REPRESENTING YOURSELF IS RISKY

lamonacalaw-logos

REPRESENTING YOURSELF IS RISKY

Representing yourself in any court proceeding is a risky proposition. When it comes to an appeal of a judge’s decision, it is especially dangerous to attempt it on your own.

Last month, the Superior Court decided the case of SS. v. T.J. (2019 Pa.Super. 182). In this matter, the trial court allowed a mother to relocate her children to South Carolina. The father later filed a petition to modify the custody order, and he was dissatisfied with the judge’s order denying his petition.
Father attempted to appeal the judge’s order to the Superior Court. Unfortunately, the Superior Court did not even reach the merits of his appeal because his appeal paperwork was not properly prepared. For this reason, the appellate court affirmed the order of the trial court without considering Father’s complaints due to errors Father made in his filing.

At LaMonaca Law, our Appellate Unit has vast experience in properly preparing appeals. Our team will work with you to review the findings of the trial court in order to determine the best course of action. If an appeal is determined to be the best course of action, we will effectively represent you throughout the entire process.

If you are contemplating an appeal and aren’t sure how to proceed, Press Send or call us today at (610) 892-3877 to schedule an appointment with one of our talented appellate attorneys.

Practice Area banner

About the author

About Gerry Gebhart

Gerry graduated from Drexel University magna cum laude with a degree in Information Systems and a minor in Business Administration. After working as a consultant in the intermodal transportation industry, Gerry enrolled in and graduated from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law, where he specialized in trial advocacy. Prior to joining LaMonaca Law, Gerry practiced Family Law privately while working at the Public Defender’s office. Gerry quickly gained a reputation as a savvy trial attorney, securing numerous successful trial verdicts, eventually resulting in his being elected as president of the Delaware County Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Association. Gerry lives in Middletown Township where he is active in his local firehouse as both a firefighter and member of the board of directors.