Family Law

Family Law Services:

Adoption

Antenuptial Agreements

Custody and Visitation

Dissolution/Divorce

Domestic Violence/ Orders for Protection

Paternity

Our family law attorneys have many years of experience providing competent representation in every area of family law. Our goal is to counsel our clients on the best ways of resolving what are often no-win situations, providing alternatives that take into account the individual factors of the person’s case. In the very painful and confusing cases involving children, we strive to provide advice as to the most optimal means of protecting the best interests of the children.

Adoption is a legal proceeding that transfers all rights and responsibilities of a biological parent, if known, to the adoptive parent. The procedures as set out by law are intended to protect the best interest of the children and the rights of parents or guardians. Persons desiring adoption have many choices. We advise our clients through adoptions, whether they are utilizing licensed agencies, private placements, or otherwise. We are experienced at dealing with foreign agencies and governments for the purposes of international adoptions.

Marriage dissolution is an often complicated and always painful process. Our attorneys work hard to understand each aspect of the relationships in question, including the financial intricacies. We work to find the best solution, whether through alternative dispute resolution or litigation.

Child custody is the grant of rights and responsibilities to one or both parents, implicating the important decisions regarding the child’s welfare. We advise clients of their options based on their individual circumstances, offering them scenarios for maintaining healthy relationships with their children while taking into account the relationship with the children’s other parent.

Parenting time, formerly known as visitation, is granted often based on the assistance of government officials and other professionals in the field of child development. In such situations our attorneys ensure that assessments are made fairly and in the most favorable manner for our clients.

Antenuptial (prenuptial) agreements are contracts entered into by a couple prior to their marriage. These agreements normally address property issues such as income, assets, and liabilities that may arise in the event of divorce or death. Occasionally such agreements protect the assets of the spouse who brings to the marriage considerably greater assets. Our attorneys assist in drafting such agreements, representing one side or the other during the negotiation of the agreement, and, most importantly, fully explaining to clients the legal significance of an agreement and the ramifications of either having or not having an agreement, and providing representation for individuals when disputes arise as to the enforcement of such agreements.

Paternity actions are legal proceedings to establish that a the father of a child, often using DNA testing, usually in order to impose a child support obligation, establish a right to inheritance, secure consent for the child’s adoption, or gain custody or parental access rights. Such actions are often part of a child custody or support proceeding.

Orders For Protection are normally requested in the context of domestic violence or harassment usually between two persons with a particular relationship.
As in other areas, our attorneys take into account long-term issues that may arise as a result of an order for protection, including custody and immigration matters, and strive for the best result attainable under the particular circumstances of each client’s case.