Pittsburgh Divorce Lawyers
Divorce: Fleeing an Abusive Spouse
There are many forms of spousal abuse: mental, emotional, physical, and sexual.
If you are the victim of spousal abuse, there are actions you can take to protect yourself.
You may file a criminal complaint with your local police department and seek to press charges if you are the victims of physical or sexual abuse. Domestic abuse charges commonly include: assault, harassment, stalking, reckless endangerment, and terroristic threats.
You may also consider filing for a Protection From Abuse (PFA) order to prohibit all contact and even have the abuser evicted from the marital residence. A PFA may be obtained on grounds of physical violence, sexual violence, harassment, or stalking.
If you are suffering mental or emotional abuse, you may request a hearing for exclusive possession of the marital residence, which would enable you to stay in your home during the divorce process and prohibit your abuser from the premises.
If you need immediate shelter from an abusive partner, there are many resources available to assist you.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation in all family law and criminal defense matters with a special focus on child custody and domestic abuse. Call us today at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Divorce: Negotiating Settlements
In most divorce cases, attorneys informally provide one another documents regarding their clients’ marital assets and debts on their way to negotiating a financial settlement.
The parties have a legal obligation to share all relevant information prior to resolving their economic claims, including:
-Bank accounts
-Retirement accounts
-Investment portfolios
-Mortgage statements
-Credit card statements
If a financial settlement is reached, the attorneys will draft a marital settlement agreement or consent order of court resolving economic claims.
If necessary, we will also draft deeds transferring ownership of the residence and documents necessary to divide retirement accounts.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law, including divorce, spousal support, alimony, dividing assets and debts, child custody, and child support.
To schedule a consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Divorce: Refinancing the Marital Residence
The marital residence often represents the greatest asset in a divorce. Some people sell the home and divide any proceeds remaining from the sale. In other cases, a decision will be made for one of the spouses to remain at the property after the divorce is finalized.
If both spouses are listed on the mortgage, it will be necessary to refinance the loan. Under a refinance, the spouse who stays at the marital residence will become solely liable for the mortgage and all fees related to the property. The lending institution will approve the refinance in most cases involving a good credit history.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation in all divorce and family law matters. To schedule a consultation, call us today at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Divorce and Legal Separation
Unlike many other states, Pennsylvania does not recognize legal separation.
But your date of separation may be highly relevant to your divorce.
Spouses who remain married for an extended period of time after separating may have legitimate disagreements about the contents of their marital estate.
If only one spouse wants a divorce and the parties have been separated for at least one year, a divorce may be granted so long as there is no dispute about the date of separation.
The one-year period begins at the date of separation, which may pre-date the filing of the divorce action.
To speak with an experienced family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Divorce: Dividing Marital Debts
When dividing a marital estate, it is important to value all of the assets accumulated during the marriage.
It is equally important to value all of the debts, which may include mortgages, car loans and school loans.
Credit cards comprise the most common debt in most divorce cases.
For many people, separating the credit-card debt is key to reaching a resolution on economic claims. If possible, they may attempt to pay off all credit-card debt as part of the divorce settlement in order to get a fresh start in their new lives.
Spivak Law Firm provides smart, compassionate, cost-effective representation in all family-law matters, including: divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, alimony and Protection From Abuse (PFA).
For more information, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Divorce With Compassion
A divorce may be resolved in just a few months, though some cases drag on for years due to financial complexities in the marital estate and conflict between the parties.
For most people, divorce represents one of the most stressful and painful episodes in their lives.
It is common for one spouse to be further along emotionally than the other spouse in coming to terms with the divorce.
At Spivak Law Firm, we guide our clients through the divorce process with compassion.
In many cases, we are able to negotiate a financial settlement that meets their needs without ever having to go to court.
We handle all areas of family law, including: divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support and Protection From Abuse (PFA).
For more information, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Dividing Retirement Accounts In Divorce
In many divorce cases, the spouses’ retirement accounts represent the largest assets in the marital estate. Retirement accounts such as a spouse’s 401(k), IRA, or pension may be valued at tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Retirement accounts opened during the marriage are considered marital property subject to division at divorce.
If a retirement account was opened prior to the marriage, then any increase in value from the date of separation until the divorce is finalized may be subject to equitable distribution. It may be necessary to calculate the marital portion of your retirement accounts, which can be divided by court order in a divorce settlement without tax consequences.
Spivak Law Firm provides smart, compassionate, cost-effective representation in all divorce matters. To schedule a consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Divorce: Hidden Assets
Discovery, the formal legal process for obtaining information in a divorce, is essential if your ex refuses to provide important financial information.
Discovery is also an important tool if you believe your ex is hiding financial assets.
People do not usually engage in formal discovery for divorce because it can be expensive and time-consuming.
But you have may have no choice if your ex withholds or conceals information that is necessary for determining the value of the marital estate.
The most common forms of discovery include:
–Requests for Production: requests for documents that must be provided
–Interrogatories: written questions that must be answered
–Depositions: sworn testimony given in the presence of a court reporter
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of divorce and family law. To schedule a consultation, call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
In The News: Spivak Law Firm
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has once again featured Spivak Law Firm on issues involving family law and criminal defense.
The P-G recently published Attorneys Need More Protection, written by attorney Todd Spivak, a two-time nominee of The Pulitzer Prize who focuses his practice on child custody and domestic abuse.
The Post-Gazette routinely features Spivak Law Firm, publishing several articles regarding child custody, Protection From Abuse (PFA), and criminal-record expungement laws in Pennsylvania.
In Attorneys Need More Protection, Attorney Spivak discusses the Constitutional basis for vigorously defending people accused of committing heinous crimes.
In Clean The Slate In Pennsylvania, Attorney Spivak and Attorney Rebecca Canterbury critique a new Pennsylvania law that for the first time seals criminal information from public view for people convicted of second- and third-degree misdemeanors.
In Impoverished Parents Deserve Their Day In Court, Attorney Canterbury reveals how exorbitant filing fees in Allegheny County prevent low-income parents from asserting their child-custody rights.
In Crack Down on Domestic Violence in Allegheny County, Attorney Spivak recommends that only specialized judges with extensive domestic-violence training oversee PFA hearings.
In Improve Pennsylvania’s Domestic-Abuse Law, Attorney Spivak exposes the issue of bogus PFA orders and recommends ways to curb abuses in the system.
In Child Custody for Rapists, Attorney Spivak explains how sexual predators use family court to harass and intimidate their victims.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation in all family law and criminal defense matters. To schedule a consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
3 Benefits of Collaborative Divorce
Collaborative divorce can help you resolve your conflict, and it provides a number of advantages over going to court, including:
- Collaborative divorce is often less expensive than litigating through the courts.
- The process is more flexible, as you can determine your own meeting times to accommodate your work schedule rather than having to follow the court’s schedule.
- Your children are better shielded from conflict, as they avoid the stress of going to court.
To learn more about collaborative divorce, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390 to schedule a consultation.