Blog Category | Child custody

When families navigate divorce or separation in Pennsylvania, custody arrangements often become the most emotionally charged aspect of the legal process. Wexford parents driving down Route 19 through Butler County or sitting in traffic on I-79 heading to Pittsburgh find themselves wondering what these custody terms actually mean for their...

Pennsylvania custody law focuses on one fundamental principle: the best interests of the child. While every family situation is unique, Pennsylvania courts follow established patterns when determining custody arrangements. Understanding these typical arrangements can help parents navigate what’s often an emotionally challenging process. Physical vs. Legal Custody in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania...

A custody order explains when each parent has the right to spend time with their child (physical custody) and who can make major decisions about the child’s life (legal custody). The court may order shared or sole custody arrangements for both legal and physical custody. Every child custody order is...

Are you involved in a contentious custody case in Pennsylvania? Here’s what you should know about the actions you should and shouldn’t take throughout the process. Dos of PA Custody Battles Parents in Pennsylvania custody cases can take steps to improve their chances of a favorable outcome. Judges focus on...

Kayden’s Law, signed into state law by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro on April 15, 2024, aims to protect children during custody disputes. The law honors the memory of Kayden Mancuso of Bucks County. Kayden was seven years old when she was killed by her father in a murder-suicide during an...

If you’re involved in a Pennsylvania child custody dispute, it’s crucial to know how the courts make custody decisions so you can make a strong case. The most important thing to remember is that state law requires courts to make custody decisions based on your child’s best interests. The courts...

Every parent in Pennsylvania has some degree of responsibility to their children, and they also have certain rights under state laws. Yet, many people never learn about the custody laws in Pennsylvania until there is some kind of conflict that impacts their families. When a married couple decides to divorce...

Custody issues are among the most troubling for divorcing parents, and that issue can get a lot more complicated when the child in question has strong opinions about the situation. In Pennsylvania, minors do not have the legal authority – at any age – to choose which parent they will...

Custody issues are among the most troubling for divorcing parents, and that issue can get a lot more complicated when the child in question has strong opinions about the situation. In Pennsylvania, minors do not have the legal authority – at any age – to choose which parent they will...

If you and your spouse are getting a divorce, you may be worried that they are going to get sole custody of the children. Even if you and your ex are already divorced and you share custody, you may be worried that they will attempt to take the kids away...

Divorce can be very hard both financially and emotionally. It is common for people to struggle with the end of their marriage. Especially if you didn’t expect your spouse to file for divorce, you may not have been in a good place during the divorce. Maybe you felt so badly...

Legal custody of a child and the physical custody of a child aren’t the same things. No matter how your parenting time is allocated, shared legal custody means that both you and your co-parent are equal partners when it comes to making major decisions for your child — and that...

Many parents struggle with having to share custody of their child instead of being there whenever and wherever they need them following their divorce. This is even more challenging for parents who have a child with special needs, like autism. No two individuals with autism are the same. One child’s...

Explaining divorce to children can be difficult. You want to be honest and answer their questions, but you also don’t want to burden them with unnecessary information. Plus, a lot of the things they want to know about may not be issues that are even on your radar. For instance,...

As a parent who is going through a divorce, you know that both you and your spouse have a similar goal: You want to spend time with your child after the split. You hope to share custody. However, your child has expressed a desire to live with only your ex....

The relationship between you and your ex-spouse hasn’t exactly improved since your split. If anything, it’s gotten worse. You had to weather a lot of threats and intimidation tactics as your divorce proceeded. Now, however, your ex-spouse has sunk to a new low: They’re interfering with your visitation time with...

Divorce is typically hardest on the children. Even very young children are affected by their parent’s split. Older children can deeply resent having to leave their familiar homes and neighborhoods when they have to spend time with their other parent. One type of custody arrangement that can circumvent that negativity...

As you prepare to divorce your spouse, you may be concerned about how the two of you will ever be able to co-parent your children. You may have feelings of anger, hurt and resentment towards your spouse. You may just plain not like them anymore. So how do you share...

The saying, “time heals all wounds,” resonates with many divorced parents. While some parents may be bitter toward one another after their split, emotions tend to be less raw as time drags on, allowing most divorce couples to co-parent amicably. A select few parents never find a way to get...

You’ve always been the primary caretaker for your children, so it took you by surprise to learn that your 14-year-old now wants to live with their other parent. You’re completely against the idea because you think your child is having an immature response to some temporary stressors at home or...

No. At one time, mothers nearly always won custody of the children after a divorce. It was long assumed that mothers were the best caretakers. That has changed. Courts work to find a custody arrangement that supports a child’s needs. It’s now understood that children do best when both parents...

Parents who make the decision to divorce often have a difficult time transitioning to life as co-parents instead of spouses. That’s a big difference that has to be addressed during this time. In order to be as successful as possible when you’re co-parenting, you have to come up with a...

You love your children. There’s no dispute there, and everything you want to do during this divorce process should be focused around that love. You want to give them the best possible outcome and make this as easy on them as you can. That said, parents sometimes unintentionally make mistakes...

Parents in the Wexford area who have divorced generally have a child custody and visitation plan in place that allows them both to spend quality time with their child. However, sometimes a parent will want to move out of the Wexford area to another part of Pennsylvania or perhaps to...

Child custody disputes can be highly contentious. This is understandable. After all, the outcome of any singular child custody issue can completely change your relationship with your child. If that makes you nervous, then you need to be prepared before stepping to the negotiation table or into a courtroom to...

For divorcing parents with children, knowing how child custody is determined in Pennsylvania is valuable information to have. Child custody decisions are guided by what is in the best interests of the child but parents may wonder how what is in the best interests of the child is determined. The...

Petitioning a Pennsylvania court for modification of a child custody order is possible. It is not uncommon for situations to change in ways that require different arrangement, especially when an initial custody order was made when children were very young. There are certain criteria that must be met for a...

Dissolving a marriage can easily take a toll on a person from an emotional standpoint. This is particularly the case for any parent of a young child — and especially during the holidays. A couple of tips, however, may help divorcing parents to effectively address the complex combination of the...

When parents decide to separate, one of the biggest questions and disputes that can arise involves the custody of children. In Pennsylvania and across the country, laws are in place to facilitate the needs of children and offer protection. However, it is not uncommon for parents to disagree on child...

Your ex-wife just landed a new job in Philadelphia. Now she wants to accept the position and move five and a half hours away—taking the kids with her. Does she have the right to do this? If you have custodial rights, and the move impacts your custody arrangement, then this...

Going through a divorce when you have minor children at home is rarely easy. You and your ex will have to come to an agreement about parenting matters. If you can do this together now, you are setting the right precedent for your future parenting relationship. As you embark on...