Child custody trials can be interesting; alas, not as riveting as the clients seem to think. The Parnell trial pitted an ex Army ranger turned novelist/ U.S. Senate candidate against
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Mark Ashton
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Wall Street Journal Takes on the College Cost Issue
By Mark Ashton on
The November 10 Wall Street Journal stuck a pin in an otherwise accepted “truth”; that post secondary education is always a good investment. In a front page article titled “A…
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Rushing the Divorce Decree for Tax Reasons? Relax!
By Mark Ashton on
2018 was a momentous tax year for family lawyers. Congress changed all the rules and the ones abandoning the tax exemption for alimony came as a special surprise. All of…
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CHILD SUPPORT: IT AIN’T JUST FOR THE CHILDREN
By Mark Ashton on
About 15 years ago, I recall chatting with a colleague from Bucks County who practiced family law but also maintained a general practice. She informed me that she was starting…
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23 & EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!?!?!?!?!? If You Must Search for Ancestors Be Prepared for Surprises
By Mark Ashton on
The Sunday edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer presented a set of stories which are becoming common in a world where Americans can buy DNA kits at the drug store and…
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CONVEYANCES OF MARITAL PROPERTY INTO TRUSTS Superior Court Holds Such Gifts May Be Fraudulent
By Mark Ashton on
The Superior Court issued a non precedential decision on September 21 grappling with a question that has lingered since Pennsylvania adopted equitable distribution forty years ago. What happens to transfers…
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The American Family: Increasingly Isn’t
By Mark Ashton on
The Pew Research Center issued a report today titled by its conclusion. “Rising Shares of U.S. Adults are Living Without a Spouse or Partner.” The study utilized data from 2019…
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2020 Divorce & Marriage Data: Aberrant but Consistent
By Mark Ashton on
We try to report on this annually, but we are a little behind. Just how many divorces were concluded in 2020. How many people married. The reason to track…
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CAR TALK: Does Child Support Include Kid Cars?
By Mark Ashton on
Last month we saw the promulgation of new support guidelines slated to take effect in January 2022. As one might expect the guideline amounts have increased. But lawyers are often…
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The Kiddie Hearsay Statute: Not Just for Criminal Lawyers
By Mark Ashton on
In 1989 the Pennsylvania General Assembly adopted an oddly named law of evidence titled: “Admissibility of Certain Statements.” The thrust of the statute is that under limited circumstances, if a…
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