Freehold Township Family Law

Located in Monmouth County, Freehold Township is a community in New Jersey with a population of over 35,000 as of 2010. It was formed in 1693 and was deeply affected by the American Revolutionary War. Although it was a known center of patriot activity, it fell under Loyalist control for a period of the war. Freehold Township shares the site of the 1778 Battle of Monmouth, one of the largest battles of the Revolution, with nearby Manalapan Township. After World War II, it saw significant growth and industrial development. Notable residents include actor Kal Penn and professional baseball players Val Majewski and Brad Brach. As in other communities, families often need the guidance of a Freehold Township family law lawyer to help them deal with difficult family law issues, such as child custody and child visitation. At Goldstein Law Group, we handle these difficult matters with compassion and care.

When parents divorce, both parents are encouraged to visit with their children and participate in their upbringing. Courts incentivize New Jersey parents to come to their own agreement about child custody and visitation when possible. Parents can choose a visitation plan that works for them, as long as it is in their child's best interests.

In many cases today, parents choose shared physical custody or some variation. This means that children live with both parents in roughly equal amounts. This allows the children to have the benefit of frequent contact with both parents. It can also result in reduced child support payments if both parents work.

What if the parents agree, but the child does not want to have visitation with one of the parents? The primary issue the court will consider when dealing with this issue is the child's best interests. A child's age will be factored into whether his or her preference is taken into account, and the older the child, the more likely the court will consider his or her wishes. The court must consider a child's preference if the child is of sufficient age and capacity to reason. For example, a 16-year-old is considered old enough to make an intelligent decision regarding visitation, although this factor alone is not decisive. A family law attorney in Freehold Township can help you understand how much weight it may receive in your case.

It is not uncommon for one parent to fail to adhere to the schedule ordered by the court, even if he or she originally chose that schedule. A parent who refuses to allow the other parent visitation, or who fails to visit with the child, can be sanctioned. In situations of extreme and/or repetitive violations of the parenting schedule, the court can transfer custody to the parent who has not been able to see the children. Moreover, in some cases, such as those involving child abuse or psychiatric troubles, the court will only permit supervised visitation when it is unsafe to leave the child alone with the parent. This means a parent can only visit with the child if there is someone supervising or monitoring the interaction between them.

At Goldstein Law Group, our divorce lawyers have more than 25 years of experience helping Freehold Township residents reach agreements about custody, support, and visitation. We understand that parents differ about a child's best interests, and we help our clients develop strong arguments for their position. If you need an experienced attorney to help guide you through a divorce and the issues that arise in connection with co-parenting, contact us at 732-967-6777 or via our online form. Our Freehold Township family law attorneys have assisted clients throughout New Jersey, including in Ocean County, East Brunswick, and Manalapan.