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How Does a Child Custody Agreement Change?
When the State of Pennsylvania hands down child custody orders, they are based on the best interests of the children at the time. The state, however, recognizes that circumstances and children’s needs can change, and child custody modifications are not uncommon. If your situation has changed to the degree that...
Continue ReadingWhat Are Your Second Amendment Rights?
The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution states that “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.” In short, it gives you the right to own and carry a firearm. Whether...
Continue ReadingWhat is the Statute of Limitations for White Collar Crimes in Pennsylvania?
White collar crimes are often complicated cases that require extensive investigation and evidence-gathering by authorities before they can bring charges. However, the authorities do not have an unlimited amount of time to investigate and keep potential defendants waiting for possible charges. There is a statute of limitations, which is a...
Continue ReadingWhat Is an Expungement?
An expungement is a court order that erases all evidence of a specific criminal charge off one’s record – as if it never happened. Even if a charge never comes to anything, such as if it’s dropped or if you’re found not guilty, evidence of the charge, arrest, and case...
Continue ReadingCan I Be Charged with a White-Collar Crime Even if I Didn’t Directly Commit the Act?
While white collar crimes aren’t violent in nature, they are still serious crimes that the State of Pennsylvania takes very seriously. To make things even more challenging, white-collar crimes are often charged at the federal level because these acts of fraud are often perpetrated online. If you’re facing a criminal...
Continue ReadingWhat Are the Consequences of Being Convicted of a White-Collar Crime for First-Time Offenders?
White-collar crimes are nonviolent crimes that generally relate to financial fraud or embezzlement, and they can lead to very serious charges, including federal charges, when the internet is involved. A range of factors affect how harsh the related fines and penalties will be, and one of these is whether the...
Continue ReadingIs It Possible to Have a White-Collar Crime Conviction Expunged in Pennsylvania?
White-collar crimes are nonviolent crimes that are generally financial in nature and tend to involve gaining financial advantage through some form of fraud. In Pennsylvania, white collar crimes can carry jail time and significant fines and can be charged as summary offenses, misdemeanors, or felonies. If you have a white-collar...
Continue ReadingWhy litigation experience matters when choosing a lawyer
When the big law firms hire lawyers, they often look to recent law school graduates, evaluating them by their grades, their class rank and other simple metrics. And many of these new hires turn out to be excellent lawyers: they’re smart, hard-working and committed. But anyone who has worked in...
Continue ReadingDoes Pennsylvania have a waiting period for divorce?
You have probably heard horror stories about divorces that drag on for years and wonder if this is true of all divorces. It is not. It is true that some divorces can last years, but it is usually because they are high-conflict divorces involving complex property division or couples who,...
Continue ReadingEscaping from an unfair premarital agreement in Pennsylvania
For the last few decades, attorneys have been advising their clients to sign premarital agreements, also known as “pre-nups,” as a means of reducing uncertainty and turmoil if the marriage does not last. With so many pre-nups in existence, the number of individuals asking if a pre-nup can be invalidated...
Continue ReadingAm I completely barred from using noncompetes now?
One of the many tools that small businesses owners use to protect their business is noncompete clauses and contracts to protect their business secrets. However, in a pivotal decision, the Federal Trade Commission has voted to prohibit for-profit United States employers from enforcing noncompete clauses in employment contracts. This potentially...
Continue ReadingTalking to your parents about estate planning
Talking about estate planning can be uncomfortable. After all, you are discussing death, whether it is your own death or the death of someone you love. This conversation can be especially difficult if it involves talking with your aging parents, whether they have an estate plan set up or not....
Continue ReadingWill a DUI affect my professional license?
If you are charged with DUI in Pennsylvania, your initial concerns may revolve around the loss of your freedom through a jail sentence, paying high fines or losing your driving privileges. While these are some examples of the serious penalties that come with a DUI conviction, a conviction can also...
Continue ReadingWhat is an ignition interlock device?
If you have been convicted of drunk driving in Pennsylvania, the penalties you will face depend on the exact circumstances of your case. These penalties get more severe with certain aggravating factors For instance, a first-time offender with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of under 0.10% may face six months...
Continue ReadingDoes Pennsylvania allow child custody modifications?
Both during a divorce and after it, for many couples, the most contentious part of the divorce is child custody arraignments. And, once the child custody order is issued, one may think that it is set in stone. However, child custody arrangements can become outdated as circumstances change. When this...
Continue ReadingHow can I get my license reinstated after a DUI conviction?
The penalties associated with a drunk driving conviction can be significant. Depending on the facts of your case, you can face jail time, fines, mandatory installation of an ignition interlock device, license suspension or revocation, and damage to your reputation. Even when you think you’ve paid your debt to society,...
Continue ReadingChild custody and parental relocation
Child custody and parenting time can be contentious issues long after a divorce has been finalized. For Lancaster parents, one of the most difficult issues in child custody concerns a custodial parent who wants to relocate with the child. There are laws regarding relocation and parents need to know their...
Continue ReadingThree ways to engage in Medicaid planning
Are you worried about the costs of your potential long-term care needs? If not, you probably should be. After all, these costs can quickly skyrocket, eating through your savings in short order. That means that by the time all is said and done, your estate may be left with far...
Continue ReadingWhat you need to know about Pennsylvania’s open container law
There’s no question that a drunk driving conviction can upend life as you know it. But that’s not the only alcohol-related offense that can disrupt your future. Pennsylvania, like many other states in the country, has a law that makes it illegal to drink or simply possess an open alcohol...
Continue ReadingDUI stop leads to many other charges
Many people who assume the risk of driving while intoxicated do not always realize the risk of being charged with several serious crimes if they are stopped for a possible DUI. A recent arrest in Akron Borough demonstrates how these additional charges may quickly pile up. The incident According to...
Continue ReadingA parenting plan is a key part of a child custody order
Divorce be a difficult transition for everyone involved. This is particularly true for children. A significant part of the case will be dedicated to addressing the child’s needs and serving their best interests. That includes child custody, child support and parenting time. Regarding parenting time, there is a direct link...
Continue ReadingIs an expungement like a pardon?
If you have been convicted of a crime, there may be two options available to you to address it so you can move forward with your life. A pardon is an official forgiveness granted by the governor and an expungement of your criminal record means that it is removed from...
Continue ReadingCan I change the executor of my will?
One of the most important steps in setting up your will is selecting your executor. An executor, sometimes called a personal representative, is someone who distributes your property to your beneficiaries according to the terms of your will. Your executive should be someone who you trust to take on the...
Continue ReadingWhat happens at custody conciliation?
The custody process in Pennsylvania can be confusing and overwhelming. Learning how to effectively co-parent takes time, patience and compromise and sometimes you and your co-parent are just not there yet. When that happens, you find yourself in custody court. The custody process begins when one parent files a custody...
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