Pgh PFA Lawyer
Talking to Kids About Divorce
Parents going through a divorce should take steps to protect their children’s emotional health.
Professionals recommend that parents determine in advance what they will say to their kids.
Parents should make clear that the divorce has nothing to do with the children, and work together to ensure consistency in their daily routines.
Individual counseling or family counseling may be helpful to address any lingering concerns.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: child custody, child support, divorce, and Protection From Abuse (PFA).
To schedule a consultation with an experienced family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody: Back to School Amid COVID-19
In Pennsylvania, many school districts are offering parents three options for school amid COVID-19:
- Option #1: Go to a physical classroom inside their school building
- Option #2: Attend school online only
- Option #3: Choose a hybrid of the first two options by going to a classroom for part of the week and attending school online for the remainder
Parents who share custody of their children may not agree on which option to choose. One parent may feel that send their child into a classroom is too risky given the coronavirus. One parent may feel strongly that the risk of infection by sending the child into a physical classroom is low and necessary to ensure proper learning.
If the parents cannot agree, then a hearing officer may make the decision for them at a school-choice hearing. Both parents will get the opportunity to explain their positions, and the hearing officer will make a decision based on the children’s best interests.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation in all child custody and family law matters. Call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Couples Break Up In PFA Court
Under Pennsylvania law, Protection From Abuse (PFA) orders require a family or intimate relationship between the alleged victim and abuser.
While some rare cases pit parent against child or brother against brother, the vast majority of cases occur between spouses or ex-lovers.
PFA court can be highly emotional, as people are torn from their children, evicted from their homes, and fear losing their jobs.
An abuser often wants to reconcile with the person who obtained the PFA against them. In these situations, it is hard for them to accept that their relationship has been ended without an ability to speak or get closure.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation at PFA hearings. To speak with an experienced PFA attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Factors For Modifying Child Support
A child support order may be modified at any time based on a change in circumstance.
The following factors related to the child support order are considered:
- The income of either parent significantly increases or decreases;
- The child now has significant or continuing medical expenses;
- Child care and/or medical insurance changes;
- The parents are now living together; or
- The child receiving support is 18-years-old and graduated from high school.
Spivak Law Firm routinely helps people at child support hearings by providing strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation.
For a free consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Final Preparations for Divorce
When preparing for divorce, you should take stock of all your financial assets and debts.
For many families, the most significant assets include the marital residence and retirement accounts.
Other assets may include bank accounts, investment accounts, vehicles, jewelry, and furnishings.
Debts commonly include credit cards, mortgage balances, home-equity lines of credit, and student loans.
At Spivak Law Firm, we routinely help people determine the value of their marital estates and negotiate marriage settlement agreements.
To schedule a consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Pennsylvania Child Support Guidelines
The Pennsylvania Child Support Guidelines were developed with the principle that the children of separated, divorced or single parents should receive the same amount of parental support as if the parents were together.
The State Supreme Court issued these Guidelines for calculating how much child support a parent should pay.
The Guidelines are based on the needs of the child and the ability of the parents to provide child support until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever occurs later. The incomes and assets of both parents are considered when the court establishes a support order.
Based in Pittsburgh, Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: divorce, child custody, child support, and Protection From Abuse (PFA).
For more information, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
If You Witness Domestic Abuse
While domestic violence typically happens behind closed doors, in some cases it occurs in a public space or around friends or family members, meaning that other people may witness or be aware of the abuse.
Here are 3 tips for what you might do to intervene:
- Take into account your own safety as well as the survivor’s. Gather a group of people to stand nearby and either verbally or physically intervene.
- Contact the authorities if necessary.
- Approach the victim afterwards in a private space and provide them with the contact information of support services.
Spivak Law Firm provides aggressive representation for plaintiffs and defendants in domestic violence cases, including Protection From Abuse (PFA), Children Youth and Families (CYF), and criminal domestic violence.
To schedule a free consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody and Parental Alienation
Parental Alienation Syndrome may occur in divorce and child custody disputes involving high levels of conflict between the parents.
The term conveys how a child’s relationship with one parent can be poisoned by the other parent.
Parental Alienation Syndrome describes a cluster of symptoms present in children who reject one parent as a direct result of strong, negative claims introduced by the other parent.
At Spivak Law Firm, we focus our practice on high-conflict child custody disputes involving allegations of domestic abuse, substance abuse, and parental alienation.
To schedule a consultation with an experienced child custody attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
PFA Affects Coaches And Volunteers
If you coach youth sports, a Protection From Abuse (PFA) order could threaten your ability to volunteer your time with children and damage your reputation in the community.
Judges routinely grant requests for Temporary PFA Orders by people alleging abuse. In many Pennsylvania counties, judges grant more than 90 percent of PFA requests.
A PFA can restrict you from your home and your kids, as well as threaten your employment and even your liberty if you are accused of violating the Order.
Additionally, a PFA can appear on a mandatory background check that may bar you from coaching children – even if the accusations contained in the PFA have nothing to do with children.
Spivak Law Firm aims to help people in Pittsburgh and nearby counties to get the PFA dismissed. We have effectively represented many people who require a clean background check, including: coaches, teachers, police officers, nurses and childcare workers.
If you’ve been served with a PFA, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Divorce Process In Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, most divorce cases proceed with litigation in which each spouse retains an attorney to represent his or her interest.
There are many opportunities to negotiate a settlement agreement resolving all economic claims.
If there are significant assets and debts in the marital estate, the attorneys will often engage in discovery – a formal process for obtaining all the relevant information.
Each side will file an inventory of their marital estate with the Court, then assign values to each asset and debt based on financial documentation.
If necessary, a family-court judge will attempt to mediate a settlement between the spouses. If no agreement is reached, there will be a hearing to determine a fair division of the marital estate.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law, including: divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, and Protection From Abuse (PFA).
To schedule a consultation with an experienced Pittsburgh divorce attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.