Articles

Child Support in Pennsylvania ensures that both parents share financial responsibility for their minor children. By law, this obligation cannot be waived or “bargained away.” Even if parents include a provision in a pre- or postnuptial agreement that eliminates child support, such a clause is considered void under public policy. Typically, when parents separate or divorce, the non-custodial parent pays child support to the parent who retains primary physical custody.

How Child Support Is Determined Pennsylvania employs standardized guidelines and relies on an “income shares” model, which factors in the net incomes of both parents to approximate what the child would have received if the parents were still living together. Courts also look at the child’s reasonable needs alongside the obligor’s ability to pay. Common […]

Annulment in Pennsylvania involves a legal process that declares a marriage invalid from the beginning, which differs from divorce, where a valid marriage is officially ended. When considering whether annulment is an option, key factors often include the length of the marriage and whether children were born into the relationship. If a marriage has lasted for a considerable time or involves children, a divorce is typically the more appropriate path.

Scope of Annulment Void Marriages DefinitionA void marriage is treated as though it never existed in the first place, so it generally does not require court action to terminate. Examples of circumstances that render a marriage void include: Challenging a Void Marriage Voidable Marriages DefinitionA voidable marriage remains legally valid until one spouse decides to […]

Alimony in Philadelphia is generally awarded to the spouse who faces a financial disadvantage after a marriage ends. The law recognizes three categories of alimony: periodic, lump sum, and rehabilitative.

Factors Affecting Alimony Decisions When determining alimony, judges examine multiple factors, such as: Key Considerations for Alimony Awards Courts primarily focus on whether one spouse has a genuine need for support and whether the other spouse can afford to pay. Although fault can influence alimony decisions, it usually does not affect the equitable distribution of […]

Adoption in Pennsylvania involves a legal procedure that ends the original parent-child bond and establishes a new one. Once everything is finalized, the child is issued a new birth certificate, and original records are sealed, although children may still access certain medical and social details about their birth parents. To ensure fairness and protect against unethical practices such as “baby selling,” Pennsylvania imposes multiple procedural and substantive regulations. While it is generally permissible to cover pregnancy-related expenses, profiting from the adoption process itself is strictly prohibited. Adoptions may be completed through public or private agencies, as well as through private agreements.

Legal Consequences of AdoptionAdoptive parents obtain all rights and responsibilities of a biological parent, and the child likewise acquires corresponding rights toward the new parents. With court approval and mutual agreement, an adoptive parent and a birth relative can establish a written plan that allows ongoing contact between the child and birth relative, or between […]

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Marriage Requirements in Pennsylvania Ceremonial Marriage There are two main requirements to enter a ceremonial marriage in Pennsylvania: Substantive Restrictions for the Couple Additional Requirements Common-Law Marriages in Pennsylvania While Pennsylvania used to allow common-law marriages, any new common-law unions formed after January 1, 2005 are invalid. However, a common-law marriage created before that date […]