Garden City Divorce Attorney

Experienced Garden City Divorce Lawyer

DIVORCE: A PROVEN TRACK RECORD

Most couples hope to wrap up their divorce as quickly as possible. However, unless your divorce involves no children, few assets, and is completely uncontested, it is likely that divorce proceedings will take longer than you hoped. In most cases, divorces take months and in some cases years before courts issue a final decree. In the meantime, while living apart, you must reorganize your lives to care for and support your children, provide finances for a non-working spouse, and decide on property arrangements, including who lives in the house, uses the family car, etc. Often couples and their lawyers can negotiate temporary arrangements, get both spouses to sign a separation agreement and file it with the court. In instances where couples dispute temporary arrangements, the court may have to decide for them. Temporary orders that address custody, visitation, child support, spousal support and property division help couples establish guidelines and provide a sense of order while their divorce is pending in court.

The Process Of Obtaining A Temporary Order

At the law office of Chris Palermo, Esq., we know the impact a divorce can have on you. For more than 13 years, we have effectively and compassionately represented men and women from Babylon and across Long Island, handling all matters related to divorce, from custody and visitation to support to property issues. We won’t delegate your case to a new associate or a paralegal—instead, you will work directly with Chris throughout the process. Our staff will ensure that you are involved and informed at all times, so that you can make good decisions about how you want to proceed. We work hard to answer all e-mails and phone calls within 24 hours, if possible.

Effective Divorce Counsel for Men and Women in Babylon, New York

If you live in Garden City and request a temporary order, the court will hold a hearing. Such hearings are usually scheduled quickly, within days or weeks. Temporary hearings are shorter and less formal than divorce proceedings, and hearings may decide matters such as:

• Whether to sell the family home
• Which spouse resided in the family home if it is not being sold
• One spouse lived in New York for a continuous period of one year and grounds for divorce occurred in New York
• Sole or joint child custody
• One spouse has lived in New York State for a continuous period of at least two years prior to the date of filing for divorce
• Visitation rights
• Child support
• Spousal support
• Restraining order if domestic violence is a factor
• Preventing spouses from selling or disposing of marital property

Through his office in Garden City, Chris Palermo can provide you with experienced legal guidance in all aspects of divorce, including child custody and visitation, child support, spousal support, divorce mediation, fathers rights, mothers rights, neglect proceedings and separation. The initial stages of divorce require thoughtful consideration of your needs and objectives. The case strategy your attorney devises at the outset tends to influence how the court decides on temporary orders, which many times carries through to permanent orders in the final divorce decree. Take the time to work closely with your lawyer so you make informed decisions that are in your and your children’s best interests.

Set Up a Free Initial Consultation with an Experienced Garden City Divorce Lawyer

Don’t let your concerns about the cost of legal representation keep you from contacting our offices. We offer a free initial consultation to all prospective clients. For an appointment with a Babylon Divorce Lawyer, contact us online or call us toll free at (631) 482-7407. We have offices in Huntington, Hauppauge, Garden City, Babylon, Patchogue and Riverhead.

Divorce Mediation

Does it Matter Whether Your Mediator is a Lawyer or Not?

Having a lawyer act as your mediator can make a significant difference in the outcome of your settlement. Legal issues often arise during divorce mediation, and without legal information, you may sacrifice certain rights entitled by law. It is vital to be informed so you can make wise decisions about child custody, property division or whatever issue is being addressed. Mediators who lack legal knowledge are simply guiding parties to a reach a compromise without enabling them to take legal factors into consideration.

How Do Divorce Mediation Costs Compare With Divorce Litigation Costs?

The National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC) reports that average mediation costs range between $2,000 to $5,000 for divorce, whereas litigation costs can cost considerably more per per person.

What is the Time Savings Difference Between Divorce Mediation and Litigation?

According to the NCRC, average divorce mediation takes three to six months and average divorce litigation takes two years, depending on the court schedule.

What are Some Reasons to Choose Divorce Mediation Over Litigation?

In mediation, private matters are kept confidential instead of aired in open court and made part of public record. In mediation, clients can decide for themselves instead of having a judge make decisions for them. Mediation encourages open communication and allows spouses to express their views. It occurs in a cooperative environment, whereas lawsuits are adversarial.

Divorce Litigation

When is Divorce Litigation a Better Choice Than Mediation?

In divorces that involve a very dominating or forceful spouse, the less dominant spouse may be at a disadvantage and unfairly influenced during mediation. When domestic violence, drug or alcohol abuse or criminal charges are issues, litigation provides a secure environment that offers greater legal protection.

Why is Divorce Litigation Sometimes More Effective in Dealing With Financial Matters?

If you suspect your spouse is hiding assets or financial facts are not being revealed, then litigation allows your attorney to take investigatory actions through the discovery process before trial begins. Sometimes this is the only way to uncover what is really going on.

What Does the Discovery Process of Litigation Involve?

Discovery is an exchange of information between parties. All exchange of communications, correspondence and information goes through your attorneys and may be in the form of interrogatories, mandatory disclosure statements, requests to produce documents, depositions, case management conferences, motions and pre-trial conferences. Once you reach the pre-trial conference, sometimes lawyers are able to negotiate a settlement rather than having to proceed with trial.

Why is Litigation Sometimes the Answer to Highly Contested Issues?

Effective mediation requires a willingness to communicate. When emotions run strong making communication impossible, mediation cannot help you settle conflicts. Litigation overcomes deadlocks in negotiations or mediation, enabling couples to finalize divorce.

We Handle All Types of Family Court Cases

Chris Palermo and his team have handled thousands of family and divorce cases, with extensive experience in all types of family law matters such as Divorce, uncontested divorce, divorce mediation, Child Support matters, Child Custody Cases, Orders of Protection, Neglect matters involving Child Protective Services, paternity, and adoptions. At the same time, we limit our caseload so as to give each of our clients the personal time and attention to detail required for their case. We understand the impact a divorce can have on you, and we want to make this turning point in your life as smooth and amicable as possible. Divorce can be stressful, but we are passionate about giving our clients the best outcome.

We are on your side through the entire process

Our goal is to make your divorce as quick and painless as possible. But if need be, we will fight for you, because we believe in you. Your spouse and his/her attorney may try to take advantage of you. But we will keep you level-headed. Sometimes the opposing party will try to tug at your heartstrings or play with your emotions in an attempt to compromise. With our experience in matrimonial cases, we will make sure that you aren’t making any mistakes or compromising on anything that will hurt you in the long run.