News

Will your son or daughter need one before returning to college this month?

The COVID pandemic is far from over. Many college students have adjusted their  normal daily routines to include masks in the classroom and regular weekly COVID tests. The latest addition is schools starting to require not just vaccines, but the COVID booster shot, in order to return to campus. 

Just recently, three Washington, D. C. schools, Georgetown, American, and George  Washington, have all announced that they are going to require students and staff to get  COVID boosters by early 2022. The schools announced the requirements will take  effect between late January and early February. So, this doesn’t affect just incoming  students, but students that are currently enrolled at these Universities. 

It is likely that many other College Universities will follow suit. It will be prudent for all  parents and students to follow any announcements from their respective Colleges and  Universities to avoid returning to campus only to find they may not be permitted to  continue without receiving a booster. 

Since the Court’s custody jurisdiction ends when a child reaches eighteen and  graduates from high school, legally, this will not create a co-parenting issue. Practically,  this will create issues for divorced parents and in-take families navigating these issues  with their children. 

At MacElree Harvey, we have a Family Law team of seven attorneys that represents  clients throughout Delaware and Eastern Pennsylvania. If you have any questions on  any aspect of Family Law, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

MacElree Harvey stands for diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice. We believe that focusing on the children is the best way to help achieve these goals. In an ever evolving “tech” world, it is vital that all children have reliable and consistent access to computers, internet access, software and other digital tools that will help them succeed. In partnership with The Chester County Community Foundation, we announce the Macelree Harvey, Ltd. Technology Fund For Economically Disadvantaged Children.

Mission Statement: To provide funds for educational computer hardware or software and other tools to children of economically marginalized communities who are underrepresented and have been denied the full complement of the educational equipment needed to successfully compete in the 21st Century.

Donations can be made at chescocf.org/fund/macelree-harvey-ltd-technology-fund-for-economically-disadvantaged-children.

We are pleased to announce that the Chester County based law firm, Rovito Law, will join our firm effective December 30, 2021.

With the upcoming merger we welcome Attorney Michael Rovito. Michael has experience in the areas of custody, support, alimony, property division, and divorce, and will be part of our West Chester office.

Founding Partner of Rovito Law and winner of November 2021 election, Attorney Alita Rovito, will be sworn in as Judge on the Chester County Court of Common Pleas in January 2022.

Alita Rovito was a Chester County Family Court Master for 15 years before founding Rovito Law. She also served as a mediator, arbitrator and court appointed parent coordinator.

Prior to joining Rovito Law, Michael attended and graduated from the Widener University School of Law located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which is now known as Widener University Commonwealth Law School. Michael’s prior experience also includes clerking for the Office of a County Solicitor, and as a summer clerk to a Judge sitting on the Court of Common Pleas. He recently assumed the position of Co-Chair of the CCBA (Chester County Bar Association) Family Law Section.

We’re pleased to announce that MacElree Harvey, Ltd. is ranked in the 2022 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms”. The firm ranked nationally in one practice area and regionally in 10 practice areas.

National Rankings

Tier 2 in Land Use & Zoning Law

Regional Rankings

Philadelphia

  Tier 1 in Family Law

  Tier 1 in Land Use & Zoning Law

  Tier 1 in Litigation – Trusts & Estates

  Tier 2 in Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

  Tier 2 in Real Estate Law

  Tier 2 in Trusts & Estates Law

  Tier 3 in Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs

  Tier 3 in Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs

  Tier 3 in Tax Law

Delaware

  Tier 3 in Family Law

“Best Law Firms” rankings are determined by client and lawyer evaluations, peer reviews from leading attorneys in their field, and reviews of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process.

The 2022 rankings incorporate more than 8.2 million evaluations of more than 115,000 individual leading lawyers from more than 22,000 firms.

