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Interior designer and house flipping reality TV star Christina Hall recently took issue when her ex-husband, Ant Anstead, petitioned the court for full custody of their son rather than attempting to resolve co-parenting challenges privately via a mediator. Many couples facing contentious divorce and custody matters can benefit from the privacy and control mediation affords, according to Pollock Begg Partner Heather Trostle Smith. The mediation process guides spouses or parents […]

No two marriages are the same, and so it only follows no two divorces will be the same either. While the majority of divorcing couples today choose the traditional model of litigated divorce, keep in mind litigated does not mean the divorce ends up in court. In fact, the vast majority of all divorce cases are resolved by an out-of-court settlement agreement, each choosing a slightly different route of dispute […]

Mediation and collaborative law are two types of alternative dispute resolution processes with a highly important similarity — the goal of amicable resolution. The mediation process commences with the parties involved hiring a mediator to assist them in reaching their goal of settlement. The mediator does not represent either party. The parties each have their respective counsel should he or she choose to be represented. The mediator commonly advises the […]

Pittsburgh family law attorneys from our firm were on hand to commemorate Conflict Resolution Day 2017 on Oct. 19. The cocktail reception and awards presentation, held in downtown Pittsburgh at the Allegheny County Family Division Court Building, celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Allegheny County’s Generations Program and the 35th anniversary of The Mediation Council of Western PA. Conflict Resolution Day was created by the Association for Conflict Resolution in 2005 to: […]

For many couples, the divorce process is extremely challenging, from both a financial and emotional perspective — there may be a great deal of tension between the couple regarding the divorce itself, and the high-conflict atmosphere introduced by some attorneys can lead to the provision of legal assistance that is not actually constructive for either party. Fortunately, since the introduction of no-fault divorce in Pennsylvania (married couples have the option […]

Just like every wedding is unique and different, every divorce is slightly different from all others as well. Although there is no such thing as a cookie-cutter divorce, there are some common basics that apply to almost everyone facing divorce regardless of the length of their marriage, the reason for the breakup or the size of their marital estate. Read and Understand Read and understand everything that is prepared and […]