Experienced, Personalized And Effective Legal Solutions
For more than 40+ years, the attorneys at Gusty A.E. Sunseri & Associates, P.C., have produced trusted legal results for our clients.
When thinking about wills & estates planning, have you given any thought recently to end-of-life issues? Though they are not necessarily pleasant topics to think about, planning in advance could greatly help your loved ones when the time comes. One legal document to consider is a Power of Attorney. This...
As the new school year begins for families throughout the Commonwealth, divorced or separated parents face a variety of issues regarding child custody. One problem that commonly arises is that of transportation to and from school. Pennsylvania courts recently settled one such issue and determined that a school district must...
It is well known that Pennsylvania has a very aging population. Accordingly, I have many clients inquire about the “Probate Process” in the various Pennsylvania counties. Quite simply, when an individual dies, they either die with or without a Will. If they die without a Will, it is called dying...
In our family law practice, our lawyers often address questions and misconceptions regarding how long it takes to obtain a divorcein Pennsylvania. While the answer can be complicated, prospective clients are often trying to find the quickest path to achieve one. There are two no-fault grounds for divorce: (1) mutual...
The standard rule in Pennsylvania regarding the tax treatment of alimony payments in a divorceis that payments made by the payor are tax-deductible and that payments received by the payee constitute taxable income. However, there is an important caveat to this rule. The U.S. Tax Code only permits alimony to...
If you’ve pled guilty or have been convicted of a DUI, odds are that your driver’s license has been suspended. It is standard operating procedure in the Pennsylvania judicial system to revoke the driving privileges of those that are guilty of driving under the influence. However, if you are caught...
With Mother’s Day having recently passed and Father’s Day fast approaching, separated and divorced couples face unique issues regarding child custody on these days. Often, these “minor” holidays are lost in the shuffle when a couple anticipates which parent will have custody of the child or children on major holidays...
Last week, a Swiss court ordered a Russian billionaire to pay more than $4.5 billion to his ex-wife in what constitutes the divorce in world history. The 47-year-old Dmitry Rybolovev made his fortune from potash mining and is known as the “fertilizer king.” He is also the owner of the...
After a couple finalizes a divorce, both parties begin the process of moving on with their respective lives. With that process comes dating, living together, and possible remarriage. However, if the terms of the divorce settlement or court order include an award of alimony for one party, he or she...
On April 29th, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that police officers in the Commonwealth no longer need a warrant to search a citizens’ vehicle. Prior to the Court’s decision, an individual could refuse an officer’s request to search their vehicle. If the citizen refused, the police would typically need a...
In our Blog on Marriage and Divorce, we have looked at the many negative consequences of divorceon the individuals and the damaging, long term effects on the children. Let me strongly repeat, to those parents considering or in the process of divorce, it is not easy for children to cope...
One of the realities for clients that are involved in child support or spousal support is that the parties’ income fluctuates during the course of the order. A support is always modifiable and either party can petition the court to have the order modified at any time. So, for example,...
Although it should go without saying in this day in age, anything you post on the internet may come back to haunt you in the future. This is especially true when it comes to litigating a child custody or divorcecase. As a family law attorney, my colleagues and I routinely...
In my practice, I prepare a significant number of wills & estates. Most people understand that the gifts that they make in a will or trust will pass to the person they desire upon the testator’s death. However, it isn’t always so clear when it comes to life insurance policies,...
I have written previously about the expiration of a child support order and have discussed that the order doesn’t necessarily expire when the child turns 18 years of age. The recent case involving a New Jersey teenager suing her parents for support (among other things) casts a new light on...
The consequences of how divorceaffects the children are sometimes unintended. In my last writing, I stated that many children of divorced parents have to deal with many emotional issues, such as depression, rebellious behaviors and more. Most parents going through a divorce usually become very self-centered and find themselves engaged...
One of the primary concerns that Parents debate in child custody cases is which parent should have custody of the child on school nights. Now, there are a number of factors that go into determining which parent should have custody on those evenings including: which parent is more likely to...
So the stock market is breaking new highs. One would think that the result should be happier home life as family portfolios start to bulge faster than Chris Christie’s waist line, but the fact of the matter is that recent U. S. Census Bureau data shows that the divorcerate in...
The importance of sex in marriage. It is said that the three main keys to a successful marriage are communication, money and sex. How well or how badly these three keys are handled will determine the success or failure of a marriage (divorce). The scriptures state in Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage...
In family law, the issues of paternity and child support are some of the most common and tend to go hand in hand. Often, a putative father will ask for a paternity test when the child’s mother files for support. If the Court determines that it is appropriate to conduct...
When a client comes to me regarding a minor criminal defense matter, one of the greatest concerns they have is what impact a possible conviction can have on their criminal record and if the incident can be expunged. A person’s criminal record can be expunged under a number of circumstances...
The scriptures states in Ephesians 5:22-23 “Wives, submit yourselves to your husband as you do to The Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church, his body, of which he is the Savior.” The key here is the word “submit”....
When a client comes to me to discuss a DUI, there is always confusion regarding the officer’s use of field sobriety tests. First, a field sobriety test is just one tool at the officer’s disposal in forming probable cause to make an arrest for DUI. Pennsylvania courts have determined that...