Author Archives: Jay Butchko
How Pennsylvania Courts Handle Contested Child Support in High-Income Cases
When it comes to Pennsylvania child support disputes, there are issues of fairness and how strictly the child support guidelines are followed. Disputes concerning child support become more complicated when parents have high incomes and when the guidelines do not produce clear results. In this article, we’ll discuss a real Pennsylvania family law case… Read More »
Contested Alimony in Pennsylvania
Alimony, otherwise known as spousal support, is among the most commonly disputed decisions that a family law court can make. When a married relationship ends, one spouse may be ordered to pay alimony to the other spouse based on statutory determinations regarding the financial resources of the paying spouse and the needs of the… Read More »
How the Pennsylvania Courts Resolve Custody Contests Involving Third Parties
Custody disputes in Pennsylvania can often be emotionally charged. This is especially true in cases involving more than two parents. In cases where the child resided with someone other than their biological parents for an extended period of time, the court will often be called upon to determine whether the interests of the child… Read More »
How Pennsylvania Courts Resolve Contested Alimony Disputes
One of the most disputed and contentious issues in a divorce action is alimony. Alimony is unlike child support, which is mandatory. In a divorce action, alimony is discretionary. Therefore, the trial courts have considerable discretion when awarding alimony to one party. When a litigant appeals a decision on alimony, it is carefully scrutinized… Read More »
When an Uneven Division of Marital Property Is Upheld in Philadelphia Divorce Court
In Pennsylvania, the distribution of marital property is subject to an “equitable distribution” standard, which means that the division of the marital estate will not necessarily be even. Many people assume that unless the distribution is equal, the decision can be appealed. However, the discretion of the trial court can be very wide, meaning… Read More »