A 2014 report about shared parenting released by the National Parents Organization gave the custody laws in Pennsylvania a grade of D, but most other states fared no better. Only Iowa, South Dakota, Idaho, Arizona, Louisiana and Alaska received a B grade, and no state was awarded an A. Lawmakers in many states are aware that custody laws have often failed to account for evolving gender roles, and legislative bodies across the country are beginning to look at shared parenting more closely.
Study finds "deadbeat dad" stereotype misleading
Based on the results of a study that was recently published, some Pennsylvania fathers who are not paying the child support they should may be supporting their children in other ways. Furthermore, despite the common perception of divorced fathers as "deadbeat dads," roughly the same percentage of mothers and fathers who are required to pay child support fulfill those obligations.
The interplay between Social Security and divorce
Entertainment fans in Pennsylvania may have heard about the potential end of the marriage between Hollywood stars Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck. According to multiple sources, the couple is heading into a divorce that may involve as much as $150 million in combined assets. Since it seems that they hope to divorce before reaching their 10th wedding anniversary, they could be giving up some Social Security benefits that accrue to couples whose marriages lasted at least that long.
Judge halts hearing in Kelly Rutherford custody battle
A June 15 custody hearing in California ordered by one judge for actress Kelly Rutherford and her ex-husband Daniel Griesch has been halted for the time being by the order of another judge. Griesch had been ordered to fly the children in from Monaco for the California hearing. While some commentators say that the halt is because Monaco should have jurisdiction in the case instead of California, Rutherford's lawyer contends that this is incorrect. According to her, Griesch has simply been granted the right to a hearing as well, but Monaco cannot have jurisdiction because Griesch does not hold citizenship there.
