Pgh Divorce Lawyer
Family Law Help in Allegheny County
Not everyone struggling with issues of divorce, child custody and support can afford an attorney. Some simply wish to handle matters themselves.
In Allegheny County, the newly formed Family Division Self-Help Center guides such people through the court system. The center, which opened in January 2014, has already assisted more than 1,500 clients, according to Lawyers Journal, a publication of the Allegheny County Bar Association.
Located on the first floor of the Family Law Center at 440 Ross Street in downtown Pittsburgh, the center is open each weekday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
To speak with a Pittsburgh family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Understanding Your Finances is Key in Divorce
Getting a handle on your financial situation is key when going through a divorce. Organizing your finances can be difficult if you were not the one responsible for them during your marriage. If possible, try to become more financially aware before you separate:
- Get more involved in your finances. Know the basics – pay the bills and file the statements. Learn how your daily and monthly expenses are managed.
- Determine where the money is coming from and how it is applied toward your budget.
- Take part in setting up investments such as retirement funds, and understand where and what the other assets are.
To speak with an Allegheny County family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
The Challenge of Co-Parenting After Divorce
Co-parenting after divorce can be challenging for many families. Co-parenting means that both you and your former spouse must take responsibility for raising your children, even though you are no longer husband and wife. The goal is to keep children out of the middle of your conflict so they don’t feel the stress of the situation.
The children should feel as though they still have a family, just one that has been reorganized. Of course, the ideal way to achieve this is for the parents to get along, do what is in the children’s best interests, and put the children’s needs before their own. But this may be easier said than done.
While change is often difficult, it does not have to be destructive. It may make sense to get psychological support during such trying times.
To speak with an experienced child custody attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Promoting Love for Both Parents Helps Children
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.
Finding the Right Family Law Attorney For You
Family law attorneys handle divorce, child custody, and support issues. Choosing the right family law attorney is important given the emotional and financial hardships that frequently accompany these issues. Here are some things to consider when making your decision:
- Does this lawyer seem confident, strong, and experienced?
- What skills do I see in the lawyer? Is the lawyer smart, resourceful, comforting, strategic, a good listener, and so forth?
- Is this person a skilled negotiator, trial lawyer, and communicator?
- What kind of dispute resolution do I want to pursue, and does this lawyer have the appropriate experience and skills to handle the case in this fashion?
- How will the parenting plan be developed and who will develop it?
- If there are realistic issues involving personality disorders, substance abuse, or other such problems, does the lawyer have the experience and skill set to deal effectively with them?
- Do I trust and respect this person? Can we have a good working partnership?
- Can I be honest with this person? Do I feel comfortable sharing intimate details?
- Is this person honest and candid with me?
- Does the lawyer pay attention to me? Does he or she have time for me?
- Can I afford this lawyer?
For a free consultation with an experienced Pittsburgh family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
How Courts Divide Property In Divorce
Who gets the toaster? Who gets the couch? Who gets the car? Who gets the house? At its most basic level, divorce is about people splitting up and figuring how to split up their stuff.
Parties can always bypass the courts and figure this out for themselves with the help of a mediator or collaborative divorce attorney. Spivak Law Firm is certified in mediation and collaborative divorce.
In Pennsylvania, the formal process for dividing property through the courts is equitable distribution. Equitable does not mean equal; it means fair.
A court looks at several factors to determine how to fairly divide the parties’ marital assets and debts. Marital fault does not play any role here. Evidence of adultery or domestic violence does not affect equitable distribution.
According to Pennsylvania law, the court may consider each marital asset independently and apply a different percentage to each marital asset. Some key factors relevant to equitable distribution include:
–The length of the marriage;
–The needs of the parties;
–The income, job skills, and employability of each party;
–The standard of living of the parties established during the marriage;
–The contribution of each party in the acquisition of the marital property, including the contribution of the party as a homemaker; and
–The tax consequences associated with each asset.
To speak with an Allegheny County family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Post-Gazette Features Spivak Law Firm
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has featured Spivak Law Firm’s article on ways to fix Pennsylvania’s Protection From Abuse (PFA) law to limit false claims of abuse.
Although a PFA aims to protect victims of domestic abuse, the law itself is frequently abused by plaintiffs who file bogus PFAs to get defendants evicted from a shared residence or to gain leverage in a divorce or child custody matter.
In our article, Spivak Law Firm proposes five common-sense solutions for curbing abuses. Our recommendations include criminally prosecuting filers of bogus PFA petitions and removing PFA records from the public database if the order is withdrawn or dismissed.
Spivak Law Firm, which focuses on family law and criminal defense, was featured in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last September in an article about child custody rights in Pennsylvania. The local newspaper also spotlighted Spivak Law Firm in its South Notables section and includes us in its business directory.
To speak with an experienced family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Filing for Child Support in Pennsylvania
Does the person who files for child support automatically get it?
No.
In fact, Pennsylvania law explicitly states that child support orders must be entered “without regard to which party initiated the support action.”
In other words, a person who files for child support may end up owing it.
Child support calculations are based on (1) the parties’ incomes and (2) the custodial arrangements in place at the time of the hearing or trial. Generally, the parent with primary custody is entitled to child support.
To speak with a Pittsburgh child support attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.