Divorce, child custody, and other family law matters can change your home life, finances, and future plans. Cooper Family Law provides strategic, compassionate legal guidance to individuals and families in Levittown and throughout Lower Bucks County.
With more than 80 years of combined experience, our attorneys help you understand your rights under Pennsylvania law, identify the issues that matter most, and develop a clear path forward.
Family Matters. Experience Counts.
Family Law Help for Levittown Families
Family law matters often overlap. A divorce may involve custody, child support, property division, or alimony. Parents who are no longer together may need help establishing or changing a custody arrangement. Other families may need mediation, a marital agreement, or guidance through adoption.
Cooper Family Law assists clients with matters involving:
- Divorce and separation
- Uncontested divorce
- Child custody and parenting plans
- Child support
- Spousal support and alimony
- Equitable distribution of marital property
- Divorce mediation
- Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
- Protection From Abuse matters
- Adoption
- Estate planning
Our attorneys serve clients throughout Levittown and surrounding Bucks County communities.
Divorce Help When You Are Ready for the Next Step
Knowing that your marriage is ending does not necessarily make the legal or financial decisions easier.
Divorce may require you to determine what happens to your home, retirement savings, debts, financial support, and parenting arrangements. Even when both spouses agree that the marriage should end, they may not initially agree on all of the terms.
A divorce attorney can help you address questions such as:
- What property is considered marital?
- What happens to the family home?
- How are retirement accounts divided?
- Who will be responsible for marital debts?
- Could spousal support or alimony apply?
- How will custody and parenting time be handled?
- Can the case be settled without a contested hearing?
Pennsylvania allows both no-fault and fault-based divorce. Many divorces proceed on no-fault grounds, but the appropriate process and timeline depend on the circumstances of the marriage.
Understanding your options before signing an agreement can help you make decisions with a clearer picture of their long-term consequences.
Can You Get an Uncontested Divorce in Pennsylvania?
Yes. When spouses agree that the marriage should end and can resolve the related issues, an uncontested divorce may provide a more straightforward path to a final decree.
Under Pennsylvania law, spouses may obtain a no-fault divorce by mutual consent after the required statutory period has passed, and both parties have filed the necessary consent documents.
But “uncontested” does not always mean there is nothing left to address.
Before finalizing a divorce, spouses may still need an agreement concerning:
- Marital property
- The family home
- Retirement accounts
- Debts
- Alimony
- Other financial obligations
Custody and child support are separate legal matters, although parents often need to address them while going through divorce.
An uncontested divorce lawyer can help ensure that the necessary documents are completed properly and that you understand the terms of any settlement before the marriage is legally dissolved.
Dividing Property and Debt
Pennsylvania uses equitable distribution to divide marital property. Assets are not automatically split 50/50.
Instead, Pennsylvania law requires consideration of statutory factors when determining an equitable division of marital assets and debts.
Depending on your circumstances, the marital estate may include:
- A house or other real estate
- Bank accounts
- Retirement accounts and pensions
- Investments
- Vehicles
- Business interests
- Personal property
- Credit cards and other debts
Questions can also arise about property acquired before marriage, inheritances, gifts, or assets that have both marital and separate components.
The family home can be particularly important during divorce. Consider whether one spouse keeps the property or the home is sold, along with mortgage obligations, available income, other assets, and future housing needs.
Child Custody and Parenting Plans
For parents, deciding how children will divide their time between two households can be one of the most difficult parts of separation.
Pennsylvania courts decide custody based on the child’s best interests. Current law requires courts to consider all relevant circumstances while giving substantial weight to factors involving the child’s safety.
Other considerations include stability and continuity in the child’s education and family life, parental responsibilities, family relationships, the proximity of the parents’ homes, employment schedules, and the child’s individual needs.
A parenting arrangement may need to address:
- Weekday and weekend schedules
- School transportation
- Holidays and school breaks
- Extracurricular activities
- Medical and educational decisions
- Parents’ work schedules
- Vacation time
- Exchanges between households
For parents living in Levittown or elsewhere in Lower Bucks County, a workable custody arrangement should reflect both legal requirements and the realities of day-to-day family life.
When parents cannot reach an agreement, a custody lawyer can help present the relevant circumstances to the Bucks County court.
Can a Custody Order Be Changed?
Yes. Custody arrangements can be modified when family circumstances change, and a different arrangement would better serve the child’s best interests.
