New Jersey Child Custody Attorneys
Divorce is a difficult and complicated matter…and when children are involved, the complexity just goes up to a whole different level. Couples who are considering a divorce find themselves asking: What’s going to happen to the kids? Is this what’s best for them? Will this give them a better future?
And when some couples don’t get answers to these questions about divorce, they decide to stay in a bad, dysfunctional, or even abusive marriage thinking it’s a better option, laying their happiness on the line as well as the kids’.
But this doesn’t have to be the case. You can get answers to your questions and you can get the knowledge that you need in order to make a well-informed, wise decision. With the guidance and assistance of an accomplished child custody attorney, you can take concrete steps to securing a happy future for you and your child.
Call the New Jersey Family Law Firm of New Jersey Family Lawyers at (201) 330-4228 for a Free Consultation with an Experienced Child Custody Attorney!
Dispelling the Happy Home Myth
Many couples who consider divorce but later decide against it often do so because they think staying together is better for the kids. And while kids usually do best in two-parent families, “staying together for the kids” may not exactly be the best thing to do when it comes to high-conflict marriages.
For a lot of people, divorce is automatically the worse option and staying together, regardless of the situation, leads to a happier (or less sad) home. However, the decades-long Harvard Study of Adult Development shows that living in the midst of conflict is bad for our health and that a high-conflict marriage without much affection may be even worse than getting a divorce.
The standard of your relationship with your spouse will affect how your kids perceive their own relationships in the future. When they see their parents treat each other with disrespect, they will grow up believing that disrespect is normal in a marriage. They could think that it’s okay to treat their own spouse with disrespect as well as allow others to treat them poorly.
While we do not encourage divorce, sometimes it can be the way for spouses as well as their children to walk away from traumatizing and unhealthy conflict. Compared to staying in a bad, abusive, or dysfunctional relationships fraught with fights, divorce may give your child a significantly improved home life and better relationships with their parents. In the long run, a peaceful divorce may be better for your kids than constant exposure to a conflict-ridden marriage. Our dedicated New Jersey divorce lawyers can help you understand your options.
Determining Child Custody Arrangements
Child custody laws often vary from one state to another. The state of New Jersey primarily considers the best interest of the child when determining a joint custody agreement. This includes the safety, happiness, physical, and mental well-being of the child.
The New Jersey courts generally start with the assumption that the child has the best chances of thriving in life and having a healthy childhood when they’re able to spend time with both of their parents. In this regard, parents can seek joint legal custody of the child or children but the court will first need to examine their ability to agree, communicate, and cooperate in matters concerning the child. Child custody and parenting plans go hand in hand to define both the rights and responsibilities of each parent. One parent is often the parent of primary residence, and would be where the child lives the majority of their time, but this is not the same as awarding them with sole custody, which is not commonly done.
When deciding if joint physical custody is right for your particular situation, there are other factors that the courts figure in the custody decision, such as:
- The child’s interaction with their parents and siblings
- Preference of the child, depending on their age and maturity
- The stability of the home environment
- The parents’ fitness
- The parents’ employment responsibilities
There are other considerations to make such as determining child support, time-sharing, and other factors, especially if your custody arrangements are as a result of divorce, or if you are an unmarried father seeking Father’s Rights. Wherever your family needs legal support, the custody experts at New Jersey Family Lawyers are here with a listening ear and dedication to the best interests of you and your child.
Free Consultation with an Experienced Jersey Child Custody Lawyer
We have been in the legal community for a long time, and we specialize in child custody cases. We can give you the guidance and assistance that you need as you go through the complex processes of child custody, including sole or joint custody, physical or legal custody, visitation rights, or support you with a custody dispute. As with all family law matters, we understand that your family comes first, and we will do everything we can to protect your rights as a parent.
We are ready to listen. Call New Jersey Family Lawyers now at (201) 330-4228 for a Free Consultation with an experienced Child Custody Attorney.
