Family Law Attorneys Serving Lebanon County, PA

The Family Division of the Lebanon County Court of Common Pleas handles family law matters in Lebanon County, and each case type follows its own path through the court. At JSDC Law Offices, our family law attorneys represent clients in Lebanon, Palmyra, Annville, Myerstown, and surrounding communities from our nearby Hershey office.

Whether you are going through a divorce, seeking custody as a married or unmarried parent, or handling a support case, we can help you understand which process applies to you and what to expect at each stage.

How Family Law Cases Move Through the Lebanon County Courts

The Lebanon County Courthouse at 400 South 8th Street houses the Family Division, which hears divorce, custody, support, adoption, and protection-from-abuse matters. These cases share a courthouse, but not a process. Lebanon County’s local rules assign different types of family law matters to different court officers and departments:

• Custody complaints go to a court-appointed custody conciliator
• Child support, spousal support, alimony pendente lite, and paternity matters run through the Domestic Relations Section
• Contested financial claims in a divorce, such as property division and alimony, go before a divorce  hearing officer

Knowing where each issue belongs helps you plan. It also helps keep one part of your case from being used as leverage in another.

Divorce Representation in Lebanon County

A divorce addresses the end of the marriage and the financial issues that come with it. In Lebanon County, divorce hearing officers are attorneys appointed by the court to hear testimony and recommend claims such as equitable distribution, alimony, alimony pendente lite, and counsel fees. Under the County’s local rules, divorce hearing officers do not decide custody or support. Those issues follow their own procedures.

Many Lebanon County divorces are resolved by agreement, with the terms incorporated into the final decree. When spouses cannot agree, our divorce attorneys prepare the financial record, including income, assets, debts, and retirement accounts, and present your position to the hearing officer. Pennsylvania divides marital property based on what is equitable under the circumstances, which is not always an equal split.

Child Custody for Married and Unmarried Parents

Custody is its own legal action in Pennsylvania. Separating parents often need a custody order, but not always. Many parents who were never married need a custody order, even though no divorce is involved.

A Lebanon County custody case begins when a parent files a custody complaint with the Prothonotary. The filing includes a proposed order appointing a custody conciliator and a verification of any criminal record or abuse history. The court appoints the conciliator, an attorney. They schedule a conference where the parents work toward a schedule that serves their children. Lebanon County provides custody forms and resources, including forms for custody complaints, modifications, criminal record and abuse history verification, and conciliator appointment.

If the parents cannot resolve the case through conciliation, the court may require additional proceedings before entering a final custody order. At the hearing, a judge considers evidence and testimony to determine what is in the child’s best interest. Throughout the process, our child custody lawyers keep the focus on your children’s schedule and well-being. Custody should be resolved on its own merits, not negotiated alongside a financial settlement.

Child Support and Spousal Support Cases

Support is separate from both custody and divorce. In Lebanon County, you file support pleadings with the Domestic Relations Section. Pennsylvania calculates child support under statewide guidelines that consider both parents’ incomes. When a married couple separates, spousal support or alimony pendente lite may also be available while the divorce is pending.

Other Family Law Matters We Handle for Lebanon County Clients

Beyond divorce, custody, and support, our attorneys help Lebanon County families with:

• Adoption
• Grandparents’ rights
• Custody relocation
• Prenuptial agreements
• Modifications to existing custody and support orders

Each of these matters has its own requirements. We can explain which requirements and procedures apply to your situation and help you determine the appropriate next steps.

Talk With a Lebanon County Family Law Attorney at JSDC

If you have a family law matter in Lebanon County, JSDC can help you sort out which issues need attention now and which process applies to each one. Contact us online or call 717-520-4400 to schedule a consultation.