Domestic Relations / Family Law

“Family Law.” “Custody.” “Support.” These words usually bring to mind unpleasant images; images that are tied to sad scenes of spouses fighting and children crying.

The Domestic Relations / Family Law Group at Willig, Williams, & Davidson is committed to helping our clients get through these trying times as comfortably as possible. No client is just a fee or just a file to us. We understand that we are dealing with your life and your family. These simple facts affect everything we do for you; from the initial consultation to the final settlement of your assets.

Our Pennsylvania attorneys provide quality, professional legal representation to thousands of union members, their families and dependents. They also regularly handle cases for private clients. Our individual clients and union members receive advice and consultation, document preparation, and representation in and out of court in all of the following areas:

• Adoption (for both individuals and couples)
• Child custody and visitation
• Child support, spousal support & alimony
• Civil union contracts and dissolutions
• Co-habitation agreements
• Divorce
• Equitable Distribution of Marital Assets
• Name changes (for adults and children)
• Paternity
• Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
• Protection from Abuse
• Same-sex marriage

The domestic relations / family law attorneys at Willig, Williams, & Davidson come from many different backgrounds, but are all committed to the same thing - providing clients the best possible representation during the worst of times. Our attorneys in PA are skilled negotiators and do everything in their power to resolve your situation in a fair and amicable way. We are in court every day. We know the courts - both the personnel and the procedures, and we use this knowledge to get the best possible results for our clients. We often deal with the hard cases - the abused spouse who needs a protection order or the grandparents who need an emergency custody order can count on our zealous representation. We also represent clients in non-contested matters and can facilitate the dissolution of a marriage as expeditiously as possible.

In addition, family law issues often overlap with other areas of the law, such as bankruptcy, criminal defense, real estate, and wills, trusts and estates. Our lawyers in Philadelphia are able to assist you in all of these areas.

Our attorneys are with you every step of the way - from consultation and negotiation, to preparing you for everything from entering into an agreement to a hearing in court. Every matter is important to us and our family law attorneys never lose sight of the fact that at the heart of every case are people at their most vulnerable.

Domestic Relations / Family Law: Resources

• Willig, Williams & Davidson Lawyer Kathleen M. Tana Presents for NBI on Adoption Law: Advanced Practice
  November 28, 2016
  Willig, Williams & Davidson attorney Kathleen M. Tana will present during the National Business Institute’s webcast CLE program, “Adoption Law: Advanced Practice.”
• July 2016 Family Law E-Alert
• Family Law Attorney Kathleen Tana Authors Article on International Adoption Law for The Legal Intelligencer
  July 12, 2016
  Family law attorney Kathleen Tana contributed an article to The Legal Intelligencer on changes and trends in adoption law, particularly in the field of international adoption law.
• Family Law Attorney Kathleen Tana of Willig, Williams and Davidson Discusses Handling Contested Adoptions
  
• Philadelphia Family Law Attorney Kathleen M. Tana of Willig, Williams and Davidson Reviews Different Types of Adoptions
  
• Philadelphia Family Law Attorney Kathleen M. Tana to Present Webinar on Adoption for the National Business Institute
  February 16, 2016
  Attorney Kathleen M. Tana will be a faculty member for a full-day, 6-credit webcast CLE program on “How to Become an Adoption Attorney” sponsored by the National Business Institute.
• February 2016 Family Law E-Alert
• Dividing Marital Assets in No-Fault Divorce - What's It Worth, and What Do I Get?
  February 4, 2016
  No-fault divorce laws in Pennsylvania have shifted the primary focus of the divorce process from finding who was at fault to determining the value of and dividing marital assets. 
• Do I Have a Common Law Marriage and Will the Social Security Administration Acknowledge It?
  January 27, 2016
  In some places in the United States, a couple can get married without a marriage license and without a civil or religious ceremony. This type of marriage is called a “common law marriage.”
• Bloomberg Business Mentions Willig, Williams & Davidson in Gay Marriage and Workplace Rules Article
  September 17, 2015
  Willig, Williams & Davidson wrote an article on the new rules in the human resource arena, and the officers who handle company benefits and need to incorporate gay and lesbian employees and their spouses into plans.
• Domestic Relations in the New Era of Marriage Equality
  March 3, 2015
  In May 2014, U.S. District Court Judge John E. Jones, III, issued a decision in the case of Whitewood v. Wolf, striking down as unconstitutional Pennsylvania's Defense of Marriage Act.
• Child Custody and Relocation - Don't Move Until You Read This
  February 27, 2015
  People choose to relocate for a variety of reasons. However, when a parent involved in a child custody matter wishes to relocate with their children they may be required to receive permission from the other parent and/or the Family Court.
• Grandparents Are People, Too: Custody Rights of Grandparents in Pennsylvania
  December 26, 2014
  In recent years, many states have enacted laws to protect the rights of grandparents. It is important for grandparents to know that they may file for any type of physical and legal custody when specific criteria is met.
• New Jersey Law Change Eliminates Permanent Alimony, Makes It Easier to Modify Alimony Orders
  October 6, 2014
  The New Jersey Alimony Reform Act of 2014 will eliminate permanent alimony and provide reasons to review current alimony agreements in effect.
• Same-Sex Marriage in Pennsylvania: An Employee Benefits Perspective
  June 25, 2014
  The landmark Windsor decision means that same-sex marriages performed in a state that recognizes same-sex marriage must be treated the same as opposite-sex marriages for purposes of federal law.
• How Social Security Benefits Affect Pennsylvania Child Support
  June 25, 2014
  When a parent involved in a child support matter receives Social Security Disability payments, the normal child support calculation guidelines are replaced with a supplemental and more complex analysis.
• Scott M. Orloff, Philadelphia Attorney Discusses the Family Law Practice at Willig, Williams & Davidson
  
• March 2014, PFT Legal Services Plan Newsletter
• U.S. Supreme Court Strikes DOMA Down - What Does It Mean?
  July 12, 2013
  On June 26, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the 1996 federal statute that denied federal recognition of same-sex marriages. In a 5-4 decision, the Court found that DOMA violated the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution. The decision will have significant impacts for married same-sex couples regarding federal benefits and protections previously available only to opposite-sex married couples. Currently, 1138 federal laws confer benefits to married couples including Social Security, tax, and Veterans’ benefits, just to name a few.
• How to Hurt and Help Yourself in a Custody Case
  April 19, 2013
  For a parent or guardian, one of the worst situations imaginable is to be involved in a contested custody case regarding your child. Unfortunately, for many families, going to court for custody is unavoidable. If that happens, the first issue for many parents and guardians is what, if anything, to say to the child about the case. Here are some suggestions to keep in mind.
• What Everyone Should Know About Child Custody & Child Support Procedure in the Philadelphia Family Court, Domestic Relations Branch
  April, 2011
  Whether a family law case centers around the filing of a divorce or whether parties have never married, many couples find themselves having their first experiences with the court system by pursuing their rights to child custody or child support.
• Willig, Williams & Davidson Attorney Kathleen Tana Successfully Represents Pro Bono Client
  May 25, 2010
  Philadelphia lawyer Kathleen M. Tana represented a SeniorLAW Center elderly client in a protracted custody matter and appeal to Superior Court to obtain permanency for a 10-year-old child who had been abandoned by his mother. She spent in excess of 100 hours in successfully asserting the client's right for custody.