Somerset County Child Custody Lawyer
For divorcing parents, nothing is more important than maintaining a strong relationship with their children post-divorce. Our Somerset County child custody lawyers have extensive experience representing clients facing child custody disputes, and we’re here to put that experience to work for you as well. Our firm is dedicated to preserving the child’s well-being throughout the legal process. To better understand your child’s rights during these proceedings, refer to our Bill of Rights for Children in Divorce and Dissolution Actions. Additionally, to read our Parenting Rules to help ensure you’re always acting in your child’s interests, click here.
Physical Custody Vs. Legal Custody in New Jersey
Child custody comprises both legal and physical custody. Legal custody refers to a parent’s authority and responsibility for making major decisions regarding the child’s health, education, and welfare. Physical or residential custody refers to where the child lives. Though courts tend to hand down split custody, this isn’t always the case, which is why it’s so important to have a team of child custody lawyers who can effectively represent you.
Our Child Custody Services
Attorney Kisha Hebbon has more than a decade of family law experience and can counsel you on each aspect of child custody matters, including:
- Factors listed under New Jersey law: If parents cannot agree on how to manage the upbringing of their child, state law lists several factors that can be considered by the judge when making a custody decision. These include parental fitness, the child’s educational needs, and the relative stability of each home environment. Importantly, the core of any child custody agreement is what the courts consider to be in the child’s best interests.
- Primary and joint custody arrangements: Generally, custody arrangements fall into one of three categories: sole custody, joint legal custody, and joint physical custody. Sole custody awards both legal and physical custody to one parent. Joint legal custody provides that both parents have joint responsibility for all major decisions regarding the child’s health, welfare, and education. However, in a joint custody case, the court will usually designate one parent as the child’s parent of primary residence and determine a parenting plan for the other parent.
- Modifications to existing orders: If a significant change occurs and you require an adjustment to your custody order or you are looking to prevent that change, our firm will press for a fair resolution.
In any custody proceeding, the court is bound by law to treat the rights of both parents equally. Still, men sometimes face ingrained biases when courts review parenting plans. Our firm takes a special interest in fathers’ rights cases and works tirelessly to ensure that paternal bonds remain strong.
Child Relocation in New Jersey
Whether a divorce has recently occurred or several years have passed, a custodial parent may be compelled to move to a distant location. These situations can be highly volatile, and courts look at a wide range of factors to determine if a custody arrangement should be modified to accommodate a move. As always, judges make their decisions based on what is in the best interests of the child, which can include a review of the reason for the relocation, the relationship between the parents, and the child’s preference.
Contact Our Somerset, New Jersey Child Custody Lawyers
If you’re facing a divorce or child custody issue, please don’t hesitate to contact an experienced Somerset child custody attorney at our firm to make an appointment. The Law Offices of Kisha M. Hebbon, LLC represents clients in child custody matters and other family law cases throughout New Jersey, including Somerset, Middlesex, and Union counties.
