How to Get a Child Custody Agreement In Place In Pennsylvania

Custody proceedings can be difficult for all parties involved, especially the children. The best way to avoid the added stress of court appearances in a custody action is to resolve the matter through a custody agreement. A custody agreement is a parenting plan that outlines how you and the other parent will cooperate in raising your children. This agreement gives you two the freed… Read more

Pennsylvania Custody Relocation: What You Need to Know

If you have a child subject to a Pennsylvania custody order and are considering moving, you need to be aware of the Pennsylvania law regarding relocation. Relocating when a custody order is in place is not as simple as just packing up and moving to a new home. Regardless of whether you want to move out of Pennsylvania or just the next county over, the r… Read more

Where Is Child Custody Determined When Parents Live In Different States

I moved to Pennsylvania from another state after my spouse and I separated…. Which state will decide my custody matter?

The UCCJEA Determines In Which State Your Child Custody Matter Will Be Decided When Parents Live in Different States

The Effect of COVID-19 on Child Custody in Pennsylvania

COVID-19 has affected nearly every aspect of our daily lives. For many of us, our regular routines have been drastically altered and we must find ways to adapt. However, if you are divorced or separated and sharing child custody with another parent, COVID-19 has possibly made your situation even more complex. You may be wondering how the current climate affects your custody order and how the … Read more

How to Tell Your Kids About Your Divorce: Advice From a Child

Breaking news of your divorce to your children is not easy. Preparation is key. How you approach this conversation will depend on the age of your children. However, young or old, male or female, there are guidelines most couples can follow to help ease the stress for all involved. I was 19 years old when I received the news that my parents were going to divorce. You may assume t… Read more

How to Get Your Life Back After Divorce: Consider Hiring a Life Coach

Guest Blog By Julie Ketover, Divorce and Life Coach Divorce is a major transition in your life. For some, the transition is welcome. For others, it’s thrust upon you. Either way, you are entering new territory and chances are you’re feeling confused and without a clear path forward. That’s where a life coach can help.

There a… Read more

How Alimony and Spousal Support is Calculated in Pennsylvania

How Alimony Is Calculated in Pennsylvania: Updated for 2019

How Long Does It Take To Get Divorced In Pennsylvania?

How long does it take to complete a Pennsylvania divorce? This is one of the most frequently asked questions here at Cooley & Handy.

The shortest answer is that the average divorce in Pennsylvania takes two years.

What Steps Do I Need to Take If I Want to Move or Relocate With My Child?

  If you have a child subject to a custody order in Pennsylvania and are considering moving or re… Read more

Can I Withdraw Money From A Retirement Account In A Divorce?

Spouses involved in divorces frequently have an immediate need for cash at the time their divorce is finalized. This may be prompted by the need to pay bills or make a down payment on residence. Often, the only significant assets of parties at the conclusion of divorce are funds in employer-sponsored qualified retirement accounts. These include 401(k)s or other defined contribution plans.… Read more

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do – Especially For Same Sex Couples In Pennsylvania

While the Supreme Court debates the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the law that gives states the right not to recognize same sex marriage or unions entered into in other states, lower courts across the country are facing a growing number of same sex couples seeking to dissolve their unions. In states that do not recognize same sex marriages, such as Pennsylvania,… Read more

Gen Y Asks: Why Marry?

“Emily Nichols is 20. She lives in Oregon and attends community college. She doesn’t have a job right now for health reasons. She found out several weeks ago that she is pregnant. She and her boyfriend Andy are taking it one step at a time. One step at a time, however, doesn’t entail marriage, at least right now.” - Oliver Read, Generation Next, on PBS.org. Emily is one of the many mi… Read more

The Viagra Effect: Divorce Rate Also On The Rise In Older Couples

Since 1990, the divorce rate among senior adults aged 50 and older has doubled. Now roughly 1 in 4 divorces involve persons aged 50 and older.  In Japan, the trend is referred to as “retired husband syndrome.” In the United States it is known as “gray divorce.” Is Viagra partially to blame? The prescription drug has energized tens of thousands of marriages. But it has also destabi… Read more

Do Parents Have to Pay for College in Pennsylvania?

You have probably heard about Rachel Canning, the New Jersey teenager who sued her parents to pay for her tuition for private school and college after moving out of their home. At the time she sued her parents, Ms. Canning was 18 years old – an adult – making the case especially surprising to most parents. Ms. Canning lost the first round of her lawsuit when a judge declined to order her … Read more

Does The Court Take Into Consideration A Child’s Preferences In A Custody Dispute?

