If you are in the middle of any legal matter that involves your family and/or your children, the matter will be heard by the Family Court. This court is the one that holds the authority to make a legal decision in your family law matter, whether that matter is regarding Child Custody or Child Support, an issue of Visitation or an Order of Protection, or an alleged instance of Abuse and Neglect. A Brooklyn Child Custody Lawyer understands that, when a couple is separating, their Child Custody case is generally the hardest issue to resolve. To support you in this difficult situation, below is an overview of what you can expect during your Child Custody case in Brooklyn, prepared for you by a Brooklyn Child Custody Lawyer on the team of Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC.
The Brooklyn Family Court is located at 330 Jay Street, in Brooklyn, New York. The court’s phone number is 347-401-9600; their fax number is 347-401-9609. The hours the court is open are 8:30 am to 5 pm on Monday and Friday, and 8:30 am to 9 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. To get there by car, take the BQE to the Tillary Street exit.
It’s important that you understand that, in New York state—regardless of whether you’re in the middle of Manhattan or in Queens, up north in Westchester or in Suffolk County—the legal standard upon which your Child Custody case is going to be decided is a seemingly simple question: What is in the best interest of the child? This standard may seem vague; however, a Family Court Judge does evaluate specific indicators in order to reach a verdict about Child Custody.
For example, the factors that a Brooklyn Family Court Judge analyzes will start with this question: Who would be considered to be the primary caregiver? To answer this question, the Court examines which of the parents is chiefly responsible for aspects of the child’s everyday care. For example: Who attends to the basic daily needs of the child, from dressing him or her and preparing the child to get out the door and to school, to providing homework help, bathing and feeding the child, and overseeing aspects of healthcare (including doctor’s appointments).
In making a custody decision, including determining which of the two parents may be better suited to act as the primary caregiver, Brooklyn Family Court may draw on another resource: a Law Guardian. The Law Guardian is a Brooklyn Family Lawyer who can be appointed by a Family Court Judge to act as the representative for the child. A Law Guardian will interview the child as part of the process of recommending to the Family Court which parent, in their view, should be appointed as the Custodial parent.
The types of custody the Family Court Judge can award are full custody, physical custody, or joint custody.
Your Child Custody case may involve other additional factors, such as the background of each parent, whether a relocation of any family members is possible, and what the child’s wishes might be. To help you navigate all such aspects of your case, and to negotiate the best arrangement for your family, bring your Child Custody case to Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC. You can start with a no-cost, no-obligation evaluation with a Brooklyn Child Custody Lawyer on our team. Simply call 800.696.9529 today and meet us at any one of our conveniently located offices. Whether its child custody or a divorce, we are found in all of New York City’s boroughs—schedule a meeting in Brooklyn, in Queens, in Manhattan, out on Staten Island, or also in the Bronx. We also have Long Island offices, both in Nassau County and also in Suffolk County. You can also meet in our Westchester County office.