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Family Law matters, whether they involve divorce, support, custody disputes and/or abuse, disrupt the everyday life of ordinary people, like you. Few legal areas are as emotionally charged as family law, primarily for the litigants, but also for the lawyers and judges involved in the cases. In divorce and child custody cases in particular, the adversarial process has increased tensions between the parties that do not abate even when the process is complete. At Shields & Hoppe, you can rest assured that your concerns will be handled with care and in the strictest confidence while we work with you to reach a successful result and bring closure when possible.
Our Firm provides experienced, practical and sophisticated representation spanning a wide range of family law matters. We are proficient in the courtroom, but often use mediation or arbitration to resolve disputes efficiently. Our representation is aggressive and ethical and focused on providing close personal service.
The Firm's family law practice includes:
- Divorce
- Identification, valuation and division of property
- Valuation and distribution of retirement plans, stock options and other economic interests
- Annulment
- Paternity
- Child Custody/Visitation and subsequent modifications
- Child and Spousal support and subsequent modifications
- Restraining Orders (Protection from Abuse)
- Guardianships
- Adoption
- Grandparent's Rights
- Children & Youth Services matters
- Prenuptial Agreements
- Post-nuptial Agreements
- Family Law Appeals
Divorce
 Divorce can be a difficult process. Even in the best of circumstances, tempers may run high, and every decision can seem to be more stressful than the last. It is only human to find yourself reacting emotionally at certain stages of a divorce. It is important, though, to remember that your actions throughout the process can affect your familial, emotional, and financial situation for years to come.
As part the divorce process you will need to address many issues, including how the marital property is going to be divided, how debts will be handled, and whether there will be alimony. At Shields & Hoppe, our attorneys are experienced in dealing with all issues that arise in a divorce case. If you are getting a divorce, or just considering filing for divorce, our attorneys are available to answer any questions that you have.
Custody
When parents divorce, one of the issues that they will have to address is with which parent the couple's children will live and the circumstances under which the other parent will get to see the children. In many cases, the children live primarily with one parent (known as the primary custodial parent) and the other parent has partial custody on a scheduled basis. Both parents generally share legal custody which includes the right to make decisions about the child's education, religion, health care, and other important concerns.
Often, parents work out these arrangements between themselves, either voluntarily or with the assistance of their attorneys or a mediator. When they are unable to reach a decision, however, or when unmarried parents are unable to agree on who will have custody of their child, the court may intervene and make a decision based on the child's best interests.
At Shields & Hoppe, our attorneys are experienced in dealing with all matters relating to custody. If you have any questions about your custody situation, please contact us.
Protection From Abuse Act
The Protection From Abuse Act is intended to provide a procedure within the civil courts for spouses, family members and others involved in intimate relationships to deal with situations of abuse. Generally, the Act defines abuse as acts of physical abuse or actions which place a person in imminent fear of immediate bodily harm. A person who is found to have violated the PFA Act can be subjected to, among other things, an Order preventing them from any contact with the victim and also a prohibition on owning weapons.
2006 Amendments to the Pennsylvania PFA Act
On May 10, 2006, the following amendments to the PFA Act went into effect:
- At the initial Court proceeding where the plaintiff requests a temporary order on an ex parte basis, the judge may order the defendant to relinquish all of his/her firearms even if those weapons were not used or threatened to be used during the abuse.
- The definition of firearms is expanded.
- There are new procedures for relinquishment of firearms.
- The Court must consider whether the defendant poses a risk of abuse towards the children or poses a risk of interfering with custody before awarding the defendant custody, partial custody or unsupervised visitation.
- The PFA Order may remain in effect for up to three years.
- A defendant found to have violated the Act may be subjected to a surcharge of up to $300.00 if he/she unsuccessfully challenges the PFA.
- The plaintiff may not be charged any fees for filing a PFA petition.
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If you have any questions about the Protection from Abuse Act, please feel free to contact us.
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