Union County Mothers’ Rights Lawyer
At one point, mothers may have had more rights in child-rearing than fathers in New Jersey, but today both parents have equal rights and responsibilities under the law. In order to protect your rights as a parent, though, you may need the help of a Union County mothers’ rights lawyer.
You deserve a family attorney who could advise you on your legal options and represent your parenting wishes. Everything you do is for the best interest of your children and having a court recognize your rights as a mother could empower you to raise your children as you see fit.
Child Custody and Child Support in Union County
When parents divorce or separate, two of the most contentious issues are often child custody and child support. When deliberating such issues, family court judges and mediators prioritize whatever arrangement is in a child’s best interests.
Although under the law parents have equal rights and responsibilities regarding their children, a skilled Union County mothers’ rights attorney could argue for more time and rights for a child’s mother and fight for an end to disputes. Potential bases for increasing the rights and responsibilities of one parent over the other include:
- The nature of the relationship between the child and each parent
- Either parent’s ability to provide a safe and secure home for the child
- Financial resources
- Any history of physical, mental, or sexual abuse
- Any other factor affecting the welfare of a child
Child support is determined in New Jersey-based on a state-mandated formula to calculate child support payments. This formula takes into account the combined income of the parents, the child custody arrangement, the number of children they have in common, and other factors. A seasoned Union County mothers’ rights lawyer could help apply this formula to explain how child support agreements may end up.
The Rights of Unwed Mothers
Having a child out of wedlock presents a distinct set of legal circumstances for a mother in New Jersey. Assuming the child’s father takes no steps to establish paternity through genetic testing or notarized acknowledgment, a mother may retain full custody of the child but would be ineligible for child support. After a father successfully establishes paternity, he and the mother would have equal parenting rights and responsibilities, and the court could approve arrangements for custody and child support.
Alternatively, some couples opt to have children but not marry while living together as a family. Parents in this type of arrangement could enter into a cohabitation agreement, which is a legal document allowing parents to enjoy many of the rights of married partners.
A cohabitation agreement also called a nonmarital agreement (different from marital agreements), might allow unwed parents to:
- Give power of attorney to one another
- Include each other in a health insurance plan
- Make decisions for one another regarding medical treatment
- Define how assets are divided if the relationship ends
A qualified mothers’ rights lawyer in Union County could offer further clarification about how to address disputes between parents who are not married.
Contact a Union County Mothers’ Rights Attorney for More Information
Your biggest concern as a mother is very likely the continued wellbeing of your children. Contact a Union County mothers’ rights lawyer today if you have any concerns about child custody, child support, determining paternity, or any related matter involving your rights as a mother under state law.