If you’re involved in a custody dispute, you might wonder how much your child’s preferences matter. Is your child allowed to tell the judge which parent he or she wants to live with? The answer is it depends.

The judge in a custody case will almost always take into consideration a child’s preferences regarding liv… Read more

Is Marriage Becoming A Luxury Item?

"A corvette. A home in the Hamptons. A Hermes handbag. Oh, and marriage. Because marriage, too, is fast becoming a luxury good,” writes Nancy Cook at The Atlantic.com. Growing financial and job insecurity due to rapid technological changes and globalization isn’t just killing the middle class. It’s killing traditional marriage, at least among the working class and the new downwardly … Read more

Breaking Bad- Dealing with Relationship Withdrawal

Just like beginning of a relationship can produce an emotional high, the end of a relationship can be an emotional crash.  Especially where the decision to end the relationship was not your own. Relationship withdrawal can involve depression, isolation, feelings of worthlessness, and shaken confidence. People going though it will often think that they will never find love or happiness again.… Read more

Six Surprising Reasons People Divorce – And How To Avoid Them

The three reasons most frequently cited for divorce are infidelity, financial problems and marrying too young. However, during my years as a family law attorney, I found that there are several other issues why marriages fail which couples can avoid. If one of these issues affects you or your marriage, be proactive and take steps to fix the problem as soon as possible. It’s usually too late … Read more

How To Repair Your Finances After Divorce

Think dating again is hard after being “off the market” for a significant amount of time? It’s nothing compared to trying to repair your finances and restart your career after years as a stay-at-home parent. Divorce not only wreaks havoc on you physically and emotionally, it can also wreak havoc on you financially. This is especially true for spouses who stayed at home and gave up their… Read more

The Top 12 Misconceptions About Divorce

Divorce Demystified: Rumors, Myths, and Misconceptions 

Where Do You Modify An Alimony Order When Neither Party Lives In The State That Entered The Order?

A client recently asked us for assistance modifying his New Jersey alimony order. He and his spouse divorced in New Jersey and the court issued an alimony order. Post-separation, both parties moved to Pennsylvania. A change in circumstances prompted the client to seek modification of the existing order. Unfortunately, the law mandates that the parties must return to the New Jersey Court that … Read more

Separate Finances? Guess Again.

A few of the attorneys from our office were out to lunch the other day when our conversations turned to the different types of relationships we see come through our office. The one that we ended up talking about the most is what I like to refer to as the “roommate marriage.” In this type of marriage the couple maintains separate finances as if they were roommates. They keep separate bank … Read more

Cooley & Handy Awards GenZ Future of Marriage Scholarship to Central Bucks East Graduate

COOLEY & HANDY AWARDS “GenZ FUTURE OF MARRIAGE” SCHOLARSHIP TO CENTRAL BUCKS EAST GRADUATE SUZANNE E. FORBES. DOYLESTOWN, PA – Cooley & Handy Attorneys at Law, a premier Bucks County law firm specializing in divorcee and family law, awarded its 2016 “GenZ Future of Marriage” Scholarship to Suzanne E. Forbes of Jamison, PA. Ms. Forbes graduated from Central… Read more

How is Marital Property Divided in Pennsylvania?

One of the most common questions that people going through a divorce ask is, “how is marital property divided in a Pennsylvania divorce?”

Marital property is divided in a Pennsylvania divorce through a process called "equitable distribution."

Getting Divorced In Pennsylvania? These Are The Steps You Need To Take To Prepare

When you are getting divorced, you can create a stable, more advantageous position for yourself by taking several financial steps to prepare. If you and your spouse are separating on fairly good terms -- and especially if reconciliation is possible -- you may not want to take all of the steps outlined below. Many couples maintain their financial arrangements while the divorce is being process… Read more

Seeking an Attorney to Represent a Child to Avoid Contempt when the Child Refuses to Visit with a Parent

In extreme cases, when a child is refusing to visit with a parent and the court is threatening the primary custodial parent with contempt or other drastic sanctions, one tactic that can help deflect blame for the child’s failure to abide by the custody order is for the custodial parent to request an attorney be appointed to represent the child.

A court ca… Read more

How Long Does Alimony Last In PA?