To qualify, a law firm must have at least one lawyer listed in the current edition of The Best Lawyers in America© list for that region and practice area, which recognizes only six percent of lawyers practicing in the U.S. MacElree Harvey currently has ten attorneys listed.

According to U.S. News, “Achieving a tiered ranking in U.S. News – Best Lawyers^® “Best Law Firms” signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise. Ranked firms, presented in three tiers, are recognized on a national and regional-based scale. Firms that received a tier designation reflect the highest level of respect a firm can earn among other leading lawyers and clients from the same communities and practice areas.”

For more information about the “Best Law Firms” rankings, visit bestlawfirms.usnews.com. And check out this year’s print edition here.

As the recent arrest of a mother in Georgia reminds us, interference with child custody under  certain circumstances can indeed be a crime. In the Georgia case, the grandparents had  custody of the minor child, pursuant to a valid Custody Order. The Mother of the child took the  child, and was subsequently arrested for inference with the valid Custody Order.

In most states, including Pennsylvania, a person who interferes with the Custody Rights of  another parent, guardian or lawful custodian is subject to criminal prosecution and potentially a  felony conviction. These cases can be complicated, and there are many defenses that are  available.

Accordingly, before running off to your local District Attorney, it would be wise to consult with a  Family Law or Criminal attorney first. Also, this is a good reminder to parents or other relatives  not to take the law into your own hands as it pertains to the custody of your children,  grandchildren or relatives. You should consult with your attorney first; not after you get  arrested.

At MacElree Harvey, we have a robust Family Law team with seven attorneys, who advise  clients throughout Eastern Pennsylvania and the State of Delaware. If you have any questions  concerning your custody rights, please contact us.

Every year Medicare gives beneficiaries a window of opportunity to shop around and determine if their current Medicare plan is still the best one for them. During Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period, which runs from October 15 to December 7, beneficiaries can freely enroll in or switch plans.

During this period, you may enroll in a Medicare Part D (prescription drug) plan or, if you currently have a plan, you may change plans. In addition, during the seven-week period you can return to traditional Medicare (Parts A and B) from a Medicare Advantage (Part C, managed care) plan, enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, or change Advantage plans.

Beneficiaries can go to www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to make changes in their Medicare prescription drug and health plan coverage.

According to the New York Times, few Medicare beneficiaries take advantage of Open Enrollment, but of those who do, nearly half cut their premiums by at least 5 percent. Even beneficiaries who have been satisfied with their plans in 2021 should review their choices for 2022, as both premiums and plan coverage can fluctuate from year to year. For example:

• Are the doctors you use still part of your Medicare Advantage plan’s provider network?
• Have any of the prescriptions you take been dropped from your prescription plan’s list of covered drugs (the “formulary”)?
• What are your total out-of-pocket costs?
• Could you save money with the same coverage by switching to a different plan?

For answers to questions like these, carefully look over the plan’s “Annual Notice of Change” letter to you. Prescription drug plans can change their premiums, deductibles, the list of drugs they cover, and their plan rules for covered drugs, exceptions, and appeals. Medicare Advantage plans can change their benefit packages, as well as their provider networks.

Remember that fraud perpetrators will inevitably use the Open Enrollment Period to try to gain access to individuals’ personal financial information. Medicare beneficiaries should never give their personal information out to anyone making unsolicited phone calls selling Medicare-related products or services or showing up on their doorstep uninvited. If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud or identity theft, contact Medicare.

Here are more resources for navigating the Open Enrollment Period:

• Medicare Plan Finder, which helps you find a plan to match your needs: www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan
• Medicare coverage options: www.medicare.gov/medicarecoverageoptions/
• The 2022 Medicare & You handbook, which all Medicare beneficiaries should have received. The handbook can also be downloaded online at:  medicare.gov/forms-help-resources/medicare-you-handbook/download-medicare-you-in-different-formats
• The Medicare Rights Center: www.medicareinteractive.org
• Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program, which offers independent counseling: www.shiptacenter.org