Long Island Child Custody Lawyers

Understanding Divorce and Child Custody in Long Island, New York

Going through a divorce is a generally difficult time both financially and emotionally. When you want to officially end your relationship, there are a lot of issues to settle between the former couple. Unfortunately, many divorces can get very ugly and emotional, especially when there are children involved. Child custody is a big issue for many former couples when they decide their marriage is no longer worth salvaging. For this very reason, it’s important to have an experienced child custody attorney representing you. It is your best chance of ensuring that you get the best custody outcome for your children, as well as with the division of your assets and other procedures. If you are located in the Long Island, New York area, it’s important to know all about the child custody laws.

Differences Between Physical and Legal Custody

When a child custody case is being decided, there are generally two components: physical and legal custody. In Long Island, New York, physical custody refers to the place where the child primarily lives regardless of whether there is a joint custody agreement between the parents. Legal custody relates to all of the important decisions one parent makes regarding the child’s well-being until the child becomes an adult. These two forms of custody can either be joint between the two parents or sole where one parent has both physical and legal custody of the child. Exactly how the two types of custody are decided depends on the particular circumstances of the divorce case and each parent.

How Can a Child Custody Lawyer Help with Custody Issues

The issue of child custody is sometimes complicated. If the former spouses are unable to come to an agreement regarding what happens to their children, it can be difficult to get custody orders. In that situation, the parties would have to go before a judge to obtain a court order or rely on mediation. If there are delicate issues involves, such as abuse or if one of the parents wishes to move to a different city or state, a child custody battle can very quickly and easily get costly, both financially and emotionally.

A skilled child custody attorney knows exactly how to handle all aspects of divorce cases. There are a number of areas in which child custody encompasses, including:

• Custody arrangements
• Child support orders
• Visitation agreements
• Enforcement of child support orders that are unpaid
• Modifications to current support or custody orders
• Paternity testing

When Should You Seek Legal Representation from a Child Custody Attorney?

Generally, a divorce case is usually never settled without an attorney. If there are children involved, it is even more uncommon to not have legal representation. Even if you don’t actually hire one for your case, it is still a wise move to speak with a child custody attorney regarding the situation. However, hiring one is a smart course of action. The best thing to do is to interview a few lawyers so that you can make a decision to hire the one who best suits your needs and circumstances.

Having an experienced attorney fighting for your best interests and for the best interests of your children is important when there is friction between you and your ex during your divorce. Divorce and custody cases are extremely complex and highly emotional and an attorney can deal with everything better due to their experience and objectivity. If you are going through a custody issue in the middle of a divorce case, get in touch with a New York custody attorney at your earliest convenience.