Divorce is the legal process by which the bonds of matrimony between Husband and Wife are dissolved. Divorce also encompasses the division of marital property and debts, alimony, alimony while the divorce action is pending, known as alimony pendente lite, who will reside in the marital residence, the possible award of attorney fees, and additional remedies originating from the Pennsylvania Divorce Code of 1980, as amended. Divorce is a not always as a simple as litigants would like it to be and just as each family is different, each divorce is different and will require the consideration of a number of “factors”, including the ages of the parties, the length of the marriage, the respective incomes of Husband and Wife, who will have custody of the minor children, the contribution of one party as a homemaker, and the standard of living established during the marriage. In addition, many divorces include the complex issues of valuing and distributing a party’s interest in a family business, the future distribution of a party’s retirement benefits, and future tax related issues arising from the distribution. Integral in all divorce actions is an emotional aspect relating to the termination of the marriage, whether the marriage was a lengthy marriage, or one of a shorter duration. In most cases, the settlement of the divorce action is ideally achieved through a Marriage Settlement Agreement. However, if an Agreement cannot be reached, Attorney Gricks offers aggressive and knowledgeable legal representation regarding all complex matters, in order to ensure that your rights and needs are protected.