Brooklyn Family Lawyer

How Stephen Bilkis & Associates Helps Brooklyn Families

In a borough where neighbors, schools, and extended family are often closely tied to daily life, a family law dispute can feel very public. Stephen Bilkis has helped clients through these difficult moments for almost 30 years, working on family and matrimonial cases in Kings County Family Court and Kings County Supreme Court. His firm has now handled more than 10,000 family law consultations and cases combined, and its legal team’s experience adds up to more than 300 years.

Whether the issue involves a marriage, a child, or someone’s safety, the firm can help. That includes divorce, spousal maintenance, custody, visitation, child support, and paternity, along with orders of protection, guardianship, grandparents’ rights, and ACS cases.

Every case gets a clear plan at the outset, and we revisit that plan as the case changes. Our experienced Brooklyn family lawyers investigate the background of the dispute, preserve evidence such as messages and financial records, and search for income or assets a spouse may have left out. When related cases are pending in different courts, such as Family Court and Criminal Court, we plan for both together. Throughout, clients are prepared for every stage, from settlement talks to trial.

Recognition and Credentials of Stephen Bilkis

Stephen Bilkis has earned a number of distinctions from organizations that evaluate attorneys. Being named to the New York Super Lawyers list puts him in the top 5% of attorneys in the state. Avvo places him in its Excellent category, Justia has designated him a Top-Rated Lawyer, and Expertise.com and TopLawyer.com have both honored him as well.

His education includes studies at Tulane University and a degree from Touro Law School. He is a member of the New York State Bar, and his work extends well beyond family law.

Trusted Family Law Representation in Brooklyn

At Stephen Bilkis & Associates, Brooklyn families work with attorneys who know the Kings County courts and take the time to understand each family’s needs and goals. We help clients in every part of the borough, from Williamsburg and Bushwick to Bay Ridge and Canarsie.

Our phone line, 800.696.9529, is the fastest way to set up a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced Brooklyn family lawyer. We will listen to your concerns and help you decide on the best next step.

Family and Matrimonial Cases We Handle in Brooklyn

Here is an overview of the family and matrimonial cases our attorneys handle. At Stephen Bilkis & Associates, each one receives a strategy built around the client’s goals.

Brooklyn Divorce Help

Deciding to divorce is hard enough without worrying that your spouse is hiding money or planning to fight over every issue. Stephen Bilkis and his team handle every type of divorce in Kings County Supreme Court, from uncontested cases resolved by agreement to contested, high-conflict, and high-net-worth cases that require litigation. Dividing property fairly starts with a full picture of what the couple owns and what each asset is worth. That picture might include a brownstone in Park Slope or Bed-Stuy that has appreciated sharply, a small business, or money held in cryptocurrency. Uncovering hidden assets and valuing complex ones often requires going past routine discovery, using strategies our attorneys have refined over many years, like tracing transfers through payment apps and cryptocurrency exchanges.

Brooklyn Alimony and Maintenance

Spousal support and child support are closely connected, and a mistake in one can throw off the other. Stephen Bilkis handles maintenance requests for spouses on both sides of the issue. When the same spouse pays both, maintenance is generally calculated first and taken into account when child support is determined, though the calculation can change depending on each parent’s obligations. We also explore alternatives, such as trading a larger share of property for lower or shorter maintenance payments, when that better fits our client’s goals.

Brooklyn Mediation and Collaborative Divorce Options

Many couples can agree on some issues even when they disagree on others. Stephen Bilkis & Associates helps clients use mediation or collaborative divorce to resolve as much as possible without a contested trial. For example, spouses might agree on a parenting schedule through mediation and leave only the division of a business for the court to decide. Whatever is settled becomes part of the final judgment, so we make sure our client understands each term before signing.

Brooklyn Child Custody Cases

The first few weeks after parents separate can set a pattern that is hard to change later. Stephen Bilkis and his team bring experience from more than 500 child custody cases, many of them heard in Kings County Family Court at 330 Jay Street. Judges may issue temporary custody or visitation orders early in a case, depending on the circumstances. These orders do not decide the final outcome, but an arrangement that lasts for months can become relevant when the court weighs the child’s stability and best interests. We move quickly to propose a temporary schedule that protects our client’s time with the child, while building the record needed for the final custody ruling.

