Divorce

Grounds for divorce in Pennsylvania can be either NO-FAULT or FAULT based. Before you can file a complaint for divorce in Pennsylvania, you or your spouse must have resided in the state for at least six (6) months. Then you must prove that there are grounds, or lawfully acceptable reasons for a divorce.

If a divorce is by mutual consent, the court will grant a divorce three months after the service of the complaint on the other party. If only one spouse wants a divorce, the parties must have been living separately for at least two years before the court will grant a divorce if the court determines that the marriage is irretrievably broken. Both of these are NO-FAULT grounds for divorce.

Before someone can obtain a FAULT divorce, two things must be proven. First, that he or she is "innocent and injured" spouse, or not at fault in the dissolution of the marriage relationship. Second, he or she must establish that misconduct by the other spouse has caused a breakdown of the marriage. Allowable grounds for FAULT divorce specified by law are: abuse/violence, bigamy, adultery, desertion, conviction of a crime resulting in imprisonment, or insanity.

Issues that arise during the process of divorce may require immediate legal help. We can help you:

● Seek an award of the right to exclusively reside in the marital residence
● Request that the court direct one party to continue paying health or life insurance
● Request that the court prevent a party from removing, wasting or improperly transferring marital property

Our standards of integrity mean that our firm will not represent clients who hide assets or income, or who commit perjury in an attempt to defraud their former partner of his or her rightful share of property.

Our firm represents clients located in and around Allegheny, Westmoreland, Beaver, Butler, and Washington Counties in these areas of family law, focusing on the unique needs of each client. Our goal is to work toward a fair and expeditious resolution of client issues, while avoiding the unnecessary public exposure of private issues.