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Family Law Lawyers Serving Delaware, Chester, & Philadelphia Counties

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Compassionate Family Lawyers Protecting Your Family's Future

Family law matters are among the most emotionally challenging legal issues you'll ever face. Whether you're going through a divorce, fighting for custody of your children, or expanding your family through adoption, you need experienced attorneys who understand both the legal complexities and emotional sensitivities involved. At Schuster Law, our Pennsylvania family law attorneys have been helping families navigate difficult transitions with compassion and skill for over 30 years.

We understand that family law isn't just about legal procedures - it's about protecting your children, preserving your financial security, and building a foundation for your family's future. Our experienced family lawyers provide both compassionate guidance and aggressive advocacy to ensure your rights are protected throughout the process.

Call (610) 892-9200 for a confidential consultation with experienced Pennsylvania family law attorneys.

Meet Our Family Law Legal Team

Our experienced Pennsylvania family law attorneys bring decades of combined experience to every case, handling the full spectrum of family law matters with sensitivity and skill. We understand that every family situation is unique, and we tailor our approach to meet your specific needs and goals.

Our lawyers are here to provide both compassionate advice and practical legal counseling. We also work with accountants, tax and financial planners, valuation consultants, and investigators to provide the additional expertise that complex family law matters sometimes require.

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Comprehensive Family Law Services

We handle a complete range of family law matters throughout Pennsylvania:

Divorce and Legal Separation

Protecting your interests through life's most challenging transitions:

Contested Divorce:

  • Complex asset division and property disputes
  • High-conflict custody and visitation battles
  • Spousal support and alimony negotiations
  • Business valuation and division
  • Hidden asset investigations

Uncontested Divorce:

  • Streamlined proceedings for amicable divorces
  • Collaborative divorce approaches
  • Settlement agreement drafting and review
  • Court filing and procedure management

Legal Separation:

  • Formal separation agreements
  • Temporary custody and support arrangements
  • Asset protection during separation
  • Conversion to divorce proceedings when appropriate

Child Custody and Parenting Plans

Protecting your relationship with your children:

Physical and Legal Custody:

  • Primary, shared, and sole custody arrangements
  • Visitation schedules and holiday planning
  • Long-distance parenting arrangements
  • Grandparent and third-party custody rights

Custody Modifications:

  • Changing circumstances affecting custody
  • Relocation and move-away cases
  • Parental alienation issues
  • Emergency custody modifications

Parenting Plans:

  • Comprehensive parenting time schedules
  • Decision-making authority agreements
  • Communication protocols between parents
  • Dispute resolution mechanisms

Child Support

Ensuring your children receive proper financial support:

Child Support Establishment:

  • Income calculation and support guidelines
  • Deviation from standard support amounts
  • Healthcare and childcare expense allocation
  • Educational expense planning

Child Support Modification:

  • Changed financial circumstances
  • Job loss or income reduction
  • Increased earning capacity
  • Cost of living adjustments

Child Support Enforcement:

  • Wage garnishment and asset seizure
  • Contempt proceedings for non-payment
  • Interstate support enforcement
  • License suspension and other penalties

Protection from Abuse (PFA)

Immediate protection for domestic violence victims:

  • Emergency PFA order applications
  • Final PFA hearing representation
  • Violation of protection order enforcement
  • Safety planning and resource coordination
  • Criminal case coordination

Adoption

Building families through legal adoption:

Private Adoption:

  • Birth parent rights and counseling
  • Interstate adoption procedures
  • Native American tribal membership issues
  • Open adoption agreements and arrangements

Agency Adoption:

  • Public and private agency coordination
  • International adoption procedures
  • Special needs adoption support
  • Post-adoption legal services

Step-parent Adoption:

  • Consent and termination procedures
  • Family integration planning
  • Legal name changes
  • Birth certificate modifications

Asset Division and Property Rights

Protecting your financial future:

Marital Property Division:

  • Real estate and home equity division
  • Business valuation and ownership transfer
  • Retirement account and pension division
  • Investment portfolio allocation

Separate vs. Marital Property:

  • Pre-marital asset protection
  • Inheritance and gift classification
  • Commingled asset analysis
  • Property tracing and valuation

Debt Division:

  • Mortgage and loan responsibility
  • Credit card and consumer debt allocation
  • Tax liability assignment
  • Business debt and guaranty issues

Unmarried Couples and Cohabitation

Legal protection for non-married relationships:

  • Cohabitation agreements
  • Property rights and ownership
  • Parental rights establishment
  • Separation and asset division

LGBTQ+ Family Law

Specialized services for LGBTQ+ families:

  • Same-sex marriage and divorce
  • Adoption by same-sex couples
  • Surrogacy and assisted reproduction
  • Parental rights establishment
  • Name change and gender marker correction

Family Law Mediation

Alternative dispute resolution for family matters:

  • Divorce mediation services
  • Custody and parenting plan mediation
  • Property division mediation
  • Post-divorce conflict resolution

Why You Need a Divorce Attorney

Divorce is never an easy process, even when those involved are on good terms. Emotions get in the way, and a once calm situation can quickly spiral out of control.