Supervised Visitation in Brooklyn

Worrying about a child’s safety during visits with the other parent can make every weekend exchange feel tense. Stephen Bilkis & Associates helps parents request supervised visitation when there is a real risk to the child, and helps parents ordered to visit under supervision work toward unsupervised time. A judge may require supervision when a parent’s substance use, untreated condition, or past violence raises safety concerns. Supervision can take place at an agency or with a relative or friend the court approves. We collect proof of the risk, or of the progress a parent has made, such as completed treatment programs or parenting classes, and present it to the court.

Collecting Child Support in Brooklyn

Child support often comes down to one number, the paying parent’s income, and parents can disagree sharply about what it really is. Stephen Bilkis helps parents make sure support is based on a complete and accurate income figure. Under New York’s formula, income can include overtime, bonuses, rental income, and some government benefits, while certain deductions, including New York City income tax, may reduce it. We review pay records, tax returns, and benefit statements so nothing is missed or wrongly counted, and when payments stop, we pursue enforcement in Family Court.

DNA Testing and Paternity in Brooklyn

For a mother or father who needs a clear answer about a child’s parentage, a court-ordered genetic test can often settle the question. Stephen Bilkis & Associates helps clients request and respond to genetic testing in Kings County Family Court. The test is usually a simple cheek swab. A man who fails to respond to a paternity petition or comply with a court-ordered test may face serious consequences, including a default finding of paternity or temporary support obligations, depending on the circumstances. Once parentage is decided, we can pursue child support and a visitation schedule in the same court.

Child Guardianship in Brooklyn

Sometimes a parent recognizes that a child would be better off living with a relative for a while and wants to make that arrangement official. Stephen Bilkis helps families file for guardianship in Kings County Family Court or Kings County Surrogate’s Court, including cases where the parents consent. A guardian can register the child for school, consent to medical care, and handle everyday decisions. Guardianship generally lasts until age 18, or until 21 if the young person agrees, and a child who is 14 or older must also consent to the appointment. When a parent objects, the relative must first show extraordinary circumstances. We gather that evidence and then present the child’s needs and why guardianship would serve the child’s best interests.

Brooklyn Grandparent Rights

A grandparent who has tried for years to be part of a grandchild’s life, only to be blocked by a parent, may still be able to seek visitation. Stephen Bilkis and his team assist Brooklyn grandparents in bringing these cases to Kings County Family Court. New York courts can find that a grandparent has standing when a parent has frustrated reasonable efforts to build a relationship, not only when a close bond already exists. We document those efforts, such as birthday cards, messages, and offers to help, and show why contact would benefit the child. Grandparents seeking custody must meet a higher standard and prove extraordinary circumstances.

Defending an ACS Case in Brooklyn

Being called to an ACS Child Safety Conference can be frightening, because decisions made there may determine whether a child stays home. Stephen Bilkis & Associates helps parents and caregivers prepare for these conferences and defends them if a case is filed. At the conference, ACS discusses its concerns and possible plans, and having counsel can help a parent propose services or arrangements that keep the family together. If ACS files a petition, we challenge the evidence and push for the least restrictive conditions the court will accept.

Orders of Protection in Brooklyn

Someone facing threats or abuse at home often needs protection the same day. Stephen Bilkis helps petitioners seek a temporary order of protection in Kings County Family Court, which a judge can often issue the day the petition is filed, and defends respondents served with these orders. The Brooklyn Family Justice Center offers additional services, such as safety planning and counseling, that can support a petitioner while the case is pending. For respondents, we act quickly to challenge the allegations, since a temporary order can impact where they live and when they see their children.

Request a Free, No-Obligation Consultation with Stephen Bilkis & Associates

Contact an experienced Brooklyn family lawyer at Stephen Bilkis & Associates today for a free consultation. In that first conversation, we will learn about your situation, including any pending court dates or temporary orders and the outcome you want, and explain where you stand. Early action matters, because evidence such as texts and financial records is easiest to preserve at the start.

When children are involved, we keep their well-being at the center of every recommendation, from the tone of our negotiations to the proposals we make in court. We also look ahead, considering how today’s agreement or court order will work for the family years from now. Whatever path the case takes, Stephen Bilkis & Associates stays focused on protecting our client’s family, finances, and future.

Contact Stephen Bilkis & Associates today for a free consultation at 800.696.9529.