Child Custody Dispute Attorney in Eatontown, NJ Protects Parents’ and Children’s Rights and Interests in Monmouth County, Ocean County, Middlesex County, Mercer County, and Beyond
When a couple with children separates or divorces, one of the most important issues they need to resolve is custody of their children. While parents will always prefer to be as involved in their children’s upbringing as possible, this can create conflicts since children can’t be with both parents at the same time. Your family deserves a fair custody arrangement that allows you and your ex to contribute to and work together for your children. Turn to a New Jersey child custody lawyer from LaBletta & Walters LLC to help you advocate for your and your children’s interests.
Our firm was founded with the mission of providing outstanding legal representation. Our legal team works hard to obtain the desired outcome in each client’s case. We take the time to understand your situation and goals to identify legal strategies that can help you resolve your family’s complex challenges.
You deserve to have a close relationship with your children even after you separate from your spouse or partner. A child custody dispute attorney in Eatontown, NJ can help you protect your involvement in your children’s lives. Contact LaBletta & Walters LLC for an initial consultation to discuss your legal rights and options in your child custody dispute.
Types of Child Custody
In New Jersey, child custody involves two different types of custody: legal and physical custody. Legal custody refers to a parent’s right to make decisions in their child’s upbringing, including decisions regarding healthcare, education, and religious/moral instruction. Physical custody refers to a parent’s right to control the physical whereabouts of their child; physical custody can also refer to having a child live in the parent’s home.
Legal and physical custody may be joint or sole custody. Joint legal custody means parents must agree on decisions regarding their children’s upbringing, while a parent with sole legal custody has exclusive decision-making rights. Joint physical custody means both parents enjoy periods of overnight parenting time, while sole physical custody means the child spends all their overnights with one parent although the other parent may have supervised or unsupervised visitation periods lasting for several hours.
How Do Courts Decide Child Custody?
The law recognizes parents’ rights to raise their children how parents best see fit. Separated or divorced parents have the option of negotiating a child custody and parenting time arrangement, which courts will frequently accept and enforce unless the court finds that a proposed arrangement is detrimental to the child’s best interest. However, parents can also turn to the courts to resolve outstanding custody disputes. In resolving custody matters, courts recognize that public policy favors giving both parents continuing and frequent contact with their children. But any custody arrangement must serve a child’s best interests. Courts evaluate multiple statutory factors in identifying a child’s best interests and deciding on a custody arrangement. These factors may include:
- The parents’ ability to communicate, cooperate, and agree on matters relating to their children
- Each parent’s willingness to accept custody or any history of unwillingness to allow parenting time for reasons unrelated to substantiated abuse
- The child’s relationship with each parent and the child’s siblings
- Any history of domestic violence
- The safety of the child and either parent from physical abuse by the other parent
- Any special needs of the child
- The stability of each parent’s home environment
- The quality and continuity of the child’s education
- Each parent’s fitness to exercise parental duties
- The geographical proximity of the parents’ homes
- The extent and quality of time each parent spent with the child prior to separation
- The parents’ employment responsibilities
- The number and ages of the children
- The stated preferences of a child of sufficient age and maturity to express an intelligent, reasoned preference
Let a New Jersey Child Custody Lawyer from LaBletta & Walters LLC Help You with Your Family’s Child Custody Matter
Child custody is often a contentious issue in a separation or divorce. Every parent wants to be as involved as possible in their children’s lives. However, personal conflicts you may have with your ex can make it challenging to co-parent. Turn to a child custody dispute attorney in Eatontown, NJ from LaBletta & Walters LLC to help you achieve a fair, workable custody arrangement by:
- Reviewing your family’s circumstances to identify legal options and solutions
- Discussing your concerns, questions, and goals to determine what an optimal outcome may look like for your family
- Exploring alternative dispute resolution options to resolve custody, such as mediation or collaborative divorce
- Helping you obtain resources you may need for your custody arrangement, such as parenting time coordinators or family therapists
- Advocating for your and your child’s interests in court, including when you need to modify or enforce your family’s existing custody agreement
Contact Our Firm for a Confidential Consultation to Discuss Your Rights and Options with a Child Custody Dispute Attorney in NJ
After you and your spouse or partner separate, get experienced legal advocacy to help protect your relationship with your children. Contact LaBletta & Walters LLC today for a confidential case evaluation to discuss how our New Jersey child custody lawyer can support you as you work to build a new family dynamic with your children and co-parent.