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Equitable Distribution Marital Settlement Retirement Accounts Dividing a Business Protecting Assets Must I Leave the Home? What Affects Outcomes What Happens to Debt Bankruptcy & Divorce

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Home·Resources· Family Law Topics

Family Law Topics

Practitioner-perspective writing on Pennsylvania family law — the doctrinal frameworks, procedural realities, and strategic considerations that shape how cases resolve in Allegheny County.

Site Contents
Contact Us 412.303.9566

About the Practice

About Scott Levine Why Clients Choose Us Our Practice Differences Client Reviews Recognitions & Awards Office: Bakery Square / East End

Divorce

Divorce Overview Uncontested Divorce High-Asset Divorce Divorce Process Guide How Much Does Divorce Cost? Divorce Hearing Officers Allegheny County Divorce Procedures What Affects Divorce Outcomes What Happens to Debt Separation Prenuptial Agreements For Pittsburgh Professionals International Divorce Divorce & Immigration Same-Sex Divorce

Property & Settlement

Equitable Distribution Equitable Distribution Hearing Marital Settlement Agreements The Marital Home Divorce with Children Post-Divorce Planning Name Change Retirement Accounts Dividing a Business Protecting Assets Must I Leave the Marital Home?

Child Custody

Custody Overview Emergency Custody Custody Modification Relocation Grandparent Rights Paternity Custody Conciliation Strategic Filing Moving Out & Custody PA Custody Laws 2026

Support & Alimony

Spousal Support & Alimony Child Support Support Calculator Guide Complex & High-Income Support Modification Modification Procedure Support Enforcement Support Conference Is Alimony Taxable? How Long Alimony Lasts

Protection from Abuse

PFA Defense PFA for Plaintiffs PFA Hearing Process Temporary PFA Orders Leaving Abusive Marriage

Mediation & Collaborative

Divorce Mediation Collaborative Law

Resources & FAQ

Divorce FAQ Does Cheating Affect Divorce? What Does Support Cover? Do I Need a Lawyer? Ex Won't Follow Order? Can Spouse Take Kids? All Resources Family Law Topics What to Expect in Court Contact Blog (80+ Articles)
From the Practice

What This Page Is

The pages collected here go deeper than the typical practice-area summary. They are written for a reader who wants to understand how a particular issue actually works in Pennsylvania — the statute, the procedure, the local Allegheny County practice, and the considerations that determine the realistic range of resolutions.

The audience is split between two kinds of readers. Some are clients or prospective clients trying to understand a particular dimension of their own case before, during, or after representation. Others are practitioners, financial professionals, or other counsel who refer matters or coordinate on cases that touch family law issues. Both audiences benefit from the same standard: write clearly, write accurately, and respect the reader's ability to engage with the substance.

Each piece below links to a fuller treatment of the topic on the practice site.


The Pieces

Family Law Topics

Divorce Hearing Officer Conciliation in Allegheny CountyThe first formal economic proceeding in a contested divorce — and where most cases actually resolve. Preparation determines what is possible at it. Equitable Distribution Hearing in Allegheny CountyWhen ED does not settle at conciliation, the case proceeds to hearing. What goes into the record before the hearing officer is what the result is built from. Equitable Distribution: The Eleven Factors and the Marital EstateThe doctrinal framework Pennsylvania courts apply to divide marital property — characterization, valuation, the eleven 23 Pa.C.S. § 3502 factors, and what they actually produce. Spousal Support, APL, and Alimony in PennsylvaniaThree distinct forms of financial support arise at different stages of a divorce. The differences between spousal support, APL, and alimony shape both negotiation and result. Exclusive Possession of the Marital HomeNeither spouse is automatically required to leave. The decision to move out — or to stay — has financial, evidentiary, and strategic consequences most clients underestimate. Protecting Assets in a Pennsylvania DivorceWhat "protecting assets" actually means: full disclosure with discipline around tracing, valuation, expert team assembly, and the realistic application of the ED factors. Concealment fails. Preparation produces defensible results. The Date of Separation in Pennsylvania DivorcePennsylvania treats the date of separation as the cutoff for the acquisition of marital property — not as a freeze on valuation. The distinction has real consequences. Divorce Involving Custody in Allegheny CountyWhen children are involved, parenting and financial issues are deeply interconnected. Custody schedules affect support; support affects equitable distribution. Strategy requires both lenses. PFA Defense in Allegheny CountyA Protection from Abuse order has immediate and serious consequences. What a defendant should know between service of the temporary order and the final hearing.

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Where to Go Next

The pieces above are concentrated on issues most likely to determine financial and procedural results in a Pennsylvania family law matter. For broader navigation, the Information Center organizes the full library of practice-site content by topic. The family law blog contains shorter pieces, case-law updates, and notes from the practice. The About page describes the firm and the attorney.

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The Bakery Square office is convenient for clients in Pittsburgh's East End, at area universities, major health systems, and surrounding neighborhoods. Attorney Levine is available for a direct initial conversation about your situation.

Contact Us   412.303.9566