Lancaster County Family Law Court: Opening for Business with Lifesize

Now that the shock of business and court closures has started to wear off, we are beginning to ask ourselves, “Now what?” Fortunately, the Lancaster County Court is taking that question very seriously. It has started processing legal matters and holding hearings, particularly domestic relations or family law matters, via video conferencing.

The Lancaster County Court has been using an application called Lifesize to hold virtual hearings and conferences. The family law attorneys at Russell, Krafft & Gruber, LLP have participated in a number of these and have had success in resolving matters or working with the court to keep pending cases moving.

What is Lifesize?

Lifesize, which is very similar to Zoom, allows the parties and their attorneys to participate in existing or newly scheduled court matters. Some of the types of hearings and conferences that the court is holding via Lifesize include:

• custody conferences;
• presentations of routine motions and petitions;
• adoption hearings; and
• emergency custody disputes.

We anticipate that the court will continue to add to the list of matters that it can handle via video conferencing in the coming weeks.

Look for another blog soon about video conferencing best practices and tips.

Other Family Law Orders Are Still Moving

The Lancaster County Family Court has also indicated that it is willing to accept and enter orders regarding agreements and other documents that do not require a hearing, including:

• custody stipulations;
• temporary support agreements;
• qualified domestic relations orders; and
• other uncontested matters that require a judge’s signature.

If you have a family law matter that requires the court’s attention, contact one of our attorneys to discuss how to navigate the court system during these uncertain times.  Although we have closed our physical office, our virtual office is open for business.

Laura McGarry is an attorney at Russell, Krafft and Gruber, LLP in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She received her law degree from Penn State Law and provides legal counsel to individuals and businesses in Lancaster and surrounding communities.