South Jersey Child Custody Attorneys

Child custody in the state of New Jersey is based on the statute Title 9, which provides that custody determinations shall be based upon the best interests of the children. There are two levels of child custody:

• Legal custody generally means the right to make major life decisions of the child, such as medical decisions, educational decisions, religious upbringing, and general welfare.  Legal custody is generally shared between the parents, unless one of the parents has been abusive or neglectful or it has been proven it is not in the best interest of the child for the parents to share legal custody.  In that situation, one parent could have sole legal custody.
• Physical or residential custody is a term used to explain who has physical custody or who primarily provides for the child's needs on a day-to-day basis.

Physical or residential custody is the battleground in many divorces. It is the most challenging and problematic matter that can be presented to the court. Under New Jersey Supreme Court rules, the first step taken by the Court in a contested custody matter is to send the parties to court-sponsored mediation.  The Court-ordered mediation is free and confidential.

In Burlington County, if mediation fails, the next step is for an evaluation with a therapist. The therapist prepares a report, and that report is shared with the litigants and the judge.  If an agreement is not reached, the third step (and the second step in many other counties) is to go to a contested hearing/trial with witnesses and testimony in court.

At the family law practice of Musulin Law Firm, LLC in Mount Holly, New Jersey, we discuss with our clients our client's visions of how to move forward, their parental rights, and the best interests of their children.   We guide our clients legally through the process, helping them with the structure of their family and explaining the child custody laws of the state of New Jersey.  If necessary, we have litigated child custody cases over the last 20 years and possess the requisite skill and years of experience in handling all phases of trial procedure.

To schedule a consultation, contact New Jersey child custody attorney Christopher Musulin at Musulin Law Firm, LLC. With an office in historic Mount Holly, directly across from the court house, we serve clients throughout South Jersey as well as nationally whose cases are venued in any of the southern New Jersey counties.

Your Child Custody Attorney Christopher Musulin is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the author of numerous booklets and articles on divorce and legal/physical child custody.