There are a number of forms required to be submitted to the court in the course of a divorce where a claim for equitable distribution of marital assets has been raised. An Inventory and Appraisement form has each party identify all the assets and debts at issue in the case. Values or balances at the […]
The third document to include as part of your estate plan is a Living Will/Advanced Healthcare Directive. A Living Will allows you to indicate what sort of measures you would like or would not like to the extent the measures would only serve to delay your inevitable death. Specifically, these decisions would come into play […]
If you are adopting a minor child, a name change can be accomplished as part of the adoption. Specifically, the final adoption decree can include the desired new name for the child. The first, middle and last name is subject to change where desired. The certified adoption decree along with vital records request form can […]
If you have joint custody of any children under 16, both parents must consent before taking them out of the country. If your child does not already own a passport, Pennsylvania law requires that both parents must appear in person and provide proof of parentage to apply for the passport. In the case of divorce, […]
Surrogacy is the process whereby a third party is used to assist couples in having a child. Surrogacy may be traditional wherein the third party will have a biological tie to the child but has agreed to relinquish any legal rights as a parent. The other option is gestational surrogacy where the third party is […]
Wills for Heroes is a program in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Bar Association that provides free wills, living wills, and powers of attorney to first responders and their families. Appointments are required along with proof of military or public service. There is also a limit on the size of the estate to utilize this service. […]
Under Pennsylvania’s Unfair Insurance Practice Act, an insurance company may not deny a claim by an innocent co-insured where the loss was caused by the intentional act of another insured if the innocent co-insured is a victim of domestic violence. The Superior Court of Pennsylvania recently addressed this provision in Lynn v. Nationwide Insurance Company. […]
In Carney v. Carney, a recent decision by the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, the Court held that costs associated with the sale of a business and related tax effects were relevant to an equitable distribution order. The trial court entered an equitable distribution order, which gave Husband the couple’s trucking business. Husband was required to […]
Informal administration is where the bulk of the process is by agreement of the interested parties. The notice requirements are still the same. After the short certificate, the executor or administrator needs to notify all possible beneficiaries as well as all possible debtors by publishing notice in the local law reporter and a local newspaper […]
On April 21, 2016, Governor Wolf signed into law a bill which essentially simplifies the process for victims of domestic violence to obtain a divorce. Currently, under the Divorce Code, even in the case of domestic violence, if a spouse refuses to consent to the divorce after 90 days, the divorce cannot proceed until there […]
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