Binghamton Family Lawyers

Understanding New York Family Laws

The state of New York has its own set of complex laws that ultimately decide how family law cases are resolved in court, and those laws are not easy to navigate. With the team at Jackson Bergman, LLP on your side, you can make sense of these laws, and we can give you a solid idea of what your rights are. Our team of lawyers is happy to offer you a free initial consultation to help us understand the situation you are dealing with and devise a plan of action so you can get through your difficult time without the stress of wondering what pitfall might be waiting around the corner.

Knowledge Combined with Compassion

Any individual that has had to go through a divorce, a child custody battle, or other family law case in New York will tell you that it is not enough to simply have a lawyer on your side who is knowledgeable. You need someone who is also compassionate and caring with regards to your desired outcome in your case. Such an advocate can take the extra time and put in the extra effort to help you every step of the way. These are the types of attorneys you can find at the law firm of Jackson Bergman, LLP.

Contested & Uncontested Divorce

Since divorces are often fueled by emotion, many times, one spouse can become angry with the other due to hurt feelings or a loss of trust. In part due to this rush of negative emotions during this difficult time, you may be feeling as though you will never be able to come to an agreement with your spouse in any sort of amicable manner. At Jackson Bergman, LLP, we try our best to help you take your emotions out of the situation and find a way for you to get what you want and what you deserve without going down the road to a contested divorce.

We do, however, realize that in certain circumstances, an uncontested divorce is impossible. When that happens, our lawyers have the courtroom experience and knowledge of divorce law in New York State to navigate the complex laws regarding custody rights, property assets, and bank accounts that will undoubtedly come into question. You can rest assured our team of trial-tested divorce attorneys can help you in a time when you’re feeling most vulnerable and anxious and give you the peace of mind you need to move forward with your case and move forward with your life.

Separation Agreements

It is true that no one knows your personal finances better than you. That is why our attorneys, when feasible, try to encourage our clients to take matters into their own hands and have control over a resolution both sides can live with through the drafting of a separation agreement. When you have two lawyers work against each other to settle those issues for you, only two people are going to win: the lawyers. If negotiations break down and the other spouse is being unreasonable, this is when the divorce attorneys at Jackson Bergman, LLP can use their seasoned negotiation and courtroom experience to help you resolve matters.

Child Custody/Visitation

Our firm provides clients with compassionate legal advice and counsel in all matters relating to child custody. As parents ourselves, we understand that child custody can be one of the most difficult matters to resolve. The child custody attorneys at Jackson Bergman, LLP can work with divorcing parents to achieve a fair child custody arrangement that benefits all parties, most importantly your child. Whether by judicial determination or through effective negotiations, many issues can factor into the ultimate outcome of sole versus joint custody, primary residency, visitation privileges, and equitable distribution. Should litigation become necessary, we can go to court for you and fervently advocate on behalf of your best interests.

Child Support

Under New York law, all parents are required to provide financially for their children, even if the parents are no longer together. If you have a child and are going through a divorce or separation, it is crucial that the issue of child support is dealt with fairly and according to the best interests of your child. Whether you are a parent seeking financial support for your child or you are being required to pay, our attorneys can help you seek a fair settlement. Call today to learn more about how child support is calculated in New York and how we can assist you in fighting for a favorable outcome.

Child Abuse Allegations

Our community has an important responsibility to protect innocent children from suffering abuse and neglect at the hands of parents or caregivers. Understanding this responsibility, our lawyers are also aware that false reports of child abuse can cause just as much harm to the child and all parties involved in the false allegation. Once such a false allegation of child abuse is made, it can be incredibly difficult to defend yourself and put the incident behind you. Our experienced attorneys are knowledgeable about the laws governing the CPS and DDS and are fully committed to ensuring false reports of child abuse won’t continue to haunt you as you move forward with your life after a false allegation is filed.

Property Distribution

New York is an equitable distribution state. Under equitable distribution laws, a couple’s marital property will be divided in a way that is determined to be most fair for both sides. This does not mean that the couple’s assets will necessarily be split 50/50. The court will take several factors into consideration regarding the marriage to determine a property distribution settlement that is fair and equitable. Because the decision of which spouse gets which assets is left to the judge, it is imperative to be represented by a team of lawyers that can create a strategy to help you obtain the fairest share of assets.

Family Offense Petitions

Family offense petitions can be an important tool used by the courts in situations where a spouse or partner is concerned about violence by the other. This is especially the case in homes where there is a history of such violence. It is an unfortunate fact that family offense petitions can be filed unjustly in cases where revenge or anger causes emotions to run high. The results of such a petition can be devastating to a parent, especially in the event where the parent is not allowed to return home to see their children. Our experienced family offense petition lawyers aggressively fight for you in the event a family offense petition is unjustly filed and can help you navigate through the process when such sensitive and complex issues are at risk.