State College, Pennsylvania Legal Blog
3 reasons to make summer plans with the kids as soon as possible
Summer can get complicated for divorced parents. For the kids, it's unlimited free time. Parents often want to take advantage of that to go on vacation, but divorced parents have an obligation to follow the custody decree. They can't just do whatever they want, or...
Divorce doesn’t automatically cut you out of debt obligations
If you get divorced, it is important to divide debt in the same way that you divide assets. You need to split things up with your ex so that the lenders eventually get what they are owed. However, do not assume that a divorce agreement alone gets you out of the...
Children learn from conflict
Do you and your ex still run into sources of conflict, despite your divorce? Many couples do. If you have kids, it is important to remember that children learn from this behavior. They're like sponges, and they see everything that you do and say, whether you're trying...
Will a brain injury lead to a divorce?
You feel like you have a strong marriage. You and your spouse have been together for 10 years. While it hasn't been perfect -- what marriage is? -- you assume it is going to last. Then you suffer a brain injury. Maybe it's a fall at work or a car accident. The TBI...
Pennsylvania ranks No. 31 in percentage of married population
A recent study looked at the percentage of people in every state who were married, and it found that Pennsylvania is very close to the middle of the pack. The married population sits at 48.2 percent. That ranks the state at No. 31 overall. The study also looked at the...
Exclusionary requests and parental alienation
Parental alienation happens when your ex attempts to turn your kids against you. While you have a legal right to see them and be involved in their lives, your ex emotionally manipulates them to take them away from you by making it so they do not even want to see you....
Divorce questions: What is a contested divorce?
A contested divorce sounds like one spouse asks for a divorce and the other contests it, perhaps trying to block the divorce from taking place. However, that's not what it means under modern divorce laws. With the shift to no-fault divorce, no one has to prove that...
2 of the most-cited reasons to file for divorce
If you ask most divorcing spouses, they will have several reasons why they decided to bring their marital union to a close. Some spouses might not be entirely clear about what happened -- they just know that it's time for them to move on. If you take a poll of...
Pennsylvania protective order defendants must give up their guns
Individuals who accuse others of harassment, abuse or domestic violence may be able to request that a judge issue a protective order against the alleged perpetrator of such acts. While such an order has always carried with it certain guidelines that a defendant must...
Why should I mediate my divorce?
Getting a divorce is emotionally difficult enough, but to add the excessive costs and complexities of the legal proceedings into the mix, it's enough to cause any divorcing spouse to feel overwhelmed. Fortunately, for couples who choose to mediate their divorces,...
