Gaining bipartisan support, H.R. 9076 (the “Resolution”) was approved by the United States House of Representatives in a 405-10 vote on September 18, 2024. The Resolution moves on to the United States Senate for approval, and if passed, it will enact the Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act. KingSpry’s Adoption and ART Practice Chair and Family … [Read more...] about United States House of Representatives Approves Resolution to Strengthen America’s Children and Families
Family Law
New Pennsylvania Law Addresses Beneficiary Designations During Divorce Decree
Married individuals are typically the beneficiaries of their spouse’s life insurance policies/retirement accounts. Following a divorce or an annulment, most individuals will update their beneficiary designations on their life insurance policies/retirement accounts to remove their former spouse. There are situations, however, where one spouse will leave the other as a beneficiary following the … [Read more...] about New Pennsylvania Law Addresses Beneficiary Designations During Divorce Decree
The Dog Days of Divorce: Who Gets Rover When It’s All Over?
These days, many people treat their pets like they are children. Hence the term "furbabies." As a result, pet custody is becoming a frequent issue in divorce cases. It is not unusual for couples to fight over who gets to keep the family dog or cat after they go their separate ways. Pennsylvania Pets Are Personal Property In Pennsylvania and most other states, pets are treated as personal property … [Read more...] about The Dog Days of Divorce: Who Gets Rover When It’s All Over?
What the Dobbs Decision Means for Family Law in Pennsylvania
On June 24, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark cases Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which have guaranteed the right to abortion for nearly five decades. In a 6-3 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the court found that the U.S. Constitution does not protect abortion rights and that states have the authority to … [Read more...] about What the Dobbs Decision Means for Family Law in Pennsylvania
Precedent-Setting Goodwin Opinion Holds Life Insurance Benefits Are Gifts, Not Marital Property
Pennsylvania’s Superior Court, in a precedential opinion, held life insurance death benefits are “gifts” and are therefore not marital property for purposes of equitable distribution. Equitable distribution is a process in which marital property is distributed equitably in a divorce proceeding. A court will only engage in equitable distribution if spouses are unable to agree on a property … [Read more...] about Precedent-Setting Goodwin Opinion Holds Life Insurance Benefits Are Gifts, Not Marital Property
Recent California Supreme Court Ruling May Impact Family Law Custody Evaluations
While evaluating a custody case, attorneys must decide whether to advise their clients to invest in a custody evaluation. A custody evaluation is a process in which a mental health professional, typically a psychologist, evaluates the parents, child(ren), and collateral witnesses to identify issues with the situation and, in some cases, make a recommendation to the court regarding an appropriate … [Read more...] about Recent California Supreme Court Ruling May Impact Family Law Custody Evaluations
