In the underlying custody litigation, Cooley & Handy was able to secure the mother a series of custody victories, that included court orders and agreements, in which mother was awarded additional time with her children. At every stage of the custody litigation, father vigorously opposed mother’s attempts to secure additional custody time with her children.

Frustrated by mother’s and Cooley & Handy’s success in the custody litigation, father resorted to filing a frivolous civil lawsuit against Mother, also in Bucks County, claiming that mother had abused the custody litigation process by forcing him to make what he viewed as “unwarranted custody concession.”

On December 31, 2008 Cooley & Handy successfully convinced the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas to dismiss father’s lawsuit with prejudice. Accepting Cooley & Handy’s arguments, the court found that father could not state a claim for abuse of process based on the custody petitions that mother had filed, particularly where mother was successful on her petitions and had obtained additional time with her children.

Father appealed the Bucks County court’s decision to the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. On April 7, 2010, the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, after briefing and oral argument by Cooley & Handy, affirmed the trial court’s decision in full.

As a result of Cooley & Handy’s efforts and success, parents can continue to feel secure in their right to seek custody of their children without the threat of collateral litigation aimed at exhausting their emotional and financial wherewithal.