When a legal concern directly affects your family, the stakes are extremely high. Often, these cases involve divorce, child custody, and child support outside of divorce, underscoring their significance. If you have concerns that relate to family law, don’t wait to consult with our experienced Butler County family law attorneys at McMorrow Law.
The Equitable Division of Marital Property
In a Butler County divorce, those assets that you and your spouse acquired during your marriage must be divided between you fairly in relation to a range of circumstances. While an equitable division can be an equal division, this won’t necessarily be the case.
While Pennsylvania does not grant legal separations, couples can live separately and apart and draw up a Separation Agreement to address property division. In this way, couples can approximate a legal separation. It’s important to note that those assets and debts acquired after the couple separates are considered separate rather than marital.
Child Custody
Most family law cases in Butler County are heard in the Butler County Court of Common Pleas in Butler, PA, including child custody cases. When it comes to child custody, the court is always guided by the children’s best interests.
Child custody cases can be part of a divorce, but post-divorce modifications can also be sought. And parents who never married face child custody cases outside of marriage and divorce. Child custody rulings in Pennsylvania are gender neutral. Instead, they focus on what’s best for the children. It should be noted, however, that while the mother is automatically the child’s legal parent, the father must establish paternity if he is not married to the mother at the time of the child’s birth.
Neither grandparents nor stepparents are entitled to any automatic visitation or custody rights. Under highly specific conditions, however, either a grandparent or a stepparent can petition the court for visitation or custody.
Child Support
The State of Pennsylvania calculates Child support using an income shares model. This means each parent’s income is considered in relation to the other’s. Generally, the parent who is not in the primary custodial role has the child support obligation. Child support modifications and cases unrelated to divorce are also common family law concerns.
Alimony
Pennsylvania has three forms of alimony. Spousal support is paid during a separation, while Alimony Pendente Lite (APL) is paid once the divorce is pending. Alimony itself is post-divorce financial support that is determined on a case-by-case basis and is generally reserved for those situations when one ex-spouse can’t cover their own reasonable needs.
Post-divorce alimony modifications can also be sought if a relevant and significant change in circumstances has occurred since the order was issued.
Turn to Our Experienced Butler County Family Law Lawyers for the Help You Need
Our accomplished Butler County family law attorneys at McMorrow Law will leave no stone unturned in our focused efforts to obtain a favorable case resolution for you. Learn more by contacting us online or calling 412-407-2816 today.