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Our West Chester PA Family Law Practice is about bringing families together by adoption and custody and paternity; using mediation to recognize, engage and resolve marital disputes; ensure the welfare and future of our children through the child support, spousal support and alimony laws; and aggressively and fairly represent our client's interests in divorce law; both amicable and hotly contested.
Family law is that area of legal practice involving issues of the heart: our family, our children, our well being and our efforts to support our dreams.
Before you make a decision that could impact your future and your family, speak to our West Chester Family Lawyer to discuss your rights and options. Be one of the potential family law clients that make the decision to retain our services and gain our guidance and resolve in helping you through the difficult journey of family and domestic law. Speak to an aggressive but reasonable team at Ciccarelli Law Offices when you need consultation, legal advice and representation.
At Ciccarelli Law Offices, you get a team, dedicated to helping you through what is likely a difficult, stressful time with high stakes. Family law cases are often very complicated, and involve the most important elements of your life. We’re a team of tough, but level-headed low cost family attorneys, ready to take on the most complex of cases and seek resolution for our clients.
Lee Ciccarelli, founder and managing partner of Ciccarelli Law Offices, has been practicing for more than 30 years, and is a well-known name in the Chester County legal community. Lee Ciccarelli has a wide range of experience in the courtroom, and understands the needs of clients who have complex family law issues.
Not all family law matters are tied to divorce and division. When you wish to bring a child into your life, you may adopt. However, adoption law in Pennsylvania is a complicated legal procedure, regardless of the circumstances under which you are adopting or the methods you are using. An adoption lawyer at Ciccarelli Law Offices can guide you through this process and help your family make this important step.
We are pleased to be able to help you with any other family law matter, whether you are seeking protection from domestic violence, need a legal change of name, have a guardianship issue or anything else. We are knowledgeable attorneys able to serve a broad range of clients.
Lee & his Family Law Group were fantastic to work with… I would highly recommend Ciccarelli Law Offices based on my experiences.
Our family law office is based in West Chester PA in Chester County, and we group our client’s domestic legal matters as part of Family Law. We like to start our representation with a consultation to understand your domestic and family law concerns as no case is identical and there is rarely one approach that applies to every circumstance. Look for experienced family law attorneys who have the insight to understand your concerns and who are motivated to address them through negotiation and or litigation in Family Court and Domestic Relations.
When two people get married, they hope marriage dissolution will never be a part of the picture. Sadly, reality often dictates otherwise. Sometimes, one of the spouses does something so awful that the other spouse simply cannot go on as a couple. Everyone changes over the course of life, and, sometimes, people change so much they’re no longer the same person they were when they married. When a marriage no longer functions and the people in the marriage wish to move on with their lives, it’s time to consider divorce.
Even when the process is amicable, it’s a frightening ordeal to face. You have built a life with your spouse, and a divorce in Pennsylvania means unraveling that life. There are many ways to approach this including: no-fault, at-fault, collaborative, seeking mediation or litigating. It can be a significant challenge to choose which one is right for you.
Our experienced West Chester family attorneys will look at your circumstances and your goals, and advise you on what path is a best fit for you. We’ll take a hard, objection look at you situation and be frank and forthcoming with our analysis. We will always be honest with you.
A marriage may end, but there still remains the custody and care of children. For custody decisions, there is the issue of who gets legal and physical custody, and whether that custody will be shared, sole, primary, partial or supervised. Legal custody is the right to make decisions for the child, including decisions about medical issues, education, and religious upbringing. Physical custody means actual physical control of the child. As a parent, both are tremendously important and we can help.
It costs a great deal to raise a child. In Pennsylvania, the non-custodial parent may be required to pay a certain amount monthly as child support. A family lawyer in Chester County from our firm can represent your interests, whether you are the custodial parent seeking to be fairly compensated for the expenses of raising a child, the non-custodial parent who has fallen on hard times and needs a modification of a child support order, or any other child support situation.
Family law is a category of law that is wide-reaching. It involves more than just helping you file for divorce. Maybe you were never married but require assistance seeking custody of your children. Or, you want to ensure that your parents are legally allowed to visit with your children once you file for divorce. No matter what the issue, you can rest assured that the Ciccarelli Law Offices is ready to help you with your case. Call us today to schedule an appointment with a Chester County family law lawyer so you can begin working on whatever it is you require.
Coming to the realization that your marriage is no longer working is never easy. It takes a lot of thought and introspection to come to this conclusion. It is not one that should be made lightly. Once you have come to the decision that divorce is in your best interest, it’s time to speak to one of our family law attorneys. We will answer all of your questions, prepare the paperwork to file, and walk you through the process every step of the way.
When the time comes to seek custody of your child in Pennsylvania, you will need to show the court that having you as the custodial parent is in the best interest of the child. Courts will look for the best situation for the child and place them in that situation. Even if you believe the decision should be cut and dry, it is still smart to work with a child custody attorney when you seek custody of your child.
Receiving financial support from your former spouse or the other parent of your child goes a long way in ensuring you can continue to live your life. Child and spousal support are two separate items awarded by the court system. As such, you must file for each type of support individually in order to acquire either one. Child support should only be used for the betterment of your child’s life (clothing, food, housing, education, medical care, etc). Spousal support can be used for many different things but is best used to ensure you have a place to live.
