Generally, New York Family Courts seek to give both parents input with respect to raising their children. If both parents cannot reach an agreement on what is best for the child, a judge will have to decide the matter. If you are seeking an initial order of custody, have an order of custody but are having issues with the child’s other parent, or need help determining what form of custody is right for your particular situation, a New York custody attorney can assist you in getting the best possible outcome.
Visitation enables the non-custodial parent to spend time with the child, often referred to as “parenting time.” Often times non-custodial parents want more time with their child(ren) than a few hours on weekends or holidays. New York family Courts generally encourage liberal access for parents, unless there are specific issues or problems. Our New York City visitation lawyers work to obtain significant and fair parenting time for non-custodial parents, that reflects not only their desire to see their child as much as possible, but which also addresses other issues important to parents such as telephone and web cam access, transfers, etc.
As we are a mobile society, how parental moves are handled has become an important part of Family Law practice. Where the custodial parent wants to move out of the jurisdiction with a child, and the child’s other parent objects, the custodial parent will need Court permission to do so. Courts consider various factors in deciding relocation cases. Family law cases can be very sensitive, and difficult to resolve, and our family law attorneys strive to help you do so as calmly and fairly as possible. A New York family law attorney can help you present your case to the court and make the best possible argument for having your request or objection for relocation considered.
Parents must support their children until such children are 21. Our New York child support attorneys help custodial parents obtain initial orders of support, and non-custodial parents ensure that whatever order is entered fairly reflects their ability to pay. Our New York Child Support lawyers also assist parents in obtaining upward and downward modifications, and help them enforce orders they already have.
Our family law firm also handles other Family Law matters, including cases involving domestic violence, paternity, and spousal support.
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Our attorneys represent both mothers and fathers in Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Westchester. While usually basic child support is based upon the standard guidelines, an attorney can help you present the best case possible whether you are seeking child support or responding to a petition for child support. In particular, a New York child support attorney understands the intricacies of the legal system and can explain the law and the process clearly to you. Additionlly, our child support lawyers are experienced in organizing and presenting evidence to the court in a clear and concise manner on more complicated determinations that involve health care expenses, child care expenses, and deviations from the basic guidelines.
It is critical that you present the best case possible when the original order of support is being determined because once a child support payment is set, it becomes significantly more difficult to increase or reduce the payment amount. In fact, once a child support amount is ordered, it can only be modified if the court finds that there is a change in circumstance that would justify such a modification.
Child support can be ordered by either the New York Supreme Court Matrimonial Division or New York Family Court.
New York has a formula (called a “guideline”) for calculating basic child support payments. The guidelines are generally followed in most cases unless there is reason for deviation. Reasons for deviation include the financial resources of both parents, the physical and emotional health of the child, tax consequences, and non-monetary contributions made by both parents.
An uncontested divorce is appropriate where: (a) your spouse does not disagree with with any of the issues set forth in your divorce petition (including but not limited to child custody and support, division of marital property and/or spousal support); and (b) your spouse either agrees to the divorce by voluntarily signing the divorce papers, or does not appear to contest the divorce action after proper notice.
If your spouse disagrees with any of the issues in your divorce petition and contests them, you have a “contested divorce” and not an uncontested divorce.
You can start your uncontested divorce with a New York attorney for as little as $200 initial payment.
Uncontested Divorce (No Children): $350
Uncontested Divorce with Children: $450
Additional Fees:
Index Number Filing Fee: $210
Request for Judicial Intervention (depends on county of filing): $95
Note of Issue: $30
Motion for Divorce: $45
Certified Copy of Judgment of Divorce: $10
Firm cost, disbursements & service fees: $245
Total additional fees: $630
Expedited priority processing fee: $100
* Full payment including all court costs are due prior to filing. Uncontested divorce fees listed are for those who already have a valid settlement agreement or court order disposing of all possible marital issues.
If you are seeking a divorce it is highly advisable to have an attorney. An attorney will clearly explain your rights to you and will advocate on your behalf to ensure that those rights are protected. An uncontested divorce attorney thoroughly understands the process and issues that commonly arise in a divorce action. Unlike a paralegal who merely fills out forms, an attorney can give you legal advice with respect to your specific situation.
On the other hand, some people will try to file for an uncontested divorce themselves or hire a paralegal thinking that it is the simple filing of a form. Unfortunately, mistakes can lead to a delay or denial of your petition. In addition, without the advice of an attorney you may risk losing certain rights because you did not understand them properly. Complications are common and fixing a mistake is often times more costly and time consuming than getting your legal issues taken care of correctly the first time. A New York uncontested divorce attorney from our office can assist you in answering your legal questions and ensuring that your uncontested divorce process goes as smoothly as possible.
]]>Domestic violence is an under-reported type of abuse. Although most people associate domestic violence with physical injury, threats and other forms of verbal abuse may be considered domestic violence. Victims can also suffer from depression, anxiety, etc. as a result of the abuse.
Domestic violence cases are difficult to handle alone our New York family lawyers are here to help you get you and your family back on the right track.
]]>Getting a divorce is a serious matter and an attorney with the legal knowledge, skill, and education to competently represent you can be vital. We can assist our clients with temporary restraining orders, orders for temporary support, contested and uncontested divorces in New York.
We assist our New York divorce clients in understanding the law, their options, their rights, their obligations and possible outcomes. We dedicate ourselves to providing personal service so that you can make fully informed decisions in this difficult process.
We are determined to assist you in asserting your legal rights and your right to be respected throughout the divorce process. We will aggressively use our legal skills to ensure that our clients get what they deserve. In addition, our New York attorneys believe that each client should be treated with dignity and compassion.
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