Long Island Contested Divorce Lawyer — Nassau & Suffolk Counties

Divorce is never easy, but when spouses cannot agree on key issues, the process becomes what New York divorce law calls a contested divorce. These cases can become complex when spouses disagree on custody disputes, support, or division of property. These cases require a skilled contested divorce lawyer in Long Island to protect your rights and ensure a fair outcome.

At Hornberger Verbitsky, P.C., our experienced Long Island divorce attorneys guide our clients through the divorce process in contested divorces in Nassau County and Suffolk County Supreme Court. We fight for child custody, child support, spousal support (alimony) and property division results that safeguard your present and your future. We protect your rights and pursue fair custody, support, and asset division outcomes. We are skilled litigators, negotiators and utilize alternative dispute resolution methods like divorce mediation or collaborative divorce when possible to minimize stress and secure results that safeguard your and your family’s future.

Key Takeaways on Contested Divorce, Long Island, NY:

• A contested divorce in Nassau and Suffolk occurs when spouses disagree on one or more major issues (custody, support, property, etc.), requiring hearings, negotiations, or trial.
• Common disputes include child custody and visitation, child support and spousal maintenance, equitable division of marital property (real estate, businesses, retirement), and responsibility for marital debt.
• Experienced contested divorce lawyers on Long Island, such as those at Hornberger Verbitsky, P.C., are required to protect client’s rights, uncover hidden income/assets, and pursue fair settlements.
• Your possible entitlements include primary or joint custody, child support, spousal maintenance, a share of marital property, and protection from unfair debt allocation.
• Immediate steps: consult an attorney before signing anything, gather tax returns and financial records, protect children’s routines, avoid major financial moves, and document all communications.
• Many contested cases settle through mediation or collaborative law to reduce time and cost; unresolved disputes may take several months to over a year depending on court schedules.
• Preparation is key. Organizing documents, budgeting for legal fees, and using cost-control strategies to significantly impact your outcome in a contested divorce on Long Island, NY.

What Is a Contested Divorce on Long Island, New York?

Unlike an uncontested divorce, where both parties cooperate and agree on all terms, and paperwork is straightforward, a contested divorce involves court hearings, negotiations, and possibly a trial. This makes legal strategy crucial.

A contested divorce may arise when spouses disagree on one or more critical divorce matters, such as:

• Child custody & visitation
• Child support or spousal maintenance
• Division of marital property & debts
• Business or retirement account distribution
• Responsibility for marital debt

When spouses dispute child custody, support, asset division, business valuation or who pays marital debt, the case becomes a contested divorce in Nassau or Suffolk County on Long Island, NY. The experienced divorce attorneys at Hornberger Verbitsky, P.C. navigate court appearances, discovery, settlement negotiations and trials to protect the rights of our clients. In high net worth contested divorces, contested matters often involve complex valuations, including pensions, 401(k)s, and small businesses, and can take several months to over a year depending on court calendars and the number of contested issues involved in your case.

Overview of Contested Divorce on Long Island, NY

In a contested divorce on Long Island, NY, litigation steps typically include pleadings, discovery (tax returns, bank records, retirement statements), temporary hearings, and settlement conferences. You should expect formal timelines from your attorney as well as the need to hire expert reports when businesses or pensions are involved.

The divorce process in New York State can be particularly complex when one or both spouses own a business or have extensive marital assets. Contested divorce attorneys must be prepared to address all aspects of divorce law, including financial evaluations, support orders, and legal custody determinations.

Your Rights and Entitlements in a Contested Divorce on Long Island, NY

Many clients ask, “What am I entitled to in a contested divorce?” The answer depends on your role in the marriage, your income, assets, and the needs of your children. You may be entitled to:

• Primary or joint custody
• Child support and/or spousal maintenance
• A share of marital property, including real estate, pensions, and investments
• Protection against unfair debt assignments

We outline the rights you can enforce: custody (primary or joint), child support under the CSSA, spousal maintenance under New York’s statutory formulas, and equitable distribution of marital property including real estate, businesses, pensions, and investments. We also pursue temporary orders for support or exclusive occupancy and fight improper debt assignments or hidden-asset schemes through discovery.

Protecting Your Custody Rights in Nassau and Suffolk

We push for the custody arrangement that protects your child’s stability: legal custody for decision-making, and parenting time tailored to school, extracurriculars, and work schedules, parental fitness, history of caregiving, and any abuse allegations. Nassau and Suffolk courts often weigh a child’s preference around age 12. I gather school records, calendars, and witness statements. In one Nassau case we secured equal parenting time after presenting six months of documented shared care and consistent communication logs.

Protecting Property and Financial Rights in Contested Divorce

We identify marital versus separate assets, trace commingled funds, and value real estate, businesses, and retirement accounts for equitable distribution. New York does not presume a 50/50 split. The length of the marriage, contributions, and future needs shift shares regularly. To protect your financial entitlements, we obtain appraisals, retirement statements, and business valuations and use subpoenas and forensic accounting where income appears hidden.

