Allegheny County Divorce Attorneys
Divorce Waiting Period Reduced
The Pennsylvania State Senate recently passed an amendment reducing the separation period for no-fault divorces to one year. Prior to this amendment, if your spouse would not consent to a divorce, you had to wait a period of two years before requesting a final decree.
Once Governor Wolf signs the bill, the reduced waiting period will take effect within 60 days. However, the reduced waiting period will only apply to divorces filed after the effective date of the law. It is not retroactive.
If your spouse will not consent to a divorce, and you have not yet filed, you may consider postponing filing until the law goes into effect.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law, including: divorce, child custody, child support, and Protection from Abuse (PFA) hearings. To speak with an experienced family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Brangelina Custody War
America’s sweethearts Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are among the latest celebrities to split. In addition to divorce, Jolie filed for shared legal and sole physical custody of their six minor children.
Legal custody refers to a parent’s right to make decisions regarding the upbringing of the children, including religion, education, medical care, etc.
Physical custody involves where the children are physically residing. If Jolie wins, the children will reside with her and potentially only visit with Pitt.
But courts seldom award sole physical custody to one parent, unless there are findings that the other parent is unfit to have the children in their physical custody. Jolie’s actions were harsh and designed to severely restrict Pitt’s rights to his children. Hopefully, for the kids’ sakes, they will have equal access to both parents.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law, including: divorce, child custody, child support, and PFA hearings. To speak with an experienced family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.