Ephrata, PA
No Matter Your Legal Needs, Our Attorneys Can Help
Gardner & Stevens General Practice Areas & Services
Ephrata, PA

General Practice
Collections
Contracts
Criminal Defense
License Suspensions
Real Estate
Unemployment Compensation
Commercial Litigation
Corporations and Limited Liability Companies
DUI/ARD
Partnerships
Traffic Violations
Zoning
Family Law
With decades of combined experience before Judges, Divorce Masters, Custody Conference Officers and Domestic Relations Officers, our attorneys have both the skills and the aggressive practice style to effectively defend your rights and pursue your interests. Just as importantly, our experience in hundreds of cases allows us to give accurate, confident advice without getting caught up in the emotion of the moment or losing sight of your goals. These skills and our personal attention make us a valuable ally during these most difficult times.
Adoptions
Custody
Grandparent Rights
Separation
Premarital Agreements
Protection From Abuse
The PFA (Protection From Abuse) statute is one of the most used, and unfortunately one of the most abused, laws on the books in the area of family law. Properly utilized, it is intended to protect victims of domestic violence and their children from abusive spouses, boyfriends/girlfriends and family members. Too often, however, PFA plaintiffs seek temporary protection from abuse orders for the primary objective of gaining leverage in a divorce, support or custody case. The consequences of such an action can be unexpected and far-reaching. Whether you are the plaintiff or the defendant, our firm has decades of experience in successfully negotiating and litigating PFA claims.
Child and Spousal Support
Divorce
A divorce is one of life’s most trying and most critical situations. Emotions run high, and your legal rights, responsibilities and options need to be explained in a way that is clear and understandable. You need representation which is both aggressive and intelligent. We have experience from hundreds of cases over many years before both Divorce Masters and Judges litigating cases of divorce, adultery, marital misconduct, property division/equitable distribution, alimony and Postnuptial Agreements. Our skills and aggressive practice style will enable us to effectively defend your rights and pursue your interests and proves why we are the top divorce attorneys Lancaster, PA has to offer. We are able to give accurate, confident advice without getting caught up in emotion or losing sight of your goals. Our hands-on negotiating experience will give you the best chance of obtaining a favorable result without expensive litigation. These skills and our personal attention make us your most valuable ally during this difficult time.
Name Change
If an adult person wishes to change their name, he or she must file a name change petition with the local county court. In order to avoid fraudulent practices, a criminal record search as well as a debt search must be conducted prior to proceeding in court. This is a relatively simple process with a brief hearing before a Judge for approval. If a child’s name needs to be changed and both parents are in agreement, often times this can be done extremely simply and inexpensively, and without the need to proceed to court if the child was born in Pennsylvania. If there is a disagreement between parents, a hearing will need to take place before a Judge who will then decide whether the name change should be granted. We will be able to answer all of your questions and prepare whatever documents are necessary to seek approval of your requested name change.
Paternity Actions
Paternity can be established by many ways such as signing a paternity acknowledgment, paying child support through the court or entering into a custody action. Other times, paternity can be established by a person’s actions such as when they hold the child out as their own, known as “paternity by estoppel”, or simply due to the fact that a child is born of the marriage, known as the “presumption of paternity”. Paternity can also be questioned in appropriate circumstances through DNA testing and testimony, especially when a family is no longer living together. The law on paternity is ever changing and can be complicated. Having handled many paternity actions in the past, our attorneys are able to explain the law to you and advise you of your options.
Post-Marital Agreements
Post-Marital Agreements, sometimes referred to as Postnuptial Agreements or Property Settlement Agreements are all essentially the same despite the name given to them. They are a written contract between two spouses that are in the midst or will be in the midst of a divorce action. All essential terms as to each party’s rights, responsibilities and obligations are set forth in this contract. Most divorce cases are able to be resolved by this method when economic issues such as property distribution, debt distribution and support/alimony need to be addressed. Sometimes people try to save money by preparing these agreements themselves. However, many times, items are missed thereby creating more problems than they solve. Our attorneys will give you candid advice as to whether you need a postnuptial agreement, and we will prepare an analysis of your situation to properly advise you of all of your options.
Personal Injury
Our initial consultations in cases of serious bodily injury are free, and our fees are charged on a no recovery/no fee basis. We never get paid unless and until you receive a recovery. We advance all court costs, so that there is no financial hardship on you, the client, when bringing your claim for the compensation you deserve.
