Don’t Leave A Prenup Off Of Your Wedding Checklist

Now that Valentine’s Day is past and Spring is almost upon us, many couples are starting to plan or are in the midst of preparation for their upcoming nuptials. While the focus is usually on the event itself, couples often start to think about what happens after the wedding and whether a prenuptial agreement, or “prenup”, is something that they should contemplate.

I recently wrote a post for the Avvo Martindale blog about how lawyers can help their clients navigate a prenuptial agreement. https://www.martindale-avvo.com/blog/ask-attorney-jennifer-b-im-new-to-family-law-can-you-explain-prenups/  But clients often want to know themselves whether they should even be considering a prenup.

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Posted in Division of Assets

Pennsylvania Support Changes

January 1, 2022 saw the changes made pursuant to Pennsylvania’s quadrennial review of child support go into effect.  While most of the changes and updates were minor, there are some that may impact existing child support orders.

The largest change provides for across the board increases in the child support guideline calculations at all income levels.  The rule change provides for an average increase at all income levels of 15% for one child, 16% for two children and 18% for additional children.  Although, families with high income earners tended to see the largest increases.

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Posted in Support

Third Parties Can Have Child Custody Rights Too In Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, a parent of a minor child may file an action for physical and/or legal custody of the child.  In certain circumstances, this right is also extended to grandparents and third parties who stand in loco parentis to the child.  Therefore, though it is presumed the parent has a right to custody, it may be forfeited if, by convincing evidence, the best interest of the child is served by awarding custody to a third party.

A person who stands in loco parentis has created a parent-like relationship to the child sufficient to warrant providing that individual the right to seek continued contact with the child.  This status can be conferred upon any third party, including, but not limited to, current or ex-spouses or partners, friends, siblings, and distant relatives.  The Pennsylvania Supreme Court in the case of T.B. v. L.R.M. provided a succinct definition of how a third party may establish a parent-like relationship:

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Posted in Custody

Never Again – How Kayden’s Law Seeks to Protect Pennsylvania’s Children From Abuse

“Dogs have more rights than children.”

These are the powerful, haunting words spoken by the aunt of Kayden Mancuso, a 7-year old child who was brutally bludgeoned to death by her Father, Jeffery Mancuso, on August 6, 2018, only a few short months after her Father was awarded partial, unsupervised custody pursuant to a Court Order entered May 21, 2018.  Unfortunately, Kayden’s death was not the first, nor the last, to occur at the hands of a parent where warning signs were present.  But it was Kayden’s death which spurred the introduction of SB 868, also known as “Kayden’s Law.”  In order to understand how we got here, and why changes to our law are necessary, we must review the custody analysis in Pennsylvania and how Kayden’s custody order was a legally-sound result of insufficient legislation.

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Posted in Custody

Jennifer Brandt was Featured on Court TV

Jennifer Brandt, chair of the firm’s Family Law Practice, was a guest on Court TV discussing updates in the George Floyd and Amber Guyger cases.

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Posted in Uncategorized

Jennifer Brandt Appears on Fox 29 News Discussing the Status of Divorce Proceedings during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Jennifer Brandt, chair of the firm’s Family Law Group, was a guest on Fox 29 News discussing the current status of divorce proceedings in light of COVID-19.

Watch here: https://www.fox29.com/video/833760

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Jennifer Brandt Appears on Fox 29 News

Jennifer Brandt, chair of the firm’s Family Law Practice, appeared on Fox 29 News to discuss the New Jersey couple who is suing a Manhattan fertility clinic.

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Posted in Uncategorized

Jennifer Brandt a Guest on Court TV

Jennifer Brandt, chair of the firm’s Family Law Practice, appeared on Court TV discussing Amaud Arbery and the latest in the Baby Evelyn case. 

To listen to Jennifer’s legal take, click here.

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Posted in Uncategorized

Jennifer Brandt Appears on Court TV

Jennifer Brandt, chair of the firm’s Family Law Practice, was a guest on Court TV  discussing Chad and Lori Vallow Daybell and her missing children, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan, the Cleveland cold case mystery, and Juan Martinez’s appeal to get his job back with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

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Jennifer Brandt a Guest on Court TV

Jennifer Brandt appeared on Court TV discussing three top of the news cases: Bodycam shows Gilbert Police interview Lori Vallow after husband tried to get her mentally evaluated; Chicago’s County Jail Is Facing The U.S.’ Worst COVID-19 Outbreak; and Paul Hildwin now free after spending 28 years on death row for a Florida murder. Jennifer even spent some time talking about Tiger King.

To listen to Jennifer’s legal take, click here.

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Posted in Uncategorized
About Family Law Focus
The Family Law Focus blog provides highlights, updates and insights on complex family disputes including divorce, division of property, and alimony; child and spousal support; child custody; domestic violence; pre- and post-nuptial agreements; name changes; and adoption or termination of parental rights.
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The Editor

Attorney Jennifer A. Brandt, chair of Cozen O'Connor's Family Law practice, has represented a wide variety of clients in hundreds of family law cases in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Jennifer is a regular legal commentator on national and local television outlets such as CNN, Fox New Network, HLN, MSNBC, Fox29, ABC News, NBC and CBS and frequently writes and contributes to articles in numerous publications, including the Huffington Post, Fox Business.com, The PhiIly Post, Avvo.com, Allparenting.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Business Journal, the National Law Journal, and Main Line Today magazine.
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