Pittsburgh Family Lawyer
Bunde & Roberts, P.C., is a boutique family law firm with many years of experience representing and advising Western Pennsylvania clients in divorce and other family law matters. Our firm, located in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh, PA, helps clients through divorce litigation, mediation, negotiated divorce settlements, child support, alimony, child custody, equitable property division, and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, among other areas of Pennsylvania family law.
- Adoption
- Alimony
- Business Valuations
- Child Custody
- Child & Spousal Support
- Closely-Held & Family Business
- Divorce
- Divorce Tax Matters
- Domestic Abuse
- Enforcement
- Family Appeals
- Grandparent Custody
- High Asset Divorce
- High Conflict Divorce
- Interstate & International Custody Issues
- Name Change
- Paternity
- Parental Relocation
- Partitions
- Prenuptial & Postnuptial Agreement
- LGBT & Same-Sex Divorce
- Modifications
- Professional Athlete Divorce
- Property Appraisals
- Property Distribution
If you have a family law issue, you can rely on the experienced, knowledgeable, and dedicated Pittsburgh family lawyers at Bunde & Roberts to see your matter through from inception until we obtain the results you deserve.
Decades of Services to Pittsburgh and Throughout Western Pennsylvania
The seasoned family law attorneys at Bunde & Roberts have more than 100 years of combined experience serving clients in Pittsburgh and across Western Pennsylvania. We have represented some of the biggest, most high net worth clients in Pittsburgh, fielding some of the most complex and in-depth cases. We take a client-centric, results-oriented approach to matters, working with our clients to determine the best resolution of the matter and ensuring that we obtain those results most efficiently and effectively as possible.
We understand the complicated financial underpinnings of high net worth divorces, as well as the scrutiny that can come along with divorces involving clients in the public eye. We offer not only stellar, detail-oriented and well-educated representation; we also offer discretion. We know how to keep the facts of a case out of the public eye so that the parties can focus on resolving their family law disputes.
Representing Clients Across All Areas of Pennsylvania Family Law
The experienced and dedicated family law team at Bunde & Roberts has served clients through all stages of divorce, helping clients with all aspects of Pennsylvania family law. We are prepared to handle any family law issue or family law matter that comes our way.
Consult our Pennsylvania family FAQs below for answers to many of the questions we have received from clients during our years of service. Bunde & Roberts is ready to provide advice and representation across all areas of Pennsylvania Family Law, including the following:
Representing Clients Through All Stages of Family Law Negotiation and Litigation
The experienced family law attorneys at Bunde & Roberts will provide you with advice and representation concerning your divorce or other Pennsylvania family law matter from its inception until the matter is totally and satisfactorily resolved. We provide services at all stages of family law negotiation and litigation, including but not limited to, the following:
- Negotiating your side of the matter with opposing counsel
- Representing you through mediation, arbitration, or court, and explaining the advantages and disadvantages of each type of dispute resolution
- Filing court documents and arguing matters in court on your behalf
- Handling the media to preserve your privacy
- Retaining and preparing expert witnesses, such as forensic accountants and child psychologists, to aid in preparing and presenting your side of the case
- Providing you with calculated advice on settlement offers and other negotiation tactics
- Tracking down and evaluating evidence including financial statements, hidden assets, foreign accounts, and other complicated financial documents
- Providing advice on related legal matters such as tax implications, inheritance, and retirement accounts
- Filing or defending motions for modification of support or custody
Pennsylvania Family Law FAQs
The Pennsylvania family law attorneys at Bunde & Roberts, P.C., have more than 100 years of collective experience helping clients with a wide variety of family law matters, ranging from the simple and straightforward to the most complex and high-profile of cases. Continue reading for answers from our Pittsburgh family lawyers to some of the most common questions we receive about Pennsylvania family law.
How are child support, alimony pendente lite and spousal support determined in Pennsylvania?
The court will determine alimony and child support according to guidelines set by Pennsylvania law. In Pennsylvania, spousal support and alimony pendente lite refers to support paid before a divorce is finalized, while alimony, where ordered, is paid after the divorce. There are formulas established by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that govern these the calculations of spousal support, alimony pendent lite, and child support. Your family law attorney can give you more detail based on the financial circumstances of your family.
If we moved to Pennsylvania from out of state, where do we file for divorce?
In order to file for divorce in Pennsylvania, one or both spouses must have resided in Pennsylvania for at least six months. If one spouse lives outside of Pennsylvania and the other lives in Pennsylvania, a divorce decree can still be issued to the out-of-state party. The issue of jurisdiction is a complex one which often requires a legal analysis.
Can both parties use the same lawyer for a family court matter?
No. The Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct, which are the guidelines that govern how lawyers may practice, prevent an attorney from representing people on opposite sides of a matter except under certain very specific circumstances. Parties should each secure the advice and representation of their own lawyer for these matters.
If only one lawyer is involved in a family court matter and the other party remains unrepresented, then that lawyer only represents one spouse’s interests–their advice and their work are done on behalf of that one party, not on behalf of the couple.
How should I prepare for a divorce?
Divorce proceedings will involve an evaluation of all of your finances and those of your spouse. To help prepare for your divorce, collect any and all financial documents relating to the marital assets and liabilities, including income (from all sources), assets (real estate, bank and financial accounts, stocks and other investments, business ownership, etc.), and debts, and have that information ready to be provided to your attorney.
What if the other parent isn’t paying child support or alimony?
If the other parent is not paying their court-ordered support, then you can petition the court for enforcement. You may seek an order of contempt if the circumstances warrant. If the other parent continues to ignore the court’s order and cannot show good reason for doing so (such as significant financial hardship), then they may be subject to penalties, including counsel fees and even jail time.
It is important to follow the proper procedures when dealing with a recalcitrant spouse. Speak with your lawyer and seek relief from the court, rather than taking matters into your own hands. You should not, for example, prevent the other parent from seeing the children as a punishment or as an incentive to pay what they owe. Preventing the other parent from exercising their custody time puts you in violation of the court’s order as well, which may harm your custody rights.
My spouse (or I) had an affair. How will that affect my divorce?
Pennsylvania does not require fault to file for divorce. Infidelity, if proven, may affect certain support issues. Discuss the possible effects of an affair with your family law attorney.
Are there alternatives to going to court?
Not all Pennsylvania divorce and family law matters must be resolved in the courts. Many issues (and indeed, sometimes the entire divorce) can be resolved through negotiation or forms of alternative dispute resolution. Mediation involves retaining a neutral mediator to help resolve outstanding issues among the parties in a cordial, non-adversarial proceeding. The mediator will not make binding decisions but will help the parties find a middle ground on contested issues. Arbitration is a more formal approach but has certain advantages.
The other parent wants to move out of state with the children. Can he or she do that?
If you have any rights to custody, your co-parent cannot move your children out of state without either obtaining your consent or a court order. Courts will weigh a variety of factors to determine whether a move out of state is in the children’s best interests, including whether the moving party has proposed a modified custody or visitation plan that gives both parents continued, regular contact with the children.
Reach Out for Help with a Pennsylvania Family Law Matter
If you are considering divorce in Pittsburgh, or if you have questions about alimony, child custody, child support, property division, or any other Pennsylvania family law matter, our talented and passionate Pittsburgh family lawyers are here to help. Call Pittsburgh family law firm Bunde & Roberts, P.C., today at 412-391-4330 for a consultation.