I pursue QDROs to divide ERISA and non ERISA pensions, calculate the marital share based on accrual during the marriage, and litigate valuation dates. We sometimes use the separation date and other times the trial date to capture appreciation. Temporary pendente lite relief can award you exclusive use of the home or interim support. We also challenge proposed debt allocations if credit or liabilities were incurred primarily for the other spouse’s benefit.

Steps to Take When Facing a Contested Divorce

If your spouse has filed for divorce, or if negotiations have broken down, it’s important that you take immediate steps to protect your rights and assets:

1. Consult with a Long Island divorce attorney before signing anything.
2. Gather financial records: tax returns, bank accounts, retirement statements.
3. Protect your children’s routine and avoid discussing the case with them.
4. Avoid major financial changes (selling property, moving funds).
5. Document all communication with your spouse.

Taking these actions early can significantly impact the outcome of your contested divorce case.

Start by securing legal counsel and stabilizing your financial and parenting routines. We recommend contacting an experienced Nassau or Suffolk divorce attorney within 7 days of being served. Be sure to preserving all important records (tax returns, bank statements). Keep a detailed calendar of parenting time and communications. Limit joint-account activity and avoid large transfers of money or assets. Document any threats or harassment with dates and screenshots, if possible. We’ve seen cases move from months to years when these initial steps are delayed, so act promptly to protect your position.

Immediate Actions to Protect Yourself in Contested Divorce

Contact an experienced Long Island divorce attorney before signing anything and request temporary orders if needed. We often advise clients to freeze joint credit and change passwords for email, banking, and social accounts within 48-72 hours. Keep children on their regular schedule, log all communications (texts, calls, emails), and avoid discussing legal strategy with your spouse. If there’s suspected financial misconduct, tell your lawyer so they can consider early forensic accounting or asset-preservation motions.

Gathering Documentation

Collect at least three years of tax returns, the last 12-24 months of bank and credit-card statements, six months of pay stubs, mortgage/deed documents, retirement and brokerage statements, business financials, and any prenuptial agreements.

We recommend scanning everything and saving copies to a secure cloud folder. Court filings require precise documentation. Missing one 1099 or pension statement can change support and equitable-distribution calculations in Nassau and Suffolk proceedings.

If you can, organize documents into a master spreadsheet listing institution, account numbers (redact where necessary), balances, and dates. We suggest classifying items by asset, debt, income, and expense so we can spot discrepancies quickly. In one Suffolk county case, cross-referencing three years of deposits with tax returns revealed $38,000 of unreported freelance income. This shifted support calculations and settlement leverage. Provide your lawyer with editable files and originals for verification during discovery.

Preparing for Your Contested Divorce Case in Nassau and Suffolk, Long Island, NY

Being proactive is key. See our Guide to Preparing for a Contested Divorce on Long Island, NY for practical steps such as organizing documents, budgeting for legal fees, and managing stress. The divorce process on Long Island, New York requires careful planning and compliance with the rules of the county clerk’s office in each jurisdiction.

We tell clients to collect six years of federal tax returns, the last 12 months of bank and credit-card statements, recent pay stubs, retirement and brokerage statements, deeds and mortgage paperwork, and three years of business profit/loss reports. Include custody calendars and all text/email exchanges that show schedules. Organize your originals, scan them to PDF if you can, and keep a running asset-debt spreadsheet for quick review.

Organizational Tips for Your Contested Divorce on Long Island

We suggest you set up named digital and physical folders. You can name them “Financial,” “Custody,” “Communications”, and label every file with dates> A color-coded system to separate personal versus marital documents can be helpful. Create a one-page chronology of major events (dates of moves, job changes, births, etc.) to help us when we have to draft pleadings. After you index each folder, flag items that require valuation or expert review.

• Tax returns (6 years)
• Bank & credit-card statements (12 months)
• Pay stubs (last 3 months) and W-2s
• Retirement, brokerage, and pension statements (most recent)
• Deeds, mortgage statements, property appraisals
• Business P&L and tax returns (3 years)
• Medical, school, and childcare records
• Communication logs and a custody calendar
• Prenuptial/separation agreements and insurance policies

Budgeting for Contested Divorce Legal Fees

We advise contested divorce clients to budget for an initial retainer of $5,000-$25,000 and hourly rates on Long Island commonly between $300-$600. Simple contested matters may total $10,000-$20,000, while complex, trial-ready cases can reach $40,000-$75,000 depending on expert involvement and extensive discovery.

When interviewing potential attorneys to represent you in your contested divorce, ask them for a fee estimate, billing cadence, and which expenses are separate (process servers, court reporters, appraisers, etc.). Use mediation or limited-scope representation to control billable hours. Forensic accountants often bill $150-$400/hour and appraisers $500-$3,000, so factor those likely costs into your budget and discuss payment plans or phased retainers with your lawyer.

Contested Divorce Doesn’t Have to Be Hostile: Alternative Dispute Resolution Options

Not every