Protecting Your Legal Rights

  • Understanding Pennsylvania divorce laws and procedures
  • Ensuring proper asset disclosure and valuation
  • Protecting retirement accounts and future earnings
  • Securing fair spousal support and alimony
  • Avoiding costly mistakes that could affect you for years

Emotional Support and Objectivity

When you choose to work with an experienced divorce attorney, you've taken the first step to ensuring that the divorce will be fair. Your attorney can act as a mediator and will make sure everything follows the letter of the law. This ensures that no mistakes are made, that a clear and binding agreement is in place, and that overall stress levels are reduced.

Complex Asset Protection

  • Business ownership and valuation issues
  • Professional practice and license values
  • Hidden asset investigation and discovery
  • Tax consequence analysis and planning
  • Debt allocation and liability protection

Child-Related Matters

  • Custody and visitation rights protection
  • Child support calculation and enforcement
  • Parenting plan development and implementation
  • Protecting children from high-conflict situations

When You Need a Child Custody Attorney

You may be unsure if you need a child custody attorney. The following are signs that you should seriously consider speaking with an attorney about your custody situation:

1. Jurisdictional Complications

Do you and your ex live in different states or even different countries? This can greatly complicate the situation given that different areas have different laws regarding child custody.

  • Interstate custody and visitation enforcement
  • Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act (UCCJEA) compliance
  • International child abduction prevention
  • Military deployment and custody issues

2. Safety Concerns

If you suspect that your child will be in danger if they spend time with your ex, then you NEED to speak with an attorney as quickly as possible. Without strong legal representation, it can be difficult to show a court that you and your child need to be protected from harm.

  • Domestic violence and abuse allegations
  • Substance abuse and addiction issues
  • Mental health concerns affecting parenting
  • Criminal activity and conviction history

3. Major Life Changes

Have you been offered a new job that will require you to relocate? Are you remarrying? If any major life changes are going to take place, it's wise to consult with a lawyer.

  • Job relocation and move-away requests
  • Remarriage and stepfamily integration
  • New romantic relationships affecting custody
  • Educational opportunity relocations

4. Opposing Counsel Representation

If your ex has informed you that they are working with legal representation, it's in your best interest to hire your own attorney.

  • Leveling the legal playing field
  • Understanding complex legal documents
  • Protecting your parental rights
  • Avoiding unfavorable agreements

Don't wait - your time with your kids is precious. Call now.

How Attorneys Help with Child Support

Yes, an attorney can really help with child support disputes. An attorney can help you establish child support payments and also can help with enforcing a child support order.

Support Establishment and Calculation

  • Income determination and verification
  • Guideline calculations and deviations
  • Healthcare and childcare expense allocation
  • Private school and extracurricular activity costs

Enforcement Actions

The legal process of filing for child support or getting help with enforcing payments is incredibly complicated. An experienced attorney can guide you through the entire process, help you identify and fill out every necessary form, and can also help to locate the person who is failing to pay child support.

  • Wage garnishment and income withholding
  • Asset seizure and bank account levy
  • License suspension and professional sanctions
  • Contempt of court proceedings

Modification Proceedings

Child support agreements can change over time. If you've been notified of a potential dispute, contact our law firm immediately to learn more about your rights.

  • Job loss or income reduction modifications
  • Increased earning capacity adjustments
  • Changed custody arrangements
  • Cost of living and guideline updates

Adoption Legal Representation

Are you expanding your family through adoption? Be sure to obtain legal representation!

When you work with an experienced adoption attorney, you can rest easy knowing that the adoption process will go smoothly. An adoption attorney can help with:

Birth Parent Services

  • Making arrangements for a birth mother who needs help with covering her expenses
  • Counseling and consent procedures
  • Revocation period guidance
  • Post-placement contact agreements

Interstate and Complex Adoptions

  • Handle the legal process if the birth mother and parents live in different states
  • Interstate Compact on Placement of Children (ICPC) compliance
  • Multi-state legal coordination
  • Court appearance representation

Specialized Adoption Situations

  • Work with adoptive parents if the adoptee is eligible for membership in a federally recognized Native American tribe
  • Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) compliance
  • Tribal notification and consent procedures
  • Cultural preservation requirements

Open Adoption Agreements

  • Create a legal agreement between a birth mother and adoptive parents who are interested in an open adoption
  • Contact and communication arrangements
  • Boundary setting and expectation management
  • Future modification procedures

If you are adding to your family through adoption or you are a birth mother considering adoption, contact our experienced adoption attorneys today.

