Family Law Year in Review

The legalization of same sex marriage by the U.S. Supreme Court last June clearly leads the list of important developments in family law this past year. Raising same sex matrimony to a parity with traditional man-woman marriages creates a tsunami of legal ramifications in the areas of divorce, custody and adoption. It will take time for some of the thornier issues, such as establishing timelines for joint asset accrual and onset of a legal relationship, to reach the courts. It is coming, though, and family lawyers like me have a new area of law to explore.

In Pennsylvania, the progress of the Collaborative Law Act in 2015 is also significant. The Act, which would unify and make more consistent the use of Collaborative Law in divorce cases in the state, received the support of the Pennsylvania Bar Association this year. It needs a sponsor to introduce it to the state legislature, where the budget debate has sidetracked all other initiatives. Still, progress was made, and family lawyers trained in this relatively new method of divorce, which keeps spouses out of court, have reason to be hopeful for 2016.

On a more local front, Bucks County opened its new Justice Center in Doylestown this past year. The Bucks County Domestic Relations division of the Court continued to expand its online availability to those seeking or paying child support; that email contact is csbucks@pacses.com.

Here in our offices, we’ve seen a busy year working on divorces, prenuptial agreements, custody and adoptions, Wills and name changes. As this is a time to make New Year’s Resolutions, here is mine: I resolve that 2016 will be a year in which I strive to listen more deeply to my clients, hearing the person behind the legal issues. In a family law practice, family comes first, and so should the individuals who make up that family. As society’s definitions of family change, this basic purpose of the law does not.

My staff and I wish you and your family a truly peaceful and productive New Year!