Morris County Family Lawyer
Finding the right lawyer is a crucial step when dealing with any legal issue, but especially those that affect your family. Fortunately, Moskowitz Law Group is available to help New Jersey families dealing with all aspects of family law.
If you are experiencing difficulties in your marriage, have parenting or child-related issues, are seeking to adopt, or have any other pressing needs involving family law, make sure to contact a Morris County family lawyer as soon as possible because time is often of the essence in family law matters.
Family Law Issues
Family law encompasses many kinds of legal issues. These can include divorce and separation, child custody, alimony, child support, prenuptial agreements, adoptions, domestic violence restraining orders, and more.
Anyone experiencing or having problems with these kinds of issues should contact an experienced Morris County family law attorney immediately.
What Can a Family Law Lawyer Do?
A skilled family law attorney in Morris County can deal with family law issues in several ways. For instance, a local family lawyer can adapt their legal strategy to account for both uncontested and contested elements of a divorce, or for a more personalized and collaborative process for couples seeking to go through the mediation process rather than litigation.
Other family law issues are time-sensitive, meaning that an attorney can be most beneficial if brought into the case early on. For example, a lawyer may be able to help secure a restraining order to protect someone from domestic violence, helping to ensure the physical and emotional safety of their client. The sooner a family law lawyer is brought into the case in these time-sensitive matters, the better.
Division of Assets
New Jersey courts divide marital property in a divorce in a process called equitable distribution. This term means that the Court will divide assets and property between the separating spouses in a manner considered to be fair and equitable, but not necessarily equally. Rather, the Court considers many statutory factors when deciding how to divide marital property.
There is a lot on the line when it comes to dividing marital property in a divorce, especially for couples with substantial or complex assets. However, family law lawyers in Morris County can argue their clients’ cases to ensure that their clients receive their fair share of marital property.
Mediation in Family Law Cases
When facing a divorce or other family law matter, many people assume that going to court is inevitable. In reality, mediation offers an alternative path that may allow both parties to reach a resolution without the cost and uncertainty of a trial. In mediation, a neutral third party works with both sides to help them identify areas of agreement and work through areas of dispute. The mediator does not make decisions for the parties, and anything discussed during the process is generally confidential. Agreements reached during mediation will need to be put in writing and signed by both parties in order to become binding.
Mediation is usually voluntary, but in some cases, a Morris County court may require the parties to attempt mediation before scheduling a trial. Even when mediation is not required, it can offer real advantages. It tends to be less expensive than litigation, allows for more flexible and creative outcomes than a judge might order, and may help preserve a working relationship between the parties, which can be especially important when children are involved.
Having an attorney on your side during mediation is still important. While the mediator remains neutral, a family law attorney in Morris County can help prepare you for the process, advise you on whether a proposed agreement adequately protects your interests, and review any final agreement before you sign it.
Relocation and Custody Disputes
When a divorced or separated parent wishes to move a significant distance away from the child’s other parent, whether out-of-state or to a distant location within New Jersey, legal procedures must be followed. A parent generally cannot simply relocate with a child out-of-state without the other parent’s consent or a court order permitting the move. Attempting to do so without following the proper legal process could have serious consequences, including being ordered to return the child and a potential negative impact on future custody arrangements.
To obtain court approval for a relocation out-of-state, the parent seeking to move must demonstrate that the move is in the best interests of the child. The New Jersey Supreme Court established the factors courts must weigh when evaluating relocation disputes. Just a few of those factors include the reasons for the proposed move, the child’s relationship with each parent, and the stability of the child’s home and educational environment if the relocation is permitted.
No single factor is automatically decisive, and courts are expected to conduct a thorough analysis of the full picture. A Morris County family law attorney can help a parent seeking to relocate build a compelling case, or help a parent opposing a proposed move present the strongest possible argument against it.
How Can an Attorney Help With Alimony?
Unlike child support, which is calculated using a standard formula in New Jersey, there is no universal formula for calculating alimony. Courts instead consider a range of factors like the length of marriage, each spouse’s age and earning capacity, and what standard of living they experienced during the marriage.
Alimony obligations are not necessarily permanent. If there has been a substantial change in circumstances since the original order was entered, such as a significant change in either party’s income, a serious health issue, or the recipient spouse’s remarriage or cohabitation, it may be possible to seek a modification or termination of the existing support arrangement. A Morris County alimony attorney can help individuals on either side of a support dispute understand their options and advocate for an outcome that accommodates their current situation.
A Morris County Family Law Attorney Can Help
For most of us, family is the most important part of life. Thus, it is important to ensure that all legal matters involving our families are handled professionally with the utmost care by contacting and hiring an experienced Morris County family lawyer.
If you are separating from a spouse, divorcing, need a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement, trying to adopt a child, or going through any other issue relating to family law, call today to schedule a consultation and get started on your case.
