Attorneys for Family Law - Divorce, Support, Custody, Adoption - Pittsburgh, Beaver County, Washington County

Get Ready.
Early preparation is critical because you only get
one chance to make a good first impression with
the court. Chances are, the first judge you see in
court will preside over future matters in your
case. Hence, you need to be prepared for court
the first time you see that judge.

Experienced Counsel
Your attorney can tell you how to prepare to
testify. Your lawyer will also cross examine the
witnesses used against you. You can rely on the
experience of our Pittsburgh trial attorneys who
serve Beaver, Butler, and Washington Counties.
We primary handle cases in Allegheny County;
however, we also accept PFA matters in Beaver,
Butler, and Washington. We can walk you through
the family court system in Western Pennsylvania.
We will tell you exactly what to expect and we
will agressively represent your interests in court.

Divorce.
Our lawyeRs can help you with divorce (no-fault
divorce and fault-based divorce), issues of
separation in no-fault (what it means to live
“separate and apart” for the requisite time). We
analyze the impact of appellate court decisions
and statutes (including the divorce code)
concerning “common law” marriage in
Pennsylvania and lingering issues of common law
marriage. We also analyze the modern day
requisites for a valid marriage in Pennsylvania,
cohabitation agreements, pre-marital agreements,
prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements,
petitions for temporary possession of property or
use of home, equitable distribution, hearings on
equitable distribution, petitions for sole
possession, prenuptial agreements (drafting),
enforcement of prenuptial agreement, claim for
engagement ring, location of assets, cases where
bigamy is alleged and other complex issues of
divorce exist. Each lawyer at our firm tries to
negotiate the equitable distribution portion of the
divorce as amicably as possible and we often
recommend mediation. Our attorneys constantly
look for ways to streamline a divorce whether the
proceedings involve a fault-based divorce and a
no-fault divorce. Our lawyers evaluate whether
prenuptial agreements can be upheld. We also
evaluate issues of an engagement ring and
whether and engagement ring must be returned if
the marriage never takes place.

Support.
Our litigators take note of the income of each
party and apply the tables to give you a realistic
estimate of the child support of spoousal support
obligation involved: (1) SPOUSAL SUPPORT. Each
attorney at our firm can help you evaluate the
support obligation that is payable in your case in
Western Pennsylvania, mainly Allegheny
(Pittsburgh), Beaver, and Washington Counties.
One form of support is spousal support; (2)
ALIMONY. An attorney must evaluate claims for
alimony and help work out whether any award for
alimony should be agreed upon or ordered, and
the amount of alimony; (3) CHILD SUPPORT. Our
attorneys also handle issues concerning child
support. As with spousal support (above), we
evaluate the basis of all claims for support.

CuStody.
CLAIMS FOR CUSTODY BY PARENTS. Each lawyer
at our firm is willing to represent a parent (father
or mother, husband or wife) during claims for
custody. We handle claims for total custody,
partial custody and/or visitation only filed in
Pennsylvania and also interstate claims. We also
attend custody conferences and proceedings
before hearing officers and judges and/or custody
trials. Our attorneys also handle appeals to
custody resolutions. Further, in the context of a
custody determination, we also handle other
matters that may surface, such as Protection
from Abuse Hearings (PFA) that take place while
child support issues remain ongoing. We also help
with PFA appeals. We negotiate with other
lawyers to resolve the matter most efficiently.
Our attorneys always try to negotiate with the
other lawyer or lawyers involved in the case. Call
us to speak with experienced family law attorneys
on this matter.

CLAIMS FOR CUSTODY BY GRANDPARENTS. Each
lawyer with us analyzes issues concerning claims
for custody by grandparents and other family
members. We evaluate the basis for standing for a
grandparent or other family member and we
handle representation of grandparents and other
family members at conferences, hearings, and
trials. As always, our attorneys try to negotiate
with the litigant or lawyer on the other side of the
case to bring about the most reasonable
resolution of every case. Call us to speak with
experienced family law attorneys on this matter.

