Gonzalez Ferrandez Law

Philly Courts Closed 1/16/24

This is an article about a lot of kids who are similar to the ones I work with related to the SIJ visa program. They come from primarily Guatemala and Honduras, (and now Venezuela and Ecuador), both desperately poor regions. A lot of the kids are coming to work, because there’s no one else to support them. The article documents that a good number of these kids are being released to parts of the country where we have a lot of meat production. This should not be happening, but basically these kids are winding up being the labor for our hamburgers and chicken sandwiches. The kids I work with here are primarily being released to parents or other close relatives and all are in school when I’m working with them. Although, I am aware that some of the kids I don’t represent are working in local warehouses packing or in construction. But nothing in this article surprises me - it just makes me sad. 😞

Where Migrant Children Are Living, and Often Working, in the U.S. Data shows where a record number of unaccompanied children traveling to the U.S. from Central America and other countries have ended up.

Cena en Bensalem en la iglesia Fátima.

¡Por favor, únase a nosotros para nuestra cena de Navidad de la comunidad! ¡Todos son bienvenidos y es GRATIS! 16 de diciembre a las 5pm.

I was so honored tonight to be chosen as one of the White Hat recipients by the Legal Clinic for the Disabled (LCD) in Philadelphia. I was appointed by the Family Court to serve as a guardian ad litem for a disabled woman who mistakenly signed irrevocable adoption papers shortly after giving birth. Fellow Family Law attorney Jim Rocco has served as my lawyer through the LCD on behalf of the disabled mom. After 10 hearings over the past year the case is on appeal in New Jersey. We hope the outcome will result in greater protections for mentally ill mothers throughout the area. LCD honored us tonight at their Fall fundraising event. It was a lovely evening and I was so happy my family (not pictured) was there with me. Please consider making a donation to the LCD which provides free legal services to low-income disabled Philadelphians. https://us.givergy.com/LCD23/?controller=pledges&category=All%20Pledges

For those of you who may not know, this is Hispanic Heritage Month!! Hispanics are of all races and religions with a wide variety of cultures, cuisines and customs in the US, Caribbean, Central and South America. Many different Hispanics live here in Bensalem. Learn something new about Hispanics this month!

My lovely client brought these to me yesterday to thank me for my work with her family. It’s so nice to feel like you’ve made a difference. ❤️

Sometimes we all wonder what our purpose is and whether we are doing the right thing. Today I was in Court with a relatively ordinary custody case, representing a mother of a two year old little boy. I am her third lawyer and for her nothing has been ordinary about this process. This evening she sent me a message that really resonated.

“Stephanie, I just want to say thank you for today. I know it was a very delicate and difficult situation to deal with. What my sister was saying [to you when we were leaving the Courtroom] is that last night we were praying and she asked God to make you an Esther in front of the judge - giving you wisdom, favor and knowledge. We prayed that the angels of God would be in that room on your side, on the side of that judge. Our battles are not against blood or flesh but against principalities and powers. May the favor of God be upon you and may you come to do justice and help many other mothers with their children.”

I have spent most of my career trying to be an instrument under His auspices to help mothers and their children find justice. Some days I guess the small things to me feel like justice to them. 

In-home caregiver needed to start immediately in Bensalem. MUST DRIVE. NO BUS/TRAIN TO HOME. Agency pay on the books. Experience taking care of elderly relatives or related job REQUIRED. Bathing, dressing, toileting, of senior lady stroke patient. Not a companionship job. Some lifting required but patient can help transfer. No dementia. Age-expected memory loses.

Both daytime (7/8am - 1/2pm) and early evening (4/5pm- 9/10pm) shifts available. (Some weekend shifts required every other weekend.)
Small dog in home. Home is smoke-free, neat and in safe Bensalem neighborhood. MUST HAVE OWN TRANSPORTATION.

Judge Younge received a six month suspension for her egregious conduct in Philadelphia Family Court!

'She was a bully': A judge's misconduct reveals havoc of Pa. family court "Never in a million years did I think our justice system was like this," one mother said. "Never did I think that judges were doing this and getting away with it."

Get Ready to Vote! Don't wait. Register Now!

