Long Branch Attorneys for Child Custody and Support Cases
Divorces that involve children are often the most hard fought because the stakes are so high. Often, parents are mired in stressful separations, fighting for basic child support or reasonable opportunities to visit with their children. During such times, you need a lawyer who is sensitive to your needs and your child's best interests — but who is aggressive and proactive in dealing with your ex.
At Koufos & Norgaard, LLC, our divorce lawyers have a reputation as zealous advocates who work hard and fight smart on behalf of our clients. Our attorneys are energetic legal counselors who aren't afraid of a good fight.
Contact us to schedule an appointment.
Fighting for Child Custody — Resolving Visitation Disputes
In New Jersey, there are three basic types of child custody: sole custody, joint legal custody and joint physical custody. Sole custody awards both physical and legal custody of the child to just one parent, with the other parent receiving visitation or parenting time. With joint legal custody of a child, both parents have joint responsibility for all major decisions about health, welfare and education. Joint physical custody can only occur when the parents cooperate and agree to share day-to-day parenting of the child.
If parents cannot agree on a child custody arrangement, then a family court judge will make the decision for the parents. Some of the factors that New Jersey judges will consider when making a child custody decision include:
- The wishes of the parents and child
- The mental and physical health of all individuals involved
- The parents' ability to cooperate in parenting decisions, along with any evidence showing past unwillingness to cooperate
- Past interactions between the child, parents and any siblings
- Any history of domestic violence
- The stability of the home environment
- The amount and quality of time each parent spent with the child before and during separation
- The parents' employment responsibilities
Expert witnesses are helpful but not always necessary to make a good case for child custody. Our attorneys help our clients gather other evidence to support a child custody award, including statements from teachers, doctors, family members and friends; the child's school and medical records; and the parents' financial and medical records.
Calculating Fair Child Support in New Jersey
To determine child support, New Jersey uses a standard calculation in almost all cases. At Koufos & Norgaard, we use the most current versions of the same software used by the New Jersey family court judges in deciding child support awards. This means that our clients usually know what they will receive or pay out before the divorce is finalized.
As proactive advocates, however, we do not accept the child support calculations without first conducting an independent review. We vigorously comb through your ex's financial records to verify sources of income and identify inconsistencies. Our goal is to make sure the child support award in your case fairly considers your resources and provides adequate support for your child.
Contact Koufos & Norgaard for a Consultation
For answers to your questions about child custody and child support, contact our law firm for a private consultation. Send us an e-mail or call toll free 888-612-3089 to make an appointment at one of our two offices, in Long Branch or New Brunswick.
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