KNOW YOUR LEGAL CUSTODY RIGHTS Parents whose children do not reside primarily with them retain, nonetheless, an equal say in major decisions affecting the children. Pennsylvania has two forms of child custody: legal custody and physical custody. Physical custody is defined as the actual physical possession and control of the […]
by Gerald J. Schorr A bill to shorten the waiting period to establish no-fault grounds for divorce for certain Pennsylvania litigants has passed the state House and been voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. If House Bill 380 comes up for a vote in the state Senate, lawmakers should […]
By Lizzy Mclellan, The Legal Intelligencer February 12, 2016 A Philadelphia jury has handed up an award of $3.1 million in wrongful death and survival act damages to the estate of a motorcycle driver who died after a 2013 collision. After a five-day trial, an eight-member jury in Partlow v. […]
In December 2015, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that under certain circumstances, a step-parent can be required to pay child support for his or her former spouse’s biological children. To become responsible to pay child support, the step-parent must take affirmative legal steps to assume the same parental rights as […]
A common concern when a couple uses a woman as a surrogate to carry their child is that the surrogate will become attached to the child she is carrying and fight to retain custody of the child. In a recent Pennsylvania Superior Court case, the opposite occurred. The woman who […]
In 1988, the United States ratified the “United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods” (the “International UCC”) and virtually all leading trading nations have adopted that law. The International UCC preempts the Uniform Commercial Code used by all states in the United States (“U.S. UCC”) unless […]
Ronald B. Glazer practices real estate law, and has won numerous awards and been recognized by his peers for his dedication to his clients and success in the legal field. PRESS RELEASE Philadelphia, PA – December 2015 – Ronald Glazer, real estate attorney with Astor Weiss Kaplan & Mandel LLP, […]
A Pennsylvania court may interpret a written commercial contract by defining words based on “industry” meanings known as “trade usage.” Courts will go so far as to add an “invisible” term by inferring it into the contract. For example, a Court may add terms not stated in the contract such […]
Retirement plans accumulated during the marriage are considered marital assets and are subject to division between spouses upon divorce. In addition, the increase in value of retirement plans acquired before marriage are also marital assets.
This article deals with how courts interpret contract terms in a written contract between businesses. In Pennsylvania, the general rule is a court will enforce a contract using the “ordinary meaning” of the words in the contract and will not consider evidence outside the “four corners” of the contract. There […]