Philadelphia Child Support Litigation

Getting the Help You Need

Providing information on getting the help you need for your child support legal matters, including lawsuit and litigation cases. Reach out to a Philadelphia child custody attorney today if you need help with your case.

Lawsuits – they don’t have to be overwhelming

Lawsuits are difficult enough to pursue in circumstances where few emotions are involved. So, when it comes to the highly-charged issue of child support, litigation can quickly become emotionally taxing. If you have custody of your child and need support in order to feed, clothes, and otherwise care for him/her, you may be overwhelmed by the thought of having to file a lawsuit in order to collect what is owed to you by law. You need the help of an attorney experienced in Philadelphia child support laws with for advice and to help you file court papers, schedule appearances, and vigorously litigate on your behalf. You need a law firm to provide advice, support, and advocacy throughout the entire lawsuit proceedings.

Litigation – works both ways

On the other side, if you were ordered to pay child support, but now find yourself unemployed, you also have the right to expert assistance. You could be facing expensive litigation as your spouse pursues support payments, as well as collection threats that may put your very freedom as risk. In the event of a lawsuit, you need an attorney to plead your case and request a reduction or other modification to the original court-ordered child support decree.

Advocacy for your Child...and You

Whatever your child support issues, contact an attorney today. Although you want someone experienced with child support and family law, if you are going through litigation it would be ideal to find someone who is also an experienced criminal attorney in Philadelphia or in your area who knows how to fight to get the justice you deserve. No matter which side of a lawsuit you are on, you need someone who can offer experienced and vigorous advocacy on your behalf as we guide you through the particulars of the litigation process.

Understanding the Difference between a Felony and a Misdemeanor

Laws in this country are set at the federal and state levels and are generally categorized as either felonies or misdemeanors. There are also infractions of the law that are not usually considered crimes, such as speeding, and ordinances against certain behavior set at the local level, such as curfews.

Whether a crime is considered a felony or a misdemeanor depends on the punishment possible for that crime in the state in which it occurred, or at the federal level in the case of crimes such as mail fraud, kidnapping, and counterfeiting.

In most states, misdemeanors are crimes for which the maximum sentence possible is less than a year of jail time. Those crimes for which the minimum sentence possible is imprisonment of a year or more are considered felonies. In states that have the death penalty, all crimes potentially punishable by death are considered felonies.

Most states also allow for some crimes to be processed as either felonies or misdemeanors, depending on the circumstances and any aggravating factors (such as cruelty shown in the commission of a crime). It would be ideal to reach out to a South Carolina trial attorney if you are from the state and need help.

Some key differences
Both misdemeanors and felonies are processed through the court system and allow you due process. That said, there are some key differences:

• If you are charged with a federal felony, your case may first go before a grand jury to determine if the case against you is strong enough to go to trial

• If you are convicted of a misdemeanor, the judge generally delivers the sentence at the conclusion of your trial

• If you are convicted of a felony, you will be sentenced at a separate hearing

• In the case of an appeal, a misdemeanor case will be held before a different appellate court than a felony

Differences in punishment are significant, and include:

• People convicted of misdemeanor crimes generally serve sentences of less than one year and serve them in city, county, or state jails

• People convicted of felonies generally serve sentences of more than one year and are incarcerated in state prisons

In some states, convicted felons can lose certain rights, including:

• The right to possess firearms

• The right to hold a hunting or even fishing license

• The right to vote

Some rights to your privacy, including:

• Requiring that the convicted disclose their status as felons on job applications

• Requiring some felons, such as sex offenders, to register with the state when they leave prison and restricting where they can live (such as not near elementary schools)

• Convicted felons may be subject to harsher punishment on subsequent convictions

In many cases, the legal and judicial systems have broad discretion in the charges they bring against the accused and in sentencing the convicted. If you are ever arrested, it is essential that you obtain a South Carolina criminal attorney as quickly as possible in order to ensure the best outcome possible for your case.