Family law is an area of the law that deals with family-related issues. Family law can be thought of as an umbrella under which various legal actions are executed, such as the following:
Divorce – The most common legal action affecting families. It is the process of legally separating and diving a family and its assets. Divorce can be uncontested or contested.
Uncontested Divorce– This occurs when you do not expect your spouse to disagree with any aspect of the material terms and conditions in the divorce papers, or when your spouse does not respond to court papers served to them. To get an uncontested divorce, where your spouse is cooperative, you only need to file documents with the court. You and your spouse do not have to make an appearance in court.
Contested Divorce– This occurs when you and your spouse are unable to reach an agreement on all material issues involved in your divorce. This does not mean that one spouse can prevent the other from obtaining a divorce. In the event that you are unable to reach a full agreement, there are several methods used to resolve the remaining issues.
Mediation – This is a cooperative meeting of the disputing parties and at least one attorney to discuss all or certain issues. The parties form any agreements with the assistance of the mediator. The final agreements are presented to a court, however, parties never have to go to court, nor is their confidential information exposed to court litigation.
Child Custody – Perhaps the most important area of Family Law, this deals with the legal issues that affect your children during and after a divorce. Custody is the legal responsibility for the care and control of your child (under 18). Visit our Custody page for information on the forms of child custody in New York.
Visitation – The courts generally presume that it is in the child’s best interest to see both parents regularly, so they favor providing both parents with some form of custody or visitation. Courts will only deny visitation when there is substantial evidence that visitation would be harmful to your child. Visit our Visitation page for information on the New York laws that pertain to visitation in a divorce proceeding.
Free consultation with a Long Island, NY Family Law lawyer. Contact us today. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Jacoby & Jacoby can answer all your questions and help you understand the entire process. For a free consultation, call any one of our office locations directly or contact us online today.
Medford, NY: 631-289-4600
Miller Place, NY: 631-821-8800
Shirley, NY: 631-281-2234
Nassau County, NY: 888-452-2629
