Pittsburgh Family Law Attorney

family law jgcj law

Jones, Gregg, Creehan & Gerace provide advice and guidance to families in transition throughout Pittsburgh. Our practice is dedicated to helping clients resolve challenging issues such as divorce, child custody, paternity, and related family law matters.

Regardless of the issue your family is facing, we will provide you with a secure environment in which you can make informed decisions about your family’s future. Please reach out to our office today to speak with our experienced family law attorneys.

Common Family Law Issues in Western Pennsylvania

We are well aware that no family is immune from conflict, but when disputes cannot be resolved in the home, we provide our clients with compassionate, efficient representation. 

Our family law regularly handles a wide range of issues for clients from diverse backgrounds, including: 

Divorce

Going through a marital breakup is never easy, but working with an experienced divorce attorney is the best way to protect your interests and prepare for your new lifestyle. While many cases can be resolved without court intervention, we are prepared to litigate when necessary. When you become our client, you can rest assured that we will guide you every step of the way. 

Division of Marital Property

Pennsylvania is an equitable distribution state, which means that the marital property must be divided in a way that is fair and “equitable” to both parties. This does not mean an even 50-50 split, however, which can make resolving property division issues complicated. We are highly experienced in helping our clients reach negotiated settlements over all types of marital property, including real estate, small businesses, professional practices, retirement investments, and debts.

Spousal Support

There are three types of support that a party to a divorce may be awarded — spousal support, alimony pendente lite (APL), and alimony. Spousal support and APL are determined by a formula that was modified in 2019 which simplified the calculation. Generally, Pennsylvania courts will only award alimony when one spouse needs financial support and the other spouse is capable of providing it. 

Child Custody

Today, Pennsylvania recognizes the parental rights of mothers and fathers equally, which means that the courts will grant legal and physical custody of the children to both parents. In cases where sole custody is awarded to one parent, the court will grant reasonable visitation rights to the other parent. 

Child Support

Generally, child support is based on a formula that considers several variables, including the income of each parent, child custody arrangements, health, medical, and educational expenses for the child, as well as whether one parent is receiving spousal support. 

LGBTQ Family Law Issues

Although marriage equality has been recognized for several years now, same-sex couples face unique challenges, especially as it relates to child custody issues. Our family law group is highly regarded for being dedicated advocates of the LBGTQ community and provides same-sex couples with trustworthy advice on all aspects of family law.

Prenuptial and Postmarital Agreements

Couples don’t wed with the intention of divorcing, but marital breakups are sometimes unavoidable. One way to avoid disputes about the division of marital property is to create a well-conceived prenuptial agreement. 

Similarly, married couples who experience a change in their financial circumstances, or who have been previously married and which to protect the inheritance rights of children from a prior marriage, can benefit from a postmarital agreement. Both types of marital agreements are designed to protect the property rights of both spouses,  but an agreement must be fair to both parties to be considered valid.

Adoption

Adopting a child is a rewarding experience, but there are a number of requirements that must be completed before an adoption becomes final. We advise prospective parents on both agency and private placement adoptions and work closely with them to navigate the legal process of establishing new parent-child relationships.

Paternity

Establishing paternity can help resolve child custody, visitation rights, and child support issues when the biological identity of the father is called into question. Our family law attorneys pursue and defend paternity actions and work tirelessly to protect the parental rights of our clients. 

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is typically associated with married couples, however, abuse can occur in many close relationships, between members of the same household, parents, children, other relatives, and dating partners. Our firm works to obtain Orders of Protection for victims of domestic violence and also provides guidance to individuals who have been falsely accused of domestic abuse.

Contact Our Experienced Pittsburgh Family Law Attorneys

For generations, Jones, Gregg, Creehan & Gerace have provided families with compassionate representation when they need it most. We understand the emotional burdens arising from family disputes and believe it is best to arrive at amicable solutions; however, we are always prepared to litigate. When you become our client, you will have comfort in knowing that our experienced Pittsburgh family law attorneys are on your side. Please contact our office today to schedule a consultation.

Attorney’s specializing in this practice area are: