Divorce Attorney in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
If you are considering getting a divorce, you need to speak with an experienced divorce attorney. At Kim A. Bodnar, Attorney at Law, I have the expertise you need when going through this challenging time. A divorce can be an emotional and difficult experience, making it important to work with someone that can take the emotion out of it and protect your interest. To schedule a consultation with Kim A. Bodnar call and learn why clients throughout the 15219 area trust us to handle their divorce with care and precision.
Can I Complete My Divorce on My Own?
Yes, you can go through the process without a divorce attorney but I do not recommend this. The court system can be incredibly complicated and by missing one piece of paper or filing deadline you can position yourself to be taken advantage of by your spouse’s lawyer.
Representing yourself could have catastrophic ramifications.
Why Should I Hire a Divorce Lawyer?
When you hire a divorce lawyer in Pennsylvania, you will have the help you need to make sure that your rights and your assets are protected. The decisions that you make during your divorce will directly impact the rest of your life, especially if you have children. An experienced attorney can navigate through the court system and make sure that your case is handled properly. For example, if you are going to trial, witnesses will be called. You have to supply a witness list by a certain date and subpoena the witnesses to ensure that they show up for court. All of this has to be done in a specific order and within time frames set by the court and your trial calendar. If you try to represent yourself or hire an inexperienced attorney, these dates may be missed, and your case could suffer as a result. By hiring a divorce lawyer that has tried cases in the Pittsburgh area, you can ensure that you don’t suffer any unnecessary consequences due to a lack of experience or information.
Can You Help with My Custody Case?
Yes, if you have children it is even more important to hire an attorney that has tried cases in the 15219 area. Your children’s future will be decided during your trial, which is a scary thought if you don’t have the right representation. I recommend that when possible, you settle outside of court using Kim A. Bodnar to negotiate on your behalf. This way you have more control over the outcome of your custody case. If going to court is necessary it is extremely important that your case is built up with facts, evidence, and witness testimony that can be presented to the judge. Your case needs to be airtight because the other parent will likely be fighting just as hard. The judge’s decision typically comes down to what they believe is in the best interest of the child, so this is what you need to prove. Some ways to do so is by proving that the children have greater stability when they are with you, that their routine is set, they have access to better education or close family ties. During your consultation, I will go over your case and the potential strategy for proving that you should have custody of your children.
There are other financial considerations that must also be accounted for when deciding custody issues. Child support will be determined at this time as well, so I need to have clear evidence of how much money you make, what your expenses are, and what the other party makes. Based on how many days the children are with each of you, the child support schedule will be set and if the information is presented incorrectly you may have to pay more than you should or receive less than you are entitled to. As a Pennsylvania divorce attorney, I will gather the evidence that is needed before going to court to ensure that it is submitted properly and can be presented to the judge when it’s time.
If you are relocating out of PA, your case becomes even more complicated. As an adult, you are entitled to live wherever you want but when children are involved, you need the court’s permission to relocate. In this situation, it is important to work with a divorce attorney that can make a case for why you should be allowed to relocate and take the children with you. Clear and convincing evidence must be presented, or the judge may not let your children leave the state. Your request for relocation can be heard during your initial divorce trial or you can petition the court for relocation at any time after the divorce has been finalized.
Division of Assets
During your divorce trial, the judge will also make a determination for how your assets are to be divided. If you own a lot of properties or have a business, this can be more complicated and requires us to gather evidence that proves why the assets should be divided in your favor. This requires gathering financial evidence, proving your involvement and connection to each asset, and why your spouse should not be entitled to them. If you own a business, I will likely want a business valuation to be completed by third-party professionals and your property will need to be appraised. This way the judge can determine the value of what you own when dividing it. Debts will also be distributed at this time so if you feel that your spouse should be responsible for more than half of your debt, you need to prove why. This may be demonstrating that they took elaborate vacations or spent the money on personal items. Either way, this needs to be documented.
As a Pittsburgh divorce attorney, Kim A. Bodnar can help you to obtain the best possible outcome during your divorce. This takes skill, planning, and expertise. To learn more about how you can benefit from my services, call Kim A. Bodnar, Attorney at Law, and schedule a consultation.