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Act 11 of 2025 Pennsylvania updates how courts evaluate child custody cases by reducing the number of legal factors from 16 to 12 while emphasizing child safety. Signed by Josh Shapiro, the law streamlines custody evaluations and clarifies how courts consider cooperation, abuse concerns, and parental responsibilities when determining a child’s best interests.

A contested divorce in Pennsylvania happens when spouses cannot agree on major issues like property division, custody, support, or alimony. Unlike uncontested divorces, these cases require court involvement and can take many months due to negotiations, discovery, and potential trials. The process starts with filing a complaint, serving the other spouse, exchanging financial documents, attempting mediation, and possibly going to trial before a judge issues a final decree.

Pennsylvania's new Uniform Family Law Arbitration Act (UFLAA), effective July 7, 2024, creates a formal process for resolving family law disputes, such as custody, support, and property division, through private arbitration. The law offers families faster, more flexible alternatives to court while maintaining judicial oversight on sensitive matters. Arbitration must be voluntary and has specific limits, making it essential for families to weigh the pros and cons before proceeding.

Interim custody orders play a key role in determining where your child will live and who will make decisions about their care while your custody case is ongoing. Also known as temporary custody orders, these arrangements are put in place to ensure the safety and stability of your child until a final custody agreement is reached.

Divorcing parents must deal with the emotionally challenging question of who the children will live with after the split. Each family's situation is different, so there is no single best answer. In general, sharing custody of children is a preferred choice. Sharing helps kids keep strong ties with both parents, which is good for their wholesome upbringing. However, in some situations, it is better for the sake of children to live with only one parent.

A divorce can quickly become complicated, especially when children are involved. One of the most contentious matters in a divorce is child custody and support. However, the initial arraignment or court case for child custody or support might not work out in the long run, and you may need to seek modification of the orders. There are various reasons why you want to change an existing custody order or child support arrangement.