Pennsylvania Family Law Process

Initial Consultation and Case Assessment

  • Comprehensive case evaluation and strategy development
  • Goal setting and priority identification
  • Timeline and cost estimation
  • Alternative resolution option evaluation

Temporary Orders and Emergency Relief

  • Emergency custody and support orders
  • Temporary spousal support arrangements
  • Restraining orders and asset protection
  • Interim parenting time schedules

Discovery and Investigation

  • Financial disclosure and asset investigation
  • Child custody evaluation coordination
  • Expert witness retention and consultation
  • Evidence gathering and case preparation

Negotiation and Settlement

  • Settlement conference participation
  • Collaborative divorce processes
  • Mediation and alternative dispute resolution
  • Agreement drafting and finalization

Trial and Final Orders

  • Court preparation and strategy development
  • Witness coordination and examination
  • Evidence presentation and argument
  • Final order entry and implementation

Why Choose Schuster Law for Family Law

Comprehensive Family Law Experience

Our attorneys have decades of experience handling all types of family law matters, from simple uncontested divorces to complex custody battles involving multiple states.

Compassionate Yet Aggressive Representation

We understand the emotional challenges of family law while providing the aggressive advocacy needed to protect your rights and interests.

Collaborative Approach

We work with mental health professionals, financial experts, and other specialists to provide comprehensive support during family transitions.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

We're experienced in mediation, collaborative divorce, and other ADR methods that can reduce costs and minimize conflict.

Child-Focused Advocacy

We prioritize the best interests of children in all our family law cases, working to minimize the impact of legal proceedings on young family members.

Local Court Knowledge

Our extensive experience in Pennsylvania family courts gives us valuable insights into local judges, procedures, and practices.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a Pennsylvania divorce take?

Divorce timelines vary significantly depending on whether the case is contested or uncontested. Uncontested divorces can be completed in 90-120 days, while contested divorces may take 6 months to several years.

What factors determine child custody in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania courts consider numerous factors including each parent's ability to provide stability, the child's relationships with parents and siblings, and the child's adjustment to home, school, and community.

How is child support calculated in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania uses income-based guidelines that consider both parents' monthly net incomes, custody arrangements, and additional expenses like healthcare and childcare.

Can I modify custody or support orders?

Yes, custody and support orders can be modified when there are substantial changes in circumstances affecting the child's best interests or the parents' financial situations.

Do I need an attorney for an uncontested divorce?

While not legally required, having an attorney review settlement agreements ensures your rights are protected and helps avoid future disputes.

What is the difference between legal and physical custody?

Physical custody determines where the child lives, while legal custody involves decision-making authority for major issues like education, healthcare, and religion.

How much does family law representation cost?

Costs vary depending on case complexity and whether matters are resolved through negotiation or trial. We provide detailed fee estimates and work to control costs when possible.

Free Family Law Consultation

Family law matters require immediate attention and experienced guidance. Don't face divorce, custody battles, or other family legal issues alone. Contact Schuster Law today for a confidential consultation with experienced Pennsylvania family law attorneys.

Our family law team will:

  • Evaluate your case and explain all legal options
  • Develop strategies to protect your interests and your children
  • Handle all legal procedures while you focus on your family
  • Work toward cost-effective resolutions when possible
  • Provide aggressive advocacy when necessary
  • Support you through this challenging time

Your family's future is too important to leave to chance. Contact Schuster Law today and let our experienced family law team guide you through this difficult time toward a brighter future.

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WHAT OUR CLIENT SAY ABOUT SCHUSTER LAW

testimonial 1
Highly recommend Justin Bernstein. He has been amazing, and very helpful through Avery traumatic time in my life. Always there when you need him!
 
Shannan Lamplugh,

A client of Schuster Law

 
 
testimonial 2

My husband and I were in a car accident and our car got t-boned. Andrew Valentin was the lawyer we chose to represent us. Andrew fought on our behalf with the other party's insurance company, making sure everything was made right. Between regular check-ins on us and follow through on the case, Andrew made sure we were well taken care of.

Laura VM
A Car Accident Client of Schuster Law

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