Pennsylvania Divorce Law Blog

When it comes to divorce, there are two words that many in Pennsylvania might not expect to hear together. They are "amicable" and "rage." But those are the terms that are being used in reporting about the announced split of singer Seal and his supermodel wife, Heidi Klum.

With the level of success that both enjoy, chances are this will not be inexpensive as might be expected with an uncontested divorce. Still, the pair issued a statement in which they insist their breakup is amicable. It reads in part, "While we have enjoyed seven very loving, loyal and happy years of marriage, after much soul-searching we have decided to separate. We have had the deepest respect for one another throughout our relationship and continue to love each other very much, but we have grown apart. This is an amicable process and protecting the well-being of our children remains our top priority, especially during this time of transition."

Divorce is one of those things to which public relations spin is hard to apply. Whether the divorce is between the spouses of an average Pennsylvania couple or involves someone who's high profile, the reality is that splits in which the spouses and their attorneys battle over every detail of the divorce wind up generating waves of anger and upset, not to mention skyrocking expenses. That plays out publicly no matter what.

In contrast, there is the no-fault, uncontested divorce in which issues are ironed out between the parties without the expensive, time-consuming intervention of lawyers, before the dissolution is submitted to the court for finalization. When the bones of contention are removed, there is no field over which a court battle can be waged and no reason to have to manage the public fallout.  Fortunately for those able to file their divorce in Pennsylvania, the courts do NOT require that any of the details of the settlement be made part of the court record. Once real estate and personal property (which is everything that is not real estate) are divided and the divorce thereafter becomes final, neither party can successfully claim any property titled to and/or in the possession of the other.  This renders the additional expense of a lawyer-prepared agreement a waste of time and money.  Only if something is promised by one party to the other to be given or performed AFTER the divorce is a written agreement necessary.

Film director David Cronenberg once said all stereotypes turn out to be true. As difficult as that may be to swallow, it's easy to see his point. While it's generally appreciated in Pennsylvania and elsewhere that humor about stereotypes (especially negative ones) is impolite, the reality is that it is because stereotypes are rooted in truth that satirists know they can make us laugh at them.

That certainly seems to be the motive behind "Divorce Party The Musical." This play does not feature simple, no-fault, uncontested divorce as its centerpiece. No, this play tends to look at all the negatives most people associate with the worst divorces. It debuted in Florida recently.

As we launch into 2012, there are a number of media outlets looking back over the past year and bemoaning what they cite as evidence that we live in a post-privacy era. The implications of this observation are said to be playing out in all sorts of venues, including divorce courts. That's true in Pennsylvania. It's true around the world.

Facebook and other social media are widely known to be sources that divorce attorneys have started to mine to bolster their arguments during cases. The trend seems to affirm the relative value of no-fault, uncontested divorce in Pennsylvania, which can deliver, at a low-cost, a relatively stress-free dissolution because it requires both parties to agree to terms before papers are filed.

The holidays are over. At least the ones associated with light are: Christmas, New Year's, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, are all past us. It is January, and in Pennsylvania there is a distinct shift of attention apparent on the Internet and in the general media toward the issue of divorce.

It makes sense. January is traditionally the month when decisions on divorce seem to come to a head. There are some who attribute this to a human impulse to get life off to a fresh start in the near year. While divorce cost concerns might create a sticking point for some couples, it doesn't need to be an issue if the divorce can be handled through a simple, no-fault, uncontested divorce.

When the issue of divorce comes up, it's common for discussion to center around who is going to get what and how child custody matters are going to play out. If a simple, uncontested, no-fault divorce is pursued by a couple in Pennsylvania, the battles that could rage over those issues tend not to occur because they get settled before the divorce papers are filed.

But there can be other "participants" in some breakup situations: Pets. While they might not be seen as major players in the family saga, divorce attorneys know that dogs and cats and other loved animals can become bones of contention. Or they might be used as tools of retribution, unless their welfare is considered right along with that of the human beings involved.

The first lightning bolts in the apparent storm brewing over the marital breakup of football legend Deion Sanders and his estranged wife, Pilar, have struck. The heat from the flashes will serve as a reminder to folks in Pennsylvania of how beneficial a simple, no-fault, uncontested divorce can be for partners who have decided to split and get on with life.

The couple married in 1999. They have three children together. In addition to his notoriety on the gridiron, Sanders gained some star status through the cable reality show "Deion & Pilar: Prime Time Love."

In Washington, politicians call a few hundred million dollars a drop in the bucket. But even for someone like Mel Gibson, with an estimated worth of about $850 million, a few hundred million has to be viewed as more than a drop. According to recent news stories, though, the Hollywood star is giving up half of that worth in a divorce settlement with his ex-wife of nearly 30 years.

For most Pennsylvanians considering divorce, the prospect of that kind of settlement is beyond the pale of imagination. Fortunately for them, there is an inexpensive alternative in no-fault, uncontested divorce. By resolving potential points of contention mutually ahead of time, the parties can have their marriage dissolved cheaply and can get on with their lives.