A parent may seek a change because:
- Work schedules have changed
- A child has different school or activity needs
- One parent plans to relocate
- Transportation has become difficult
- The current schedule is no longer working
- A parent is not following the existing order
- New safety concerns have developed
Parents may sometimes agree informally to adjust a schedule, but an informal agreement does not necessarily change the existing court order.
If a change is expected to continue, formally modifying the custody order may give both parents clearer expectations.
Child Support and Alimony
Financial support may also need to be addressed when parents separate or spouses divorce.
Pennsylvania generally calculates child support using statewide guidelines that consider the parents’ incomes and other applicable circumstances. Childcare, health insurance, certain medical expenses, and the custody arrangement may also affect the calculation.
Determining income can become more complicated when a parent is self-employed, earns commissions or bonuses, owns a business, or receives income from several sources.
Pennsylvania law also provides for different forms of financial support between spouses, including spousal support, alimony pendente lite while a divorce is pending, and potentially alimony after divorce.
Alimony is not automatic. The court considers statutory factors such as income, earning capacity, length of the marriage, assets, liabilities, and standard of living.
Mediation and Resolving Family Matters Outside of Court
Not every divorce or family dispute needs to end with a judge deciding the outcome.
Negotiation and mediation may allow spouses or parents to resolve disagreements while maintaining more control over the final terms.
Mediation may be used to work through issues involving:
- Property division
- Parenting arrangements
- Financial support
- The marital home
- Other divorce settlement terms
Mediation can also offer greater privacy and flexibility than contested litigation.
It is not appropriate for every case, particularly when safety concerns or other circumstances make meaningful negotiation difficult. Cooper Family Law helps clients evaluate whether mediation, negotiation, or litigation best fits their situation.
Patrick J. Cooper is a family law attorney and mediator who assists families seeking practical alternatives to traditional litigation when appropriate.
Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements
Family law planning can begin long before anyone considers divorce.
A prenuptial agreement allows couples to address certain financial rights and responsibilities before marriage. A postnuptial agreement can address similar matters after marriage.
These agreements may be useful when one or both spouses:
- Own a home
- Have significant premarital assets
- Own a business
- Expect an inheritance
- Have children from an earlier relationship
- Want greater clarity about property or financial obligations
A carefully prepared agreement can help both parties understand their financial expectations and reduce uncertainty if circumstances later change.
Where Are Levittown Family Law Cases Handled?
Levittown is located in Lower Bucks County. When Bucks County is the proper venue, the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas handles divorce and custody matters.
The Bucks County Family Court is located at:
Bucks County Justice Center
100 North Main Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
The Family Court Office schedules and administers custody, divorce, equitable distribution, and certain alimony matters. Bucks County also uses settlement-oriented conferences in some family cases to help parties resolve disagreements without formal litigation.
Bucks County Domestic Relations handles child support, spousal support, and alimony pendente lite matters. In addition to its Doylestown office, Domestic Relations maintains a Lower Bucks office at 2434 Bristol Road in Bensalem.
The correct filing procedure and venue depend on the type of case and the parties’ circumstances.
Why Choose Cooper Family Law?
A family law matter can require decisions about your children, finances, property, and future. You deserve guidance that helps you understand both the immediate legal issues and their longer-term consequences.
Cooper Family Law brings more than 80 years of combined legal experience to family matters throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Our attorneys help clients:
- Understand their legal rights and options
- Navigate contested and uncontested divorce
- Develop practical custody arrangements
- Address child and spousal support
- Evaluate property and financial issues
- Explore mediation and negotiated resolutions
- Prepare for court when litigation becomes necessary
Every family is different. Our approach begins with understanding your priorities and developing a strategy around the circumstances that matter to you.
Speak With a Family Law Attorney Serving Levittown
Whether you are considering divorce, pursuing an uncontested divorce, addressing child custody or support, or facing another family law matter, clear guidance can help you make informed decisions about what comes next.
Cooper Family Law serves individuals and families throughout Levittown, Lower Bucks County, and Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Our attorneys can help you understand the legal process, identify your priorities, and develop a strategy for protecting your family and future.
Your initial conversation with our Client Services team can help determine the appropriate next step. If an attorney consultation is recommended, consultation fees may apply.
Schedule a confidential consultation with Cooper Family Law.
Family Matters. Experience Counts.
