Family courts may order one parent to pay child support when they don't live in the same home as the child. Pennsylvania parents may need to start paying financial support for their child when one spouse files for divorce or when unmarried parents separate. These payments are meant to help the child or children have a lifestyle similar to what they would have if their parents lived together. Failure to pay court-ordered child support has consequences.
Myths about shared parenting
Pennsylvania parents seeking advice about child custody case may frequently hear the phrase "best interests of the children." This is the standard judges typically rely on when making determinations about child custody, such as which parent should be granted primary custody of the children and conditions regarding visitation for the non-custodial parent. Joint custody orders are becoming more common in all states.
Shared parenting will not work with abuse
An abusive marriage is a tragedy for the victim, as well as any children who are involved. While many parents will consider arrangements for raising the children that allow them to work as a team, this isn't a suitable option when there is a history of domestic violence.
Trump budget includes $63 million to set up child support systems
Lawmakers in Pennsylvania and around the country have struggled for decades to develop effective ways to keep track of and collect unpaid child support. Congress tasked states with the job of putting such systems into place with the passage of the Family Support Act in 1995, but these efforts have often been stymied by bureaucratic roadblocks and problems with technology. However, the Trump administration's 2019 budget proposal includes $63 million to address this issue by setting up a fund that will be used to create a central child support monitoring system that states will be able to use.
Appeals court denies donor's paternity request
Pennsylvania parents looking to have children with the use of a sperm donor may be interested to learn that a New York appeals court rejected parental rights to a donor. This was after the Chemung County Family Court ordered a paternity test with the intent to determine what parental rights the man could have.
About child custody
Divorcing parents in Pennsylvania may find that settling child custody issues is very difficult, so understanding all their options can make a difference in the process. The law recognizes only two types of child custody: legal and physical. Legal custody gives a parent the duty and right to make decisions about any matter that can affect a child's education, welfare or health. Physical custody refers to with whom the child will reside.
What to know about divorce before turning 30
It isn't easy to get divorced no matter how old someone is when it occurs. However, there may be special challenges experienced by Pennsylvania residents or others who get a divorce before the age of 30. For instance, their friends or other members of their support network may not be able to relate to their situation. That can make it difficult to offer condolences or words of encouragement.
Options for where to live after a divorce
One of the decisions Pennsylvania couples may have to make during and after a divorce is where to live. If the couple owns a home, one person may keep it and continue living there, or they might sell it. Both might then go on to purchase or rent other homes.
