Easton Legal Blog

How the U.S. Social Security Administration defines “disability”

On behalf of Thomas & Thomas Attorneys At Law on Monday, August 19, 2019.

Having a serious disability can make it substantially harder to find and maintain gainful employment, and in some cases, it can make doing so virtually impossible. If you count yourself among the many residents of Pennsylvania that have disabilities severe enough to prevent them from earning a reasonable living, you may be working to obtain assistance from the U.S. Social Security Administration.

For your application for disability benefits to prove successful, though, you will first need to prove to the administration that you meet its strict definition of the term “disability.” What might this look like?

3 hidden benefits of a comprehensive parenting plan

On behalf of Thomas & Thomas Attorneys At Law on Monday, May 27, 2019.

Divorce can be extraordinarily difficult for anyone. If you have children, though, parenting in a post-divorce family may present a host of problems you must overcome. While all divorced parents must figure out what is best for them and their families, you can likely increase your chances of raising well-adjusted kids by drafting a comprehensive parenting plan.

As you likely know, divorce can be tough for kids. Put simply, a parenting plan establishes guidelines for you and a co-parent to follow. While clearly setting expectations and obligations are principal benefits of any parenting plan, there are some hidden advantages to executing a well-drafted agreement. Here are three of them:

Understanding the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine

On behalf of Thomas & Thomas Attorneys At Law on Thursday, February 21, 2019.

When you face criminal charges in Pennsylvania, you naturally want the best defense possible. The last thing you want is for a judge or jury to convict you of a crime that could result in a prison sentence that could negatively impact you for the rest of your life.

Well before your trial, you should familiarize yourself with the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine. The U.S. Supreme Court hinted at this long-established legal doctrine in Boyd v. United States, an 1886 case. Over half a century later, the noted Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter actually named it in the decision he wrote in the case of Nardone v. United States.

What to do about a denied SSD claim

On behalf of Thomas & Thomas Attorneys At Law on Tuesday, November 20, 2018.

It is more than disappointing when you are eligible for Social Security benefits but the government claims you are not. Denials happen for various reasons, with a common one being making mistakes on the application.

A denial of the financial assistance you need can make you feel hopeless and anxious. However, it is not the end of your case; it just means you will have to take further action to secure benefits.

Three expenses that should be covered by child support

On behalf of Thomas & Thomas Attorneys At Law on Saturday, August 25, 2018.

Getting divorced is never easy, but it is often even more difficult when you have kids in the equation. Separating your finances is one thing, but calculating the financial implications of children is yet another challenge that you must wrangle with. Fortunately, arranging child support provides a solution to this problem and allows a non-custodial parent to continue supporting her or his child.

According to the United States Census, the average child support payment is $430 per month, and you may be wondering what exactly this is supposed to cover. Child support payments are intended to cover the general expenses of raising a kid, including the following common costs parents encounter:

Pennsylvania CDL Drivers Beware-Traffic Violations, even small ones, can lead to loss of license

By Bruce A. Thomas of Thomas & Thomas Attorneys At Law posted in Traffic Violations on Monday, July 16, 2018.

Small traffic violations can be hazardous to your livelihood. If you have a Pennsylvania commercial drivers license(CDL) you can lose your license for 60 days or more when you plead guilty to 2 minor traffic violations within a 3 year period. Offenses like improper lane change, following too closely, no-passing zones, using a cel phone or texting while driving and a host of other infractions. Never plead guilty without talking to a lawyer first.

Warrant Needed to Collect Cellphone DATA- SCOTUS

By Bruce A. Thomas of Thomas & Thomas Attorneys At Law posted in criminal defense on Monday, July 9, 2018.

Posted on July 9, 2018 by Bruce A. Thomas, Esq.

What are my Miranda rights?

On behalf of Thomas & Thomas Attorneys At Law on Sunday, May 27, 2018.

If you ever face a situation where a Pennsylvania law enforcement officer seeks to question you about a criminal matter, you need to know about your Miranda rights. You have these rights because of the landmark 1966 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Miranda v. Arizona. Ever since then, law enforcement officers have been required to give the Miranda warning to anyone they arrest.

You may be somewhat familiar with the Miranda warning because it is a staple of movies and TV series about crime and punishment. Basically, the Miranda warning goes like this:

You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
You have the right to an attorney.
If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you.

Divorce presents unique property concerns for older couples

On behalf of Thomas & Thomas Attorneys At Law posted in blog on Sunday, February 25, 2018.

You and your spouse may have spent decades together, but now you have decided to go your separate ways. Divorce among seniors is not as unusual as it once was, but it still carries a measure of uncertainty that younger people do not face.

Financial security is a concern for seniors as they look to the future, and the division of property during the divorce takes on considerable significance.

Regarding disability, how is SSI different from SSDI?

On behalf of Thomas & Thomas Attorneys At Law posted in blog on Wednesday, November 29, 2017.

After receiving a diagnosis of a serious condition, you may be eligible to receive some financial assistance from the U.S. government.

You may have heard of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). These programs sound similar, but what are the differences between them?