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Child Custody Court in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County

Child Custody Courts In Western PA

Some parents may believe that there are child custody courts that handle disputes concerning their child custody matters.  In reality, all legal matters regarding Western Pennsylvania child custody cases are directed through the Family Divisions of the Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas. Each county utilizes a slightly different procedure, in some instances initial child custody hearings are headed by Child Custody Hearing Officers/Conference Officers, and in some instances cases are handled by special Child Custody Masters. Regardless of their title, these people are empowered to serve as representatives of the Family Court Judges of the Courts of Common Pleas.

Additionally, many counties require an educational seminar and mediation between the parents to try to resolve custody issues before proceeding to a child custody conference or hearing. Called the Generations Program in Allegheny County, this process involves only the parents and a mediator (without attorneys present) to try to agree to a custody schedule, which is memorialized in a Memorandum of Understanding, and will be adopted by the Court.

If agreement is not reached at mediation, the child custody case will proceed to the first court-like hearing in front of the Master or Hearing Officer. When appearing in front of the Master or Conference Officer, your PA Child Custody attorney will present the facts of your case and various forms of evidence, including testimony, medical records, and occasionally the preference of the child. The Child Custody Hearing Officer will then look at the facts of the case presented by each party, and will weigh several statutory factors to decide which custody schedule is in the child’s best interest. If either party is not satisfied with this outcome, it may be appealed to a family court Judge in the County Court of Common Pleas.

Contact Our Western PA Child Custody Lawyers Today!

Contact our Pittsburgh child custody lawyers to speak with one of our experienced Allegheny County custody lawyers and learn how we can help your family. You may also telephone our PA custody law firm in Pittsburgh at (412) 231-9786, Southpointe (Canonsburg, Washington County) at 724-436-5500, Cranberry Township (Butler County, PA) at 724-776-9906, or toll-free at 1-844-VARI-LAW.

Appointments may also be available in other meeting locations throughout Pennsylvania upon advance arrangements with our office. Ask the secretary scheduling your appointment for details including appointment locations.

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Taybron Law Firm, LLC Is the Right Choice for Your Family Matters

Learn more about our firm and why you should entrust our experienced legal team to handle your family law matters.

  • Supporting Active Military and Veterans
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  • Experienced
    More than 30 years of experience practicing family law in Pennsylvania.
  • Diverse
    Attorney Lisa Marie Vari is trained as a mediator and collaborative family lawyer.
  • Complex Cases
    Experienced with high income, self employed professionals in complex support and equitable distribution cases.
  • Strong Support
    A team of senior attorneys, junior associates, paralegals and law school clerks for full legal support throughout the process.

Request a Consultation

We can further discuss the individual details of your case when you come in for your no-obligation consultation, which can be scheduled by calling our firm at (412) 231-9786 or via the quick contact form we have included at the bottom of this page.

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The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.