Getting a divorce often has a significant impact on every aspect of your life. This is particularly true for couples who have children, who can also be substantially affected by a divorce. One of the most important factors in determining how a family will be affected by a divorce is the child custody arrangement that is put in place after the dissolution is finalized. A child custody order will determine issues regarding decision-making authority regarding important issues as to how a child is raised and determine the amount of time each parent can spend with the child.
There are a number of ways that a child custody arrangement can affect your family, including the following:
- Determine which parent the child lives with
- Significantly reduce one parent’s access to his or her child
- Prevent one parent from moving or exploring professional opportunities in other geographic areas
- Keep parents in contact with one another when they would otherwise end their relationship
- Expose children to stressful situations due to the issues in their parent’s relationship
A New Jersey Family Law Attorney Can Have a Significant Impact on the Outcome of Your Child Custody Dispute
New Jersey has significant discretion when making child custody decisions and make these decisions in accordance with what they believe is in the best interests of the child. When determining the best interests of the child, courts look to a number of factors, including the safety of the child, the child’s preferences (in some cases), the proximity of the parents’ homes to one another, whether there is any history of domestic violence, the parents’ ability to communicate and agree in regard to matters related to the child, and many others. Importantly, courts are also allowed to consider any other factor related to the best interests of the child, which functionally means that a judge can consider anything that he or she wants to consider. For this reason, it is critical for anyone involved in child custody dispute to retain an attorney. A skilled lawyer will be able to compile and present evidence in support of your custody goals, either by establishing your qualifications as a parent or disputing those of your child’s other parent.
Call 732-422-1000 today for a consultation.
If you are involved in a child custody dispute or believe that one may be around the corner, you should speak to a child custody lawyer as soon as possible. To schedule a consultation with attorneys, call Borrus, Goldin, Foley, Vignuolo, Hyman & Stahl, PC today at 732-422-1000.
