Gardner & Stevens General Practice Areas & Services

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.

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 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, 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.

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.

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.

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.