NEW LISTING EXTENDED HOURS - DAYTIME HOURS GREAT FOR MOTHER OF SMALL CHILDREN OR OVERNIGHT HOURS
Two female caregivers needed to start immediately. Experience taking care of elderly relatives or related job REQUIRED. Caring for elderly female stroke patient. Bathing, dressing, toileting, etc. Not a companionship job. Some lifting required but patient can help transfer. No dementia. Age-expected memory loses.

Looking for two people:
— daytime shift one person to work 9am to 3pm on three days total 18 hours per week; and
— overnight shift one person to work 7pm to 7am OR 6pm to 6am on three nights total 36 hours per week).
** Working every other weekend required for both shifts.

Small dog in home. Home is smoke-free, neat and in safe Bensalem neighborhood. Looking for someone kind, reliable and with attention to detail. MUST HAVE OWN TRANSPORTATION.

Today, I spoke at the Bucks County Board of Elections Commissioners meeting in support of having a ballot box
available right here in Bensalem. Approximately one third of Bensalem voters utilized the mail-in ballot option in last year's Presidential election. The closest ballot box was located in Levittown, about a 25 min drive from the furthest point in Bensalem.

Voting is an important aspect of an individual's constitutional right. Having access to a ballot box right here in Bensalem will help to provide more assurance to voters that their vote will count, rather than chance mailing the ballot through the USPS and the ballot arriving late and being ineligible. Fortunately, the Commissioners voted today to place a ballot box in the Bensalem Library on Hulmeville Road that residents can use to drop off their ballot for the November municipal election. This is a great option to continue providing for an easy, safe and efficient method to voting, rather than standing in line at the polls on Election Day.

https://www.facebook.com/Bucks-County-Board-of-Elections-113005443431869

The PA Supreme Court has issued an order requiring all state courts to return to pre-pandemic operations. This means all state courts are to re-open by July 6th. If you have a video hearing of any sort in state court scheduled for after that date be sure to contact the Court in question to determine if it will remain virtual.

La Corte Suprema de Pensylvania ha emitido una orden que exige que todos los tribunales estatales vuelvan a las operaciones prepandémicas. Esto significa que todos los tribunales estatales deben abrir antes del 6 de julio. Si tiene programada una audiencia por video de cualquier tipo en un tribunal estatal para después de esa fecha, asegúrese de comunicarse con el tribunal en cuestión para determinar si seguirá siendo virtual.

Vote desde su hogar. Solicite una papeleta de voto por correo.

NOTICE: UPDATE ON EXTENSIONS OF TAX FILING DEADLINES

Mayor DiGirolamo today announced that as part of the Township’s ongoing response to the Coronavirus Pandemic, both the Individual Filing Deadline for 2020 Earned Income Tax Returns and the Filing Deadline for 2020 Business Privilege Tax Returns have both been extended to May 17, 2021, so as to coincide with the extended Filing Deadlines for Federal and Pennsylvania 2020 Income Taxes.

For more information or greater details regarding the Earned Income Tax, please contact the EIT Tax Collector, Keystone Collections, at www.keystonecollects.com. For more information or greater details regarding the Business Privilege Tax, please contact the Business Privilege Tax Collector, eCollect+, at www.ecollectplus.com.

While I am a traditional family law attorney offering a wide range of family law services, in recent years I have spent a good portion of my time involved in the family law aspect of unaccompanied minors from Central America and other countries. This is a recent news clip about these babies and the desperation they face trying to reach the hope of the US.

Heartbreaking Video Of Migrant Boy Abandoned At Border Spotlights Crisis | TODAY ideo showing a frightened 10-year-old boy sobbing and pleading for help from a Texas border patrol agent after he was abandoned by a larger group is adding n...

Students, here’s a contest with cash prizes for making a video about voting in local elections! We have a big local election here in Bensalem this year. Check out this flier!

LWV PSA Contest Flyer Are you interested in graphic design, art, animation, audio design, cinematography, or videography and interested in the health of our democracy? If so, we have a contest for you!

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) appointments are available at the following locations for Feb. and March:
Bristol - http://ow.ly/iX2I50DBIIj
Newtown - http://ow.ly/m4zF50DBIIi
Quakertown http://ow.ly/gyiB50DBIIg
April appointments at all sites will open in March.

In Pennsylvania, you have to sign up annually to vote by mail ballot.

If you signed up last year, you'll be getting an application from your county election office in the mail soon with more instructions.

If you haven't signed up before, you can do that online at VotesPA.com/MailBallot.