Morris Plains Child Custody Attorneys
Protect Your Parental Rights in Morris Plains, NJ
Child custody cases are some of the most emotional family law matters since they impact your entire family’s future. As such, it is important to ensure you receive the legal counsel of a lawyer who puts your and your child’s best interests first. At Lane and Lane, LLC, we pride ourselves on our commitment to our clients. We promise to put your family first.
Steps to Secure Child Custody in Morris Plains
Here are the steps to follow to obtain child custody in New Jersey:
Fill out the appropriate forms
You can access these forms on the New Jersey court website, or you can have your lawyer assist you with this process.
Draft a custody complaint
This will include information about you, your co-parent, and your child, as well as the type of custody you are seeking, your parenting plan, and any issues that may arise related to custody or parenting time. This complaint must be filed in the superior court of the county where the child resides (if he/she does not live with you). You will also determine which type of custody you are seeking.
Attend mandatory mediation sessions
You and your co-parent will attempt to come to a custody agreement before going to trial. This does not apply if a restraining order is in place due to allegations of domestic violence.
Undergo an investigation period
If parents cannot resolve their custody issues through mediation, the law allows the court to hold investigations before determining custody. The investigation will review each parent’s character, economic condition, fitness, home life, and criminal record (if applicable).
Attend your custody trial
Each side will present evidence as to why they would like the type of custody arrangement they suggested. The court will make a custody decision based on the best interests of the child factors. Once custody has been awarded, either parent can modify the arrangement if a substantial change in circumstance that affects the child’s welfare happens.
What are the Types of Child Custody in New Jersey?
There are two types of custody in New Jersey: legal custody and physical custody. Legal custody grants decision-making rights to one or both parents, and physical custody determines where the child will reside.
Custody is further divided into sole custody, meaning one parent has custody, and joint custody, meaning both parents share custody.
-
“Lane and Lane LLC is highly professional and stands out from the rest! Not only are they reliable, so your mind is at ease that they will get the job done, but they are personable and have their client's best interest at heart. Lane & Lane truly has their client's backs, and we are so grateful to them.”- Antonella B.
-
“Dan & his staff are professional, courteous & knowledgeable. Dan returned my phone calls & emails in a timely manner & made me feel like I was his most important client. He went above & beyond for me. I highly recommend Lane & Lane.”- Jim J.
-
“Throughout the process, Dan constantly put my interests, goals, and objectives front and center.”- Jay K.
-
“Mr. Steven Lane, Lane and Lane were so helpful giving expert advice and giving direction with my issues. They always followed the law and with their direction and legal advice, they were gentle and understanding.”- Former Client
-
“I can't say enough about Dan and the Lane & Lane firm. Dan was my 3rd attorney during my divorce/visitation process, which for a man in NJ can be very expensive and overwhelming. Dan carefully listened to all of my concerns and goals throughout this process and explained everything that was required to meet my goals. Dan is always available whenever I call him for any questions or concerns. My most important goal was seeing my 8-year-old daughter on a regular basis and building a healthy father-daughter relationship. That goal turned into reality and now I see my daughter all the time! At the end of the day, Dan cares about the human factor and in my case being able to be in my daughter's life. Dan is great in court and defending your rights as a father. I would recommend Dan and the Lane & Lane firm to anyone looking to get divorced in the state of NJ they are top-notch.”- Kyle T.
-
“I recently used Eric Lane to handle a very ugly divorce I was going through. I had started with a different attorney and decided to switch to Eric and am so glad I did. He gave me the facts straight and handled me as well as my dispute excellently. I have recommended Eric to a friend already, who has also recommended another mutual friend. I would suggest to anyone who unfortunately is getting divorced to go and see him for a consultation.”- Gary R.
-
“I was very lucky to have Mr. Steven Lane guide me through my case, as the divorce was a very challenging life event for me. He had a great sense of humor to diffuse many stressful situations. His wisdom and calmness helped to settle the divorce case peacefully and efficiently. When negotiations got tough, he was always able to find common grounds for two parties to reach an agreement. More important to me, Mr. Steven Lane is so humble and friendly, he never appears as an arrogant lawyer in a fancy suit. On the contrary, as an Asian immigrant, I felt very much accepted and respected by him and his team. I've learned so much from him while working together on my divorce case. So I highly recommend him.”- Ching F.
-
“I would highly recommend Dan for any case related to Family Law.”- Former Client