Dependency.
Our attorneys handle hearings on child
delinquency and dependency. We work with
Children and Youth Services of Allegheny, Beaver,
and Washington Counties (CYF and/or CYS) to
resolve a variety of issues such as dependency,
visitation, adoption, parental custody, foster care
placement, and custody and/or visitation by
grandparents and other family members. We also
handle name changes, petitions for name changes
and hearings. Further, we handle issues
concerning the joint ownership of assets outside
of marriage.

Protection From Abuse (PFA)
Our attorneys handle PFA (protection from abuse)
cases throughout Western PA, including Beaver,
Butler, and Washington Counties. We will also
handles appeals to the Superior Court concerning
PFA matters. Each lawyer with is prepared to help
you enforce a PFA orders (or defend against one).
We generally try to negotiate with the litigant or
lawyer on the other side of the case to bring
about the most reasonable resolution of every
case. When negotiation fails, we will be prepared
to takey our matter to court.

Overall, our family law practices handles divorce
(fault and no fault), claims for the custody of a
child or children on behalf of a parent (mother or
father, husband or wife), child custody on behalf
of a grandparent, step parent, or interstate
claim), dependency hearings, PFA (protection
from abuse), support (spousal support, alimony
pendente lite, child support), prenuptial
agreements, cohabitation agreements, and
adoption. You should have an attorney who will
work with opposing counsel to bring your divorce,
claim for support, or child custody matter to an
efficient and reasonable resolution. We will
reasonably handle the dissolution of your marriage
and we'll charge reasonable fees for help with
divorce, alimony, spousal support, or child
custody than necessary? Emotions will be running
high during your family law issue, why prolong the
situation or make it more expensive than it needs
to be? We suggest that you rely on an
experienced family law lawyer who has
respesented the husband and/or the wife in prior
disputes, and can get agreement and early
resolution of all support (APL and spousal), child
custody and divorce matters when possible. We
have offices in, Allegheny County, Beaver County,
and Washington County, serving Pittsburgh,
McKees Rocks, Ross, Bellevue, Avalon, Sewickely,
Shaler, Monroeville, Monongahela, Moon, Fox
Chapel, Oakmont, Ross (North Hills), Evans City,
McCandless, Brighton Heights, the Monroeville
areas. We also handle cases throughout Beaver
County, including Monaca, Hopewell, Ambridge,
Center Township, Aliquippa, and Beaver Falls.
Schedule an appointment today for a lawyer to
protect your rights.

412.780.0008

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Consultation Today!

Family
Law Practice

Call Any Time - Evenings Weekends

Legal Links:
Law libraries
Beaver County
http://www.co.beaver.pa.us/lawlibrary/
http://library.lawschool.cornell.edu/
Local rules:
http://www.co.beaver.pa.us/Courts/local%20rules/localrules.htm
Pennsylvania,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania
for "lawyers": lawyer referral: http://www.bcba-pa.org/lrs.asp
Lawyer and attorney
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawyer
"attorneys" and bar members:
http://www.bcba-pa.org/members_bar.asp

Our family law practice handles divorce (fault and no fault). Each attorney at our firm
handles claims for child custody (grandparent, parent, father, mother, step parent,
interstate), dependency hearings, PFA (protection from abuse), support (spousal support,
alimony pendente lite, child support), prenuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements, and
adoption. We always work with opposing counsel to bring your divorce, support, or custody
matter to an efficient and reasonable resolution. We will look at the relative income of each
party involved in your case get a fair sense of the support obligation. Emotions often run high
during a family law dispute, so why prolong the situation or make it more difficult (or
expensive) than it needs to be? Why spend more on legal fees for divorce, alimony, spousal
support, or child custody than necessary? We suggest that you rely on an experienced family
law attorney who will seek an agreement and early resolution of all support (APL and
spousal), child custody and divorce matters when possible in Pennsylvania.

