Staten Island Parenting Plan Lawyer

Our NYC Child Custody Attorneys Will Help You Meet Your Child’s Best Interests

At our law office in Dongan Hills, Staten Island, New York, we help our clients craft parenting plans that serve the best interests of their children.

Some parents begin the divorce process by saying they want sole custody of their children. However, New York courts favor joint custody to ensure the child has a relationship with both parents. In the long term, the courts believe it is healthiest for children to have two parents.

What is Joint Child Custody?

Joint custody can be anywhere from 50-50 (where the parents have children on alternating weeks) to a traditional arrangement where one parent has primary residential custody and the other parent has visitation according to a schedule (such as every other weekend, alternating holidays, one night during the week or an extended summer visit).

The percentage of overnight visits you have with your children can have an effect on the amount of child support you pay.

If Child Custody is Contested

In determining who should be the primary residential parent, courts look at factors such as who has been the primary care giver of the child and who offers the more stable home environment. If you move out of your house while the divorce is in process, you may be giving up your right to be primary residential parent.

Child custody disputes that involve the court system are lengthy, difficult and expensive. Over the past 25 years as a lawyer on Staten Island, we have helped clients negotiate joint custody plans without court involvement in more than 90 percent of the cases we have handled.

To schedule an attorney consultation to discuss child custody: Call 718-213-4746 or fill out the contact form on this Web site.