Long Island Family Law Attorneys

On This Page

• What is Family Law?
• Types of Family Law Cases
• When Should You Hire a Lawyer?
• What is the Role of an Attorney?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Family law is the field of legal practice that involves family disputes, conflicts, violations, and the like. It is a fairly broad term that can apply to many different cases, petitions, lawsuits, and claims. Whereas criminal cases and civil cases go to criminal courts and civil courts, respectively, a family law case will go to a either the Supreme Court (for divorces) or the Family Court (for other matters concerning intimate relationships) for adjudication.  

When choosing the legal team to help with your Long Island family law case, be sure to work with one that actually handles family law issues often. They will have a greater familiarity with the nuances and details of these case types than a law firm that mostly works on other cases like criminal defense or personal injury. At Berkman Bottger Newman & Schein, we intentionally focus on family law and divorce cases.

As mentioned, family law in New York can apply to a wide variety of different legal issues, each pertaining to your family life. You don’t have to find many different law firms to help you with your case, though. We know how to handle virtually every family law issue that could arise. Now that you have found our firm, you have found the legal team to trust with your case.

A few of the most common family law cases that we handle include the following and more:

• Child custody and parenting time: We are here to help you protect your child’s best interests, which includes spending time with and being raised by you after a separation or divorce. New York courts prefer parents to resolve custody and parenting time issues, whether that is outside of court or with the court’s help.  We like to approach these cases with the hopes of reaching a fair settlement with your spouse, and in the event that is not possible, we work hard to advocate for the best possible outcome for you and your child. .
• Child support: Your child’s wellbeing and day-to-day life should not be disrupted because of a divorce. To make sure that your child still gets all the care they need, child support must be agreed upon or ordered by a court. If the parties share equal parenting time, this usually involves the spouse or parent with the higher income paying monthly financial support to the other party. 
• Divorce: Ending your marriage may be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be a negative experience. Let us lead the way through your divorce, so you can be confident that your best interests are upheld from start to finish.
• Modifications: Orders from the Supreme Court or Family Court are generally made based on the best available information and what the court can reasonably foresee. However, unexpected life changes can and do happen. If a  court order is no longer tenable, then we can discuss how to file a petition or motion to have it modified.
• Prenuptial agreements: You can plan for divorce, just in case it ever happens, by making a prenuptial agreement before you are ever married. Prenups let you pre-decide many different concerns, as long as those issues do not directly involve your children.

People often wonder if they should hire a family law attorney to help with their case, or if they should just try to manage things on their own. If you’re in the same situation, then you should know that there’s never a bad time to talk to our Long Island  family law attorneys about your case. We would be happy to help you decide if your case needs the representation of a lawyer or if guided counsel would be enough. At the least, hiring a family law attorney will greatly reduce the stress of the situation by putting a professional in charge of everything.

As your chosen Long Island family law attorneys, we can help you with:

• Preparation: The start of a family law case can feel like the most difficult step to take. With us leading the way, we can help you take that step and all that follow. 
• Filing: Depending on the type of family law case needed for your family, we commence the case with the filing of a specific document – in the Supreme Court, we will file a Summons with Notice, and in the Family Court we may file a petition. 
• Mediation or negotiation: In many situations, a family law matter can be resolved without the need for court. Let us help you reach a settlement or agreement through negotiation or mediation that focuses on cooperation and collaboration, rather than a courtroom contest.
• Litigation: There is always the chance that a family law case will need to be litigated when the disputes cannot be resolved out of court.  Even simple disputes have the potential to become heated and locked in a back-and-forth. If this happens to your case, our role will be to act on your half before the court and defeat the arguments that the opposition brings.
• Confidence: Overall, we want you to feel confident that your family law case is progressing correctly and in a way that benefits your best interests. Let us put your worries at ease by handing the many parts of your case to our experienced team.

Long Island Family Law FAQ

Are family court cases made public in New York?

Court proceedings and documents filed in New York related to matrimonial or family matters are not public records by default and are generally only available to the parties and their attorneys. 

Do I need a family law attorney to take a case to court?

Like criminal and civil cases, you have the right to self-represent during a family law matter in New York. Just like those other case types, though, it is not recommended that you self-represent. Without a thorough understanding of family law and courtroom procedures, you could be putting yourself at a significant disadvantage, especially if the other party has hired counsel.

Can a family law case settle out of court?

A family law case in New York can settle out of court if private mediation or negotiations are successful. Such settlements can be reached before or after a trial begins. After reaching a settlement, though, you will need to file it to the court for approval, which will check that it does not violate any laws or put one party at an egregious disadvantage.

Call to Speak to Professional & Compassionate Attorneys

A family law case will benefit from an attorney’s legal knowledge, but it can also benefit from an element of real compassion. When you come to Berkman Bottger Newman & Schein, you can expect the powerful representation of a large law firm paired with the genuine care of a small law firm. This balance of professionalism and empathy can help you through any tough family law case.

Talk to our Long Island family law attorneys by dialing (516) 614-4104 today.