Family Law:
Family Law Court Beaver County
http://www.co.beaver.pa.us/Juvenile/custody.htm

Divorce:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divorce
http://www.lawyers.com/Divorce/browse-by-location.html?site=7
31&CMP=KAC-731A
http://www.panzerfamilylaw.com/
Divorce forms:
http://family.findlaw.com/divorce/divorce-forms/
Law governing families in Pennsylvania:
http://members.aol.com/StatutesPA/23.html
Family law, divorce, support:
http://family.findlaw.com/
Divorce and property:
http://family.findlaw.com/divorce/divorce-property/divorce-comm
unal-property.html
Seperate property, non-marital:
http://family.findlaw.com/divorce/divorce-property/divorce-separ
ate-property.html
Divorce assets:
http://family.findlaw.com/divorce/divorce-property/divorce-hidde
n-assets.html
Divorce Laws in Pennsylvania:
http://members.aol.com/StatutesPA/23.html

Equitable Distribution:
http://www.mbr-law.com/equitabledistribution.htm
http://family.findlaw.com/marriage/marriage-more/couples-owne
rship.html

Support Obligations:
http://www.pennglazier.com/support2006/support.html#Note_3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_support
http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/231/chapter1910/s1910.16-
4.html
http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/231/chapter1910/s1910.16-
2.html

Child Support Law:
http://www.mbr-law.com/custodysupport.htm#child%20support
Support laws in Pennsylvania:
http://members.aol.com/StatutesP4/23.Cp.43B.html
Alimony claim:
http://family.findlaw.com/divorce/divorce-alimony/
Claim for spousal support:
http://family.findlaw.com/divorce/divorce-alimony/alimony-definit
ion.html
Alimony pendente lite
http://family.findlaw.com/divorce/divorce-alimony/temporary-ali
mony.html

Child Custody:
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_custody
Popular sites:
http://www.srislawyer.com/PracticeAreas/CHILD-CUSTODY.asp
Child Custody in Beaver County
http://www.co.beaver.pa.us/Juvenile/custody.htm
Beaver County Children and Youth Center
http://www.co.beaver.pa.us/CYS/Direct.htm
Custody of Children Laws in Pennsylvania:
http://members.aol.com/StatutesPA/23.Cp.53.html
http://www.co.beaver.pa.us/lawlibrary/Child_custody.htm
http://www.co.beaver.pa.us/lawlibrary/forms/Custody_CertifOfRe
adiness.pdf
Adoption laws in Pennsylvania:
http://members.aol.com/StatutesPA/23.Cp.25.html
Allegheny County Children Youth Services
http://www.alleghenycounty.us/dhs/cyf.aspx

412.780.0008

Email Questions: FreeCaseEvaluation

Locations:
Beaver County
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaver_County,_Pennsylvania
Beaver County Area
http://www.beavercountychamber.com/
Beaver County Courty System
http://www.co.beaver.pa.us/Courts/JurorsInstructions.htm
Pittsburgh sites,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh area
http://www.pittsburgkschamber.com/
http://www.lawlib.duq.edu/,
City of Pittsburgh http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/
Pittsburgh Law Department
http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/law/
Allegheny County
http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/
Pennsylvania court system
http://www.courts.state.pa.us/
Greensburg, http://www.city.greensburg.pa.us/
Westmoreland County Bar Association
http://www.westbar.org/
Westmoreland County Court System
http://www.co.westmoreland.pa.us/
Uniontown
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniontown,_Pennsylvania
Washington bar
Lawrence County Bar,
http://www.lawrencecountylawyers.com/images/localrules.pdf
Washington County Courts
http://www.co.washington.pa.us/index.aspx
Washington County Children and Youth
http://www.co.washington.pa.us/maindepartment.aspx?menuDept
=109
http://www.co.washington.pa.us/downloads/262.pdf

Legal Question? Get FREE Answers!

412.780.0008

Western Pennsylvania
Elliott & Davis, PC
425 First Avenue,
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
412.780.0008