Carla Donnelly 
In the middle of a discussion about what you are cooking for dinner your husband blurts out “I want a divorce.” This is unexpected. Turns out, while you were focusing on planning your daughter’s birthday party and a fundraising project for the P.T.A., your husband cleaned out the bank account and rented a townhouse. He … Read more
We are often asked by stay at home parents and homemakers whether they will have to get a job. While the short answer is technically “no,” it’s not that simple. No court can force you to get a job. That said, you may need to get a job depending on the support you are receiving and … Read more
Once you decide you want a “new life”, you want that new life to start as soon as possible. Indeed, clients often ask whether it is okay to start dating while their divorce is pending. The short answer is yes. Perhaps the better question is, however, whether you should. I am not suggesting that if … Read more
On March 1, 2019, Parent Coordination returned to Pennsylvania. Conflict between divorcing parents over how to best raise their children does not necessarily end with a settlement of the custody case. Not only are high-conflict parenting relationships damaging to children, they require an excessive amount of court time and financial resources. Enter Parent Coordination. What … Read more
You are both good parents and want to spend equal time with your child. You are now faced with the question of which schedule will work best for your child. There are several things to consider. Consider your child’s age. Older children benefit from longer stretches with each parent and fewer transitions. Teens often do … Read more
When you are happily married, you may decide to place inherited assets into joint names. When your marriage is over, will you regret doing so? Before you inherit, read this. Your inheritance is your separate property whether you inherited the funds before, during or after your marriage. However, while there can be some exceptions, if you … Read more
When you hear a couple is divorcing, one of the first questions people ask is “who is keeping the house?” Clients rarely ask the question that way. They more often ask, should I keep the house? Indeed, that is the better question because keeping the house is not always a good thing. Couples hardly ever … Read more
As a child of divorce, I know there is nothing more heartwarming than when your parents can get along and coparent well. No, you do not need to be besties with your ex. However, you owe to your children to strive toward more cordial and respectful communications. Here are some tips: Use “please” and “thank … Read more
You do not need to be wealthy to need prenup. What you do need is something you want to protect. Ask yourself— Is my income much higher than my fiancé’s? If the income disparity between you is great or you anticipate that your income will grow at a much faster rate, you have exposure for … Read more
Why a Blog? When my daughter was three, she asked me what I do at work. She knew I spent a lot of time “at work” but did not know what that meant. I did not think she was old enough to understand what it means to be a divorce lawyer. After thinking about, I … Read more