People going through a divorce often wonder, how long does alimony last in PA? The answer depends on a variety of factors, including what type of “alimony” or support is being paid. As we discussed in our previous article, there are three types of “alimony” or s… Read more

How Bucks County Child Support May Affect Your Divorce

Most divorces involve couples with children. Virtually all of these divorces will be impacted by child support issues. If you are divorcing in Bucks County, PA, it is important to have a general understanding of how child support works, how it is decided, and the factors that will influence it to your advantage or disadvantage. Below are the top 11 ways that Bucks County Child Support may aff… Read more

How Child Custody Is Determined in Bucks County, PA

When it comes to custody, every county does it a bit differently. If you are initiating a child custody action or modifying a current custody order in Bucks County, here is what you need to know:

1.  Custody Conference

When To Say “No” to a Divorce Mediator and “Yes” to Litigation

Most divorcing couples want to get through the process as quickly and cheaply as possible, which can make mediation seem like the perfect option. Unfortunately, that desire to save time and money sometimes means risking a lot more, including your own welfare. Below are a few situations in which you should say no to a divorce mediator and yes to litigation.

… Read more

How To Choose A Divorce Lawyer in Pennsylvania

Make no mistake, this is a serious decision. The divorce lawyer you choose to represent you will have an impact on some of the most important matters in your life. You should dismiss most of the “information” about divorce attorneys you get from cultural and societal cues, like movies, novels and newspaper stories. Instead, do your research. Look around. Ask for referrals from those you t… Read more

SnapDivorce: Modern Divorce Mediation, Arbitration and Agreements

SnapDivorce Makes Divorce Simple Through Modern Divorce Mediation, Arbitration and Agreements.

What To Do If Your Spouse Is Taking All The Money In A Divorce

What to do? My wife just emptied out the checking account! My husband just withdrew $50,000 from our joint investment account! What can I do to stop my spouse from taking all the money and protect the marital assets? The important thing to know is that you can stop it.

You can stop your spouse from taking all the money… Read more

A Resolution We Can Help You Keep

You see it all around you every January: people starting over. Starting diets, starting exercise plans, and starting, unfortunately for many, the process of divorce. Resolutions are easy to make but difficult to keep, largely because the process is unclear. Nowhere in the world of resolutions is this truer than for something like divorce. What steps for divorce do you take first? Which concer… Read more

Is the “Best Interest of the Children” Standard No Standard at All?

In Pennsylvania, as in most states, child custody battles are something of a crapshoot. Theoretically, courts are supposed to enter custody orders that are in “the best interest” of children based on a loose set of factors ranging from parental cooperation to history of abuse to who is adjudged the most emotionally nurturing parent. In practice, however, decisions are mostly entered based… Read more

Every Town Has Its Amityville Horror

If you found out that someone was murdered in a home you were interested in buying, would you still be interested in buying it? What if the home were used as a crystal meth lab? What if satanic rituals were performed there? Criminal or traumatic circumstances that might be a deal breaker for the average homeowner are not automatically disclosed – nor are they required to be. The Pennsylv… Read more

When Not To Listen To Your Friends

Most people get their impressions of divorce from Hollywood and their friends. These are probably the two worst sources of advice for those pursuing divorce litigation in real time and in the real world. The actress Ellen Barkin reputedly received $20 million in her divorce from investor Ronald Perelman. Your neighbor's cousin may have gotten three homes and the family dog in his divorce. You… Read more

Can You Ever Leave A Child Alone In The Car?

If you are a parent with young children, I’m sure you have thought at least once about leaving your children alone in the car while you ran a quick errand.  Let’s face it, getting young kids in and out of the car can turn a 3 minute stop into a 30 minute ordeal.  On the other hand, you probably haven’t considered locking your kids in the car for an hour while you dropped in Parx Casin… Read more

You May Be Able To Withdraw Money From A Qualified Retirement Account Penalty-Free In Connection With Your Divorce

Spouses involved in divorces frequently have an immediate need for cash at the time their divorce is finalized. Parties may need money to pay bills, make a down payment on a residence, or for other reasons. Unfortunately, they often lack any significant non-retirement assets from which they can obtain such funds. This is where a penalty free withdraw from retirement accounts during the divorc… Read more

Who is Responsible for Maintaining Health Insurance Coverage in Divorce and Child Support Cases in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania law provides rules that govern who is responsible for maintaining health insurance coverage in divorces and in child support matters. The law also provides the court with guidance regarding how to allocate the cost of such insurance between the parties.

