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.
Bringing two families together creates new bonds and relationships that enrich everyone’s lives. Yet the complexity of these situations requires thoughtful planning so that all family members receive fair treatment and protection in your estate plan. For Western Pennsylvania families, trusts offer flexible solutions that honor both your current marriage...
Divorce involves many financial adjustments. One of the biggest is child support. In Pennsylvania, both parents have a responsibility to bear the costs of rearing a child. This legal mechanism makes sure the needs of dependents are continually met. Many factors help divorce courts determine how much the noncustodial parent...
The legal and financial repercussions of divorce can be immense. One of the biggest is what happens to a business. A frightening possibility is an ex-spouse affecting yours. Even if your marriage is going great, know how to protect your operation in the event of a split. A bit of...
Divorce impacts the whole family, not just the adults who are divorcing. Sometimes, in the midst of the stress that divorce can create, this may be easy to forget. When it comes to custody arrangements, it is particularly important to keep your children and their emotional needs in mind. Here...
Just as adults experience psychological effects from divorce, children can also struggle with emotional and mental health challenges. There is no denying the negative effects of physical separation, increased anxiety, chronic depression or perceptions of instability. Children are vulnerable and susceptible to mental health concerns, making their safety and wellbeing...
The process of divorce is no easy journey and can often be riddled with obstacle after obstacle. One of the most common errors that people in Pennsylvania and throughout the country make during the process is forgetting to include an order regarding their retirement plans. Because many divorces happen long...
Property division is always a top concern during the divorce process. When the divorcing couple owns a family business, dividing the business and their property can be complex, but it is important for the divorcing spouses to be prepared for what to expect so they can protect their interests. When...
The family law process serves as a resource to help parents work out child support and child custody concerns. The family law process can both help parents establish child support and a child custody arrangement, and can also help them modify child support and child custody when needed. It is...
As is well known, it is not inexpensive to raise a child in today’s world and children have the right to support and care from their parents. There are many things to pay for the maintenance of a child and child support helps ensure the needs of the child are...
Child custody is the most important part of many divorces. There are different types of child custody and standards for how child custody determinations are made and divorcing parents should ensure all of their important child custody questions are answered and concerns addressed. The family law process provides important resources...
A recent post here discussed how“bird nesting“ can play into child custody and visitation issues. While this is just one way to deal with this prevalent family law issue, it does show just how creative the resolution process can be. When parties to a child custody or visitation issue are...
Divorce can be a stressful process for anyone, but it can be even more so for children. Kids oftentimes don’t have any concept that their parents are even capable of breaking up, so the sudden shift in relationship and their own living environment can leave them emotionally and physically changed....
For decades, people have wondered whether living together before tying the knot increases or decreases the risk of divorce. Some say that living together first gives couples the opportunity to truly get to know each other, while others claim point to studies, including a recent one, that claim that cohabitation...
It doesn’t take someone experienced in the field ofdivorce to recognize that it is, in addition to an emotional process, a financial transaction. Marriage dissolution in Pittsburgh, in part, consists of dividing assets and debts in a way that is fair under the circumstances. This is commonly referred to equitable...
For Pennsylvanians who have children, no other family law may mean more to them than child custody and visitation. When they come up, the outcomes of these issues can completely define or redefine one’s relationship with his or her child. This means that those who have an interest in maintaining...
Domestic violence is one of those issues that most people are aware exists but fail to recognize its prevalence. There are likely thousands upon thousands of families in Pennsylvania where domestic violence and emotional abuse are a frequent occurrence. While these situations can obviously leave victims susceptible to serious harm,...
Those facing family law issues can quickly find themselves upset and overwhelmed. This is understandable, as these matters are often charged with emotion. This can be especially true when children are involved. Marriage dissolution, or even the end of an unmarried relationship that had children, can lead to a fight...
Ending a marriage comes with many important and difficult decisions. When it comes to divorce legal issues, to many Pennsylvanians, none are as important as child custody and visitation. Depending on how the matter sorts out, an individual may find him or herself part of a joint custody arrangement, whereby...
Unmarried Pennsylvanians who see their relationship with their significant come to an end can find themselves facing similar, if not identical, family law issues as those who go through a divorce. When it comes to one of these issues, though, there can be some significant differences. Whereas paternity is assumed...
As we have discussed previously on this blog, ending a marriage is not an easy time. Divorce can have a tremendous impact on one’s finances for years and even decades to come. Most often, this impact is caused by property division, alimony and child support, which is why it is...
Legal issues can arise among families. This blog has previously discussed family law issues and why it is important to address them appropriately. One topic we have touched on is prenuptial agreements. Regardless of one’s wealth or strength of relationship with his or her soon-to-be spouse, a prenuptial agreement can...
Family law matters, as it relates to child custody, tends to favor mothers. If you are a woman, this is a good thing. If you are a father who is hoping to secure parental rights, then this may pose as a barrier. For these men, establishing paternity can be a...
Raising a child can be quite expensive. When young, children will need diapers and baby food as well as childcare. As they age, the expenses may change, but they remain constant. School supplies, clothing, food and extracurricular activities can all put a massive dent in parents’ wallets. While covering these...
The decision to get married is often one that is made out of love, and this is rightly so. Yet, despite the flood of emotions a couple may feel when they decide to take the plunge into matrimony, they need to realize that they are not only making a decision...
Divorce can be a big decision, not only because of the emotional ramifications that can come with ending what was once a strong relationship, but also because of the financial impact it can have on an individual’s post-divorce life. Of course, child support and alimony can play key roles in...
If you’re about to get married, then you may find yourself concerned about a number of issues; not least amongst them is your finances. Sure, you’ve probably discussed a budget with your soon-to-be-spouse, but since you’ve likely heard a number of horror stories involving divorce and financial ruin, you might...
In our previous post, we began discussing the topic of the best interests of the child and how family courts make child custody determinations in Pennsylvania. As we noted, Pennsylvania judges have wide discretion in making these decisions and, as in other states, weigh a number of factors in determining...
Child custody is an important issue in divorce, and typically the most important issue for divorcing parents. One of the challenges parents can face in child custody proceedings is that the mode of advocacy is different than it is for financial matters. Whereas financial disputes in divorce are aimed at...
As an experienced Pittsburgh attorney, I now remember back to having a guest speaker in my first year of law school. He was a gentleman in his mid 40s that had graduated from our law school. He now had a thriving and successful practice in Washington, DC. The speaker, whose...
Although it is a somewhat rare occurrence, an interesting family law question I occasionally encounter is that of annulment in Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania, the law establishes a very specific set of circumstances under which one can have a marriage annulled. Unlike in Nevada, where you can obtain an annulment from...
Our Pittsburgh law office recently received an inquiry as to whether common law marriage is still recognized in Pennsylvania. While the short answer is no, the truth is slightly more complicated. The purpose of a common law marriage was to solemnize marriage for people who were not formally churched or...
I recently received a call from my friend’s son. He was excited. He had met the girl of his dreams and he was about to take the big step and buy a ring. As he was planning on spending about $15,000, his Dad suggested that he call me, a Family...