Automobile Accidents
Slip & Fall
Serious Bodily Injury
Wrongful Death
Few situations compare to the tragedy of losing a loved one due to the negligence or recklessness of someone else. Amidst the grief, surviving family members must face loss of income, loss of insurance, and other benefits, as well as questions involving life insurance, social security benefits, and administering an estate.
Dog Bites
Motorcycle Accidents
Tractor-Trailer Accidents
Accidents caused by tractor-trailers, and other commercial vehicles, place the injured person at a disadvantage. Our firm has successfully litigated multi-million dollar recoveries for victims of tractor-trailer and commercial vehicle crashes.
Estates
Our firm is able to help families and executors make sense of the probate process and to expedite the finalization of estates in a cost-effective manner. Our firm handles all sizes of estates from $10,000.00 to multi-million-dollar estates. We handle all steps of the probate process from start to finish.
Asset Protection
Estate Planning
Living Wills
Trusts
Wills
Estate Administration
Guardianships
Nursing Home Planning
When a spouse or parent needs to enter a nursing home, it is a difficult time for that person and for the rest of the family. To compound the emotions, certain financial decisions need to take place so that assets can be protected to the maximum extent possible. The general rule of thumb is that there is a five-year look back period for all assets that are transferred prior to a person entering a nursing home and requesting medical assistance. However, even though a person may be within this five-year window, it is still not too late to conduct effective planning. Questions also arise as to how Wills should be modified for not only the person entering the nursing home but also for the spouse who remains outside of an institutional setting. Our attorneys will meet with you and thoroughly evaluate your needs.
Powers Of Attorney
Car Accidents
Wrongful Death
Wrongful Death Suits
Wrongful Death Lawyers Providing Free Consultations
Wrongful death attorneys from Gardner & Stevens are prepared to fight for your rights and help you through a very difficult time. Our experienced wrongful death lawyers are proud to provide the type of representation clients like you in Lancaster County deserve. We are a smaller firm. However, we have the resources required to pursue a wide range of wrongful death claims and related legal actions while still offering personal attention with each case. We are members of the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates’ Forum, for achieving verdicts/settlements/awards of a million dollars or more.
We invite you to get started by scheduling a consultation with one of our wrongful death attorneys. Contact Gardner & Stevens today to take advantage of our assistance.
Wrongful Death Settlements
There are many factors that go into wrongful death settlements, from the willingness of attorneys for the negligent or responsible parties to compromise, to the complexity of circumstances that were involved with your loved one’s death. The wrongful death attorneys at Gardner & Stevens pride themselves on not backing down when negotiating wrongful death settlements for our clients in Lancaster County.
Our experienced wrongful death lawyers are meticulous when it comes to settlement efforts, leaving no stone unturned while reviewing case details, gathering evidence, and exploring legal options. If necessary, we will take appropriate legal actions in Court should settlement efforts fail. We will discuss with you all settlement offers so you can make well-informed decisions about whether you should accept.
Tractor Trailer Accidents
Because of the size of the vehicles involved, an accident with a tractor trailer can have serious consequences for anyone affected. If you or someone you love has been in an accident involving a tractor-trailer and injured as a result, you will appreciate having access to an experienced semi truck accident lawyer. Gardner & Stevens is pleased to be the law firm you can confidently turn to when you need a truck accident lawyer to review your situation. When you do, you will receive thorough, knowledgeable advice and assistance. We proudly serve clients in Lancaster County and the surrounding areas.
Our attorneys have a proven track record when it comes to aggressively pursuing maximum compensation for anyone injured in a tractor-trailer accident. With two convenient locations in Lititz and Ephrata, Gardner & Stevens is there for anyone in need of a reliable tractor trailer accident attorney. Call us today for your free consultation.
Experienced & Dependable Attorneys Serving Lititz, Ephrata, & Across Lancaster County
Contact us or call us today!
Gardner & Stevens
109 West Main Street
Ephrata, PA 17522
Fax: (717) 733-0434
Email: info@gardnerstevens.com
Hours:
Monday: 8 AM - 5 PM
Tuesday: 8 AM - 5 PM
Wednesday: 8 AM - 5 PM
Thursday: 8 AM - 5 PM
[Evenings by appointment]
Friday: 8 AM - 5 PM
Gardner & Stevens
62 North Broad Street
Lititz, PA 17543
Email: info@gardnerstevens.com
Hours:
Monday: 8 AM - 5 PM
Tuesday: 8 AM - 5 PM
Wednesday: 8 AM - 5 PM
Thursday: 8 AM - 5 PM
[Evenings by appointment]
Friday: 8 AM - 5 PM

Certified Member of Million dollar Advocates Forum

