Custody & Support Law Attorneys - West Chester, Pennsylvania

1. Is this legal? Yes! We are a law firm just like all the
others, however, our goal is to make this process easier
and less expensive for you!

2. Can I file my divorce without an attorney? If you
know exactly what forms the court requires, the exact
language that is needed on those forms and the exact
time frames required by the court, you can. We do not
recommend filing your divorce without an attorney. We
have had many clients come to us after they have tried
to file their divorce on their own and unfortunately the
extra time and money required to correct minor mistakes
could have been easily avoided.

3. I do not live in Pennsylvania, can you handle my
divorce? One party must be a resident of Pennsylvania
for six (6) consecutive months prior to filing for divorce.
If you do not live in Pennsylvania, but your spouse does, we can represent you. If neither you nor your spouse live in Pennsylvania, you cannot file for divorce in Pennsylvania, you will need to file in whichever state you or your spouse resides in.

4. I am in the military, my spouse and I are stationed outside of Pennsylvania, but I am still a resident of Pennsylvania, can you handle my divorce? Yes, if you are in the military, stationed in another state, but you have maintained your Pennsylvania residency, you can still file for divorce in Pennsylvania.

5. How long will this take? So long as both parties are in agreement and fully cooperate during the process, your divorce can be finalized in as little as 4 - 5 months if you have been separated for less than two (2) years, or 2 - 3 months if you have been separated more than two (2) years.

6. The fee sounds good, are you going to keep adding on charges or is this all I have to pay? For a basic uncontested No-fault divorce, where both parties are in agreement, are willing to sign the required documents in a timely manner, and there are no issues to be resolved - this is the total cost!

7. After my divorce can I go back to using my maiden name? You will need to legally change your name back to your maiden name. We can assist you with this process.

8. I'm getting remarried in a few months, will my divorce be done in time? We cannot guarantee when your divorce will be finalized. So long as everyone cooperates, we can give you a general time frame for your divorce; however, we cannot control your current spouse. If documents are not signed and returned in a timely manner, the time it takes for your divorce to be finalized could be extended. Please, do not plan your next wedding until you have your Final Decree in your hand!

9. My "friend" said that since we have been separated for more than two years the divorce should only take a couple weeks, why are you telling me it can take a couple of months? Because it does take a few months. Pennsylvania Law requires certain time frames be followed during a divorce. For example, if you and your spouse have been separated for more than two (2) years, the state of Pennsylvania requires two, twenty-day waiting periods once the defendant has been served with the divorce papers. The waiting periods alone account for over a month of the quoted time frame.

10. My "friend" said that once we have been separated for two years we are automatically divorced, is that true? No! Even if you have been separated for more than two years, you still have to go through the divorce process.

11. Can you represent both of us? The Rule of Professional Conduct Prohibits "dual" representation. In reality, each party in a divorce has different rights; and what is best for one party may not be in the best interest of the other party. We can only represent one party. We cannot speak to your spouse, you must keep your spouse current as to the status of your divorce.

12. Does my spouse need his/her own attorney? Everyone has the right to legal counsel. If he/she wishes to have their own independent counsel review any documents we may send him/her, they have every right to do so. Please keep in mind that should your spouse's attorney contact our firm for discussions/negotiations of any kind, your case is no longer considered uncontested under our flat rate fee program and will become billable under our attorney's hourly rate.

13. Can I make payments? Yes, we offer several payment plan options for you to choose from.

14. What form of payment to you accept? We accept check or money order as well as Visa or MasterCard payments.

15. I have more questions what should I do? Call us, we will be happy to help you.