Debra R. Mehaffie practices in the areas of divorce, support, custody and adoption. Attorney Mehaffie has been practicing law since October 2003 and has represented parties involved in all aspects of family law cases.
Attorney Mehaffie has handled hundreds of family law cases at every stage of the case from conferences and mediations to masters' hearings, trials and appeals. Attorney Mehaffie has developed a reputation for being a tough and aggressive advocate for her client and a skilled courtroom litigator.
Attorney Mehaffie's approach to family law is focused on the individual and particular desires of the client. Attorney Mehaffie does not believe in dictating to a client how the case must be handled. Instead, Attorney Mehaffie works in close cooperation with the client to design an individualized "case plan," that charts a path toward obtaining the client's individual and particular goals. In developing the case plan, Attorney Mehaffie listens to the client as the client explains the facts and explains his or her desired goals for the case. She then compares the client's goals with the facts of the case and the position of the opposing party. She then explains to the client the various options available. These options include litigation, mediation, collaborative law, four-party conferences, negotiations and others. Attorney Mehaffie's overall goal is to keep the client very involved in the case, allowing the client to shape the case according to the client's desired goals while Attorney Mehaffie advises, guides, leads and strongly advocates for her client.
Attorney Mehaffie practices traditional family law, which can involve litigating disputes between parties in court. However, Attorney Mehaffie also offers her clients the option of handling their family law cases through the collaborative law process. In the collaborative law process, the attorneys for both parties to a family law dispute assist the parties in resolving issues in a positive environment and using a cooperative approach. It is an alternative dispute resolution process which allows the parties to avoid going to court while still receiving the support and expertise of their own family law attorneys. Attorney Mehaffie has been trained in collaborative law and believes if given the right parties and circumstances the collaborative law process can achieve conflict-free and fair resolutions to many family law cases.
Attorney Mehaffie has developed a particular focus of her custody practice in the area of grandparents' rights. Attorney Mehaffie believes grandparents can play an integral and beneficial role in the lives of their grandchildren. Those grandparents who are involved in the lives of their grandchildren should not be denied access to their grandchildren by an angry or vengeful parent. Too often parents involved in a separation or divorce take out their anger on the grandparents by preventing the grandparents from being with their grandchildren. In these situations, the children are being denied the love, comfort and support of their grandparents and the best interest of the children are being denied. Attorney Mehaffie has a proven track record of stepping in on behalf of the grandparents and gaining for them legal custodial and visitation rights to their grandchildren.
On the other hand some grandparents are not a positive and beneficial influence on the children and are not involved in the children's lives for the right reasons. Some grandparents may attempt to exert too much influence and control over their adult child, particularly in separation or divorce cases. Some grandparents may exert this influence or control for the wrong reasons in an attempt to harm the parental bond between parent and child. This can be damaging to the children. In these cases, Attorney Mehaffie will step in on behalf of the parents and seek court intervention to restrict or remove the rights of grandparents. In either case, Attorney Mehaffie's goal is always to protect and promote the best interest of the children.
Prior to becoming an attorney, Ms. Mehaffie graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education. Attorney Mehaffie graduated from the Widener University School of Law in May 2003. While in law school, Attorney Mehaffie was a member of the Moot Court Honor Society and was a winner of the 2003 Moot Court Competition. Also during law school, Attorney Mehaffie was a member of the Trial Advocacy Program.
Ms. Mehaffie lives in Middle Paxton Township, Dauphin County, with her husband and daughter. She is a volunteer mediator with the Dauphin County Neighborhood Dispute Center, a member of the Alumni Choir of Central Dauphin High School and volunteers her time assisting people with special needs, including autism.
Reported Cases
Parents' Custody Rights Upheld by PA Superior Court
Areas of Practice
- Divorce
- Support
- Custody
- Adoption
West Practice Categories
Child Support, Custody & Visitation, Divorce