Who is Responsible for Maintaining Health Insurance Coverage?

Cooley & Handy Sponsors TALK’s 5K Trail Run and 1 Mile Family Walk

Cooley & Handy is proud to sponsor TALK Institute and School’s 5K Trail Run and 1 Mile Family Walk. The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 21, 2013, at 10:00 A.M. at the Garrett Williamson Foundation in Newtown Square, PA. The benefits will go towards increasing scholarship resources and its intensive programming. TALK’s mission is to seek out and create innovativ… Read more

Flirting on Facebook Can Lead To Divorce

Accepting the Facebook friend request from her old high school boyfriend seemed harmless enough to Monica, even though she felt a twinge of excitement at the time. At first, he would “like” pictures that she uploaded or comment on posts that she made. Then they started to message each other. Soon they were e-mailing, texting and talking on the phone every day. The flirting soon turned to … Read more

Your iPhone Addiction Is Ruining Your Relationship With Your Children

A few months ago I was at a playground with my daughter. Another father was sitting on a bench a few feet away and his son, who looked about three years old, was playing nearby. As I was watching my daughter, I couldn’t help but notice that the boy was very excited about something he was doing and was looking over to his father for acknowledgement and approval. The father, however, had no i… Read more

How To Keep The Peace During The Holidays If You’re Divorced

For adults, the holidays are an opportunity to try to recapture some of the magic and wonder of their childhoods. Children, however, are just forming their memories and feelings about the holidays. Imagine that if, instead of associating the holidays with joy, you associated them with stress and fights. That is the reality of the holidays for many children of divorced or separated parents, al… Read more

Grandparent Rights to Visitation or Child Custody in Pennsylvania

Becoming a grandparent is a special event in one’s life, and grandparents often form close and meaningful bonds with their grandchildren. In many families, grandparents spend a great deal of time with their grandchildren and play an important and active role in their lives. The separation, divorce or death of a parent, however, can throw a grandparent’s relationship with their grandchildr… Read more

10 Steps You Should Take To Prepare For Divorce In Pennsylvania

What steps a person should take to prepare for divorce depends on the person’s individual situation and the person’s relationship with his or her spouse.

I am a Woman: Do I Have to Pay Alimony or Child Support?

One morning not long ago, when I was dropping my son off late at pre-school, all of his classmates were already in circle time talking about the day’s weather. As my son joined the circle, I overheard his teacher gently reminding the class that their “mommies” must return permission slips for the library field trip. My heart dropped a bit as I thought of my son’s best friend, sitting … Read more

Should You Consider Pre-Divorce Counseling?

Maintaining a successful marriage can be hard, even under the best of circumstances. Yet, many couples enter into marriage without the skills necessary to navigate this stressful and complex world with a partner. When relationships become strained, many people seek divorce without seriously considering whether the marriage can be saved through counseling. Even if the marriage cannot be saved,… Read more

Cooley & Handy Obtains Extraordinary Reversal in Supreme Court of Pennsylvania of Superior Court Decision Quashing Appeal of Paternity by Estoppel Case as Moot

After a lengthy and, at times, frustrating legal battle, Cooley & Handy secured their clients’ right to appeal an adverse paternity by estoppel decision in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. On November 9, 2011, the Supreme Court reversed the Superior Court’s decision that quashed the appeal in the paternity by estoppel custody case as “moot.” The Superior Court had quashed the ap… Read more

Attorney’s Fees Awarded for Frivolous Appeal In Pennsylvania Custody Case

Cooley & Handy’s attorneys successfully convinced the Superior Court of Pennsylvania to sustain a Bucks County trial court’s award of attorney’s fees and to award their client additional attorneys’ fees for having to litigate a frivolous appeal. The parties in the case were involved in a highly contentious divorce. As part of the parties’ Property Settlement Agreement resolvi… Read more

Karen C. Graham Joins Law Firm of Cooley & Handy

Karen C. Graham, Esq. has joined the Doylestown law firm of Cooley & Handy.  The firm concentrates its practice in family law and personal injury law in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties. Ms. Graham is a graduate of Temple University, Beasley School of Law. Ms. Graham served as an Associate Editor for Temple’s International and Comparative Law Journal and… Read more

Cooley & Handy Challenges Order Requiring Father to Take Down Website

Divorced Father Challenges Judge's Order Forcing him to Take Down Anonymous Website and Blog About his Ex-Wife and Divorce on First Amendment Grounds.