluate each parent based on how he or she treats the child, not on what the parents think of each other.

To speak with an Allegheny County family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.

Calculating Support in Pennsylvania

Posted on February 9 2014 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

In Pennsylvania, support is based upon the net monthly incomes of the parties. To calculate a party’s net monthly income, the following items are deducted from his or her gross income:

Federal, state, and local taxes
FICA (Social Security and Medicare) or self-employment taxes
Non-voluntary retirement contributions
Union dues
Alimony paid to the other party

In calculating support, the trial court must consider income from all sources. To learn more about calculating support, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.

How to Modify Bail in Allegheny County

Posted on February 3 2014 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

If someone you know is lodged in Allegheny County Jail but cannot post bail, you have the right to seek a bail modification hearing that could lower the amount of money needed to spring the defendant from jail while he or she awaits the next criminal court hearing.

You may contact an investigator at the jail’s bail unit to determine whether the defendant is eligible to have a bail modification hearing. Such hearings are not granted if the defendant has a detainer or warrant in addition to the charges.

There is no court fee for a bail modification hearing, though typically such hearings may occur just once unless there is a significant change regarding the charges or an attorney files a written petition seeking reconsideration of bail.

To learn more about modifying bail, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.