Domestic partnership in Pennsylvania (pa)

Some couples choose to live together rather than marry, hence worry if Pennsylvania permits domestic partnership. They might decide to choose this course for monetary reasons, such as taxes and Social Security benefits, or for other emotional or psychological factors. Pennsylvania does not recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships on a state-by-state basis, although it […]

Kansas divorce law

Kansas divorce law aside, divorce, however, has a significant impact on a lot of people around the country. Even though some couples may have no choice but to divorce, no one has to live with the financial consequences of doing so. Any sense of financial security you had during your marriage won’t be destroyed if […]

Withholding children from grandparents

Withholding children from grandparents: Note that this can be a problem because grandparents can form close relationships with their grandchildren that last a lifetime. They play a significant part in their lives. A parent has no legal duty to permit a grandparent to see their grandchild. The exception is where the grandparent has obtained a […]

What happens when someone dies without heirs

What happens when someone dies without heirs is that the rules of intestate succession apply. Practically every jurisdiction uses these laws to try to replicate what would happen if a will existed. In most circumstances, a decedent’s property passes to any of his or her remaining heirs. What happens, though, if a person dies without […]

Does guardianship override parental rights?

Does guardianship override parental rights? Yes, guardianship rights may trump a biological parent’s preferences. However, guardianship and parental rights are interchangeable at times. The order placed is the main distinction. A guardian may therefore have custody of a child even though the parent retains parental rights.  Then what happens when there is a disagreement between […]

Siblings’ rights after parents’ death

SIBLINGS’ RIGHTS AFTER PARENTS’ DEATH The death of one’s parents comes with severe physical, emotional, and psychological trauma for you and your siblings. It can also open the floodgates to disputes between you and your siblings. Such issues over siblings’ rights pertain to who inherits what and who administers the estate. Will interpretation, will fraud, […]

Is a stepparent a legal guardian?

A “stepparent,” that is, a stepfather or stepmother, is the person who marries a child’s biological parent after the death or divorce of the other parent. They apparently do not have a biological relationship to the child. They are disregarded as parents under the law, despite being referred to as “step parents.” The next question is: Is a stepparent […]