Experienced Family Law Lawyer in Passaic County, New Jersey

Families experience hardships that can cause heartache, financial strains, and stress. These hardships often include Divorce and Domestic Violence, which come with intense emotions. Fortunately, the State of New Jersey has put specific laws and protections in place to meet the needs of the parties.  Having an experienced and knowledgeable Passaic County Family Law attorney from the Law Office of Erin L. Thompson, LLC, is the best way to achieve a positive resolution of any family law matter.

Why You Should Hire a Family Attorney?

Some of the reasons you should consider a Passaic family attorney include the following:

• Divorce
• Domestic violence
• Child support
• Contribution toward college
• Child custody
• Paternity
• Adoption and foster care
• Domestic partnerships and civil unions
• Property settlement after divorce
• Spousal support

Divorce

While most people desire to get married at some point in life, no one expects to get divorced. This is why the process of divorce invokes feelings of being loss, anxiety, and a general feeling of being overwhelmed.

While the state provides room for divorce based on irreconcilable differences, it is normal to feel anxious about whether your spouse will consent to the divorce. And that is just the first step. Many elements of Divorce must be worked through, such as Custody, Support, Equitable Distribution, and the payment of Counsel Fees.  By contacting our skilled attorney at the Law Office of Erin L. Thompson, LLC, you will receive guidance through the division of marital property, calculation of spousal support, and proposal of a plan for child custody where applicable.

Hiring our Passaic County family law attorney from the Law Office of Erin L. Thompson, LLC, will help you decide your divorce avenue. This includes:

• Contested divorce
• No-fault divorce
• Collaborative divorce
• Annulments

Domestic Abuse

Domestic abuse is a difficult subject, and the laws around it can get confusing quickly. In Passaic County, you need to meet certain relationship criteria to qualify for a Temporary Restraining Order. You will also need to attend a Final Hearing to determine whether to convert the Temporary Restraining Order to a Final Restraining Order. Regardless of whether or not you are the Plaintiff or Defendant in the Hearing, a Final Restraining Order could have long lasting effects on both parties. Erin Thompson has specialized in domestic violence for 18 years, and she will give you the support, counsel, and advocacy to protect your best interests in domestic violence-related legal proceedings.

Child Custody

One of the challenging issues in divorce cases is child custody. Often, both parents have the best interest of their children at heart, but they may disagree on how to realize those goals. Unfortunately, feelings can run high when handling a legal matter concerning your child’s future care. While an informal negotiation can pave the way to successful co-parenting, an overly possessive parent can threaten your access to your child. Your ability to correctly assess your spouse in such a case is necessary to get an appropriate strategy for resolving your child custody. Hiring a compassionate family law attorney from the Law Office of Erin L. Thompson, LLC will help you achieve favorable results in your child’s best interest.

The state of New Jersey Law refers to two forms of custody in child custody cases:

• Legal custody: This includes the authority of one or both parents to decide on the child’s medical care, schooling, religious affiliation, and general welfare.
• Physical custody: This is the actual place where the child lives.

Generally, you will share in the legal custody of your child with your spouse, giving you equal right to participate in the decisions regarding their health, welfare and education. However, certain configurations will come in with the physical custody. These include:

• Sole physical custody where the child lives permanently with one parent and the other is granted visitation and parenting time.
• Joint physical custody: where the child spends equal time with both parents.

Child Support

When it comes to a case involving children, child support is key, and the following factors will determine the child support order:

• Finances of the parties involved
• The child’s medical expenses
• Custody order between the parties

Work-related childcare costs include:

• Fixed expenses: These include consistent living expenses such as housing, household items, and utilities.
• Variable expenses: These costs include the food, activities, and transportation when they spend with one parent.
• Controlled expenses: Controlled expenses comprise personal items and closing incurred by the primary caregiver.

Given the factors constituting child support, it is worth consulting a Passaic County family law attorney from the Law Office of Erin L. Thompson, LLC, to get guidance as per the state of New Jersey guidelines on child support calculations. These guidelines include the following:

• Child support is the duty of both parents
• A child is entitled to share in both parents’ current income
• A child should not be the economic victim in case of out-of-wedlock birth or divorce

Get Help From the Passaic County Law Office of Erin L. Thompson, LLC

Family cases can be extremely challenging, given the emotions involved. Getting help from our qualified family law attorneys is the best way to improve your chances of a favorable outcome. Call The Law Office of Erin L. Thompson, LLC, to schedule your appointment.