Do you want to change your name? Whether it is your first or last name, or both, our family law attorneys can help you with this task. Many name change petitions are filed after a couple gets married. The wife traditionally changes her last name to that of her new spouse. However, we also file name change petitions for couples who file for divorce. The wife often wishes to change her last name back to her maiden name from her married name. The family law attorneys at Ciccarelli Law Offices can help you with any type of change of name petition in Pennsylvania. Call us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your case.
The decision to file for divorce or pursue custody of a child is a very big one that carries long-term implications. Many times, our clients are just not sure what they want to do or what they need to do. When it comes to any type of family law matter, we encourage you to set up a consultation with our family law attorney in Chester County to discuss options. No decisions need to be made initially, but you should have a strong understanding of what your legal rights are throughout any matter.
When you meet with our family law attorney, we can share with you a wide range of details about your case, your expectations for moving forward, and even what your next step could be. However, none of this information goes further than just us. That is, we always protect your privacy. No one knows you have spoken to us or that you may be considering divorce. You can ask questions and get insight while being protected.
Many people stay in relationships that do not work because they think they are doing the best for their child. There may be some cases where that is true, but in our experience, children are very resilient and thrive in a positive environment. For that reason, even if you are not sure if you should file for custody or try to pursue separation, we can offer insight into what you can expect. That includes:
While we cannot know what will happen in your case, we can use our experience to provide you with some guidelines about what you could expect.
Do not put off getting the legal help and support you need due to cost, especially if it is time to move your situation forward and leave a bad relationship. The cost of hiring and working with a child custody and divorce attorney will range widely based on the circumstances of your case. Our legal team will meet with you to discuss your specific situation. At that time, we can go over the type of legal services you may need. This also allows us to provide you with estimates for the costs you could incur.
Note that we are committed to working with you. We only work with one party in situations like this. If you meet with us, we will provide you with comprehensive, transparent insight into all legal strategies available to you. However, you remain in control over what decisions you make, and you may find that legal support can be more affordable and far more valuable than you realize.
Starting on January 1st, 2019, the country will have new tax laws that may affect alimony and divorce negotiations. It will apply to any divorce decrees finalized after the effective date, as well as separation agreements, agreements requiring spousal support, and other written agreements under the internal revenue code. Read More
Our family lawyers devote a lot of their legal practice to divorce and its related issues. We provide compassionate counsel and vigorous representation to clients planning to separate or divorce, working to resolve their issues in a timely and cost-effective manner. Our comprehensive family law representation includes all property division, child custody, child support and alimony matters.
Domestic Relations, Title 23 of the Consolidated Statutes of Pennsylvania – Regulations passed by the state legislature and signed into law by the Governor can be found on this web page. This includes statutes that outlines adoption provisions, access to domestic records, property rights in marriage, and more.
At Ciccarelli Law Offices we understand this fact – and we tailor our legal representation accordingly. We take the time to listen to our clients and understand their situations, so that we can effectively meet their individual goals. Our Pennsylvania Family Law practice includes representation in:
Our family lawyers devote a lot of their legal practice to divorce and its related issues. We provide compassionate counsel and vigorous representation to clients planning to separate or divorce, working to resolve their issues in a timely and cost-effective manner. Our comprehensive family law representation includes all property division, child custody, child support and alimony matters.
At Ciccarelli Law Offices, we are dedicated to helping our clients find resolution to their family law concerns, whether it’s a divorce, the resulting matters pertaining to custody and support for children, an adoption, domestic violence, a change or name or anything else related to family law. We seek to get matters settled with as little drama and as little stress as possible.
Divorce is only one area where the law intersects with your family and the people who are closest to you. Family law also governs your relationship with your children — who can make decisions for your children and who will take care of them. Family law governs how a person should financially support their children. Family law also governs how one goes about adopting a child and legally becoming a parent.
When a family situation becomes truly tragic, there are laws governing a response to domestic violence. Whenever your personal family issues encounter the law, it’s important to have an experienced attorney guiding you through these difficult and complicated legal matters.
The lawyers at Ciccarelli Law Offices understand that both ending a marriage and fighting for child custody can be extremely emotional. We are sympathetic to your questions and concerns about the end result. Our team will be extremely accessible, responsive, and supportive throughout your entire case and thereafter. We will be sure to take the time to explain the legal process, the steps we take on your behalf, and the expected timeline of events. We handle all family matters, including divorce, child custody issues, child support issues, adoption, and mmuch more. Contact our West Chester office today to speak with an attorney for a free case evaluation.
Our law firm is proud to continue a tradition of passionate advocacy on behalf of all our Pennsylvania family law clients. We are based in suburban Philadelphia at 304 North High Street, West Chester Pennsylvania – We also serve Downingtown, Paoli, Media, Norristown, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon, Reading and Allentown. For more information or to schedule a free case evaluation with our experienced Pennsylvania Family attorney, call our firm at (610) 692-8700 or toll free at (877) 529-2422. You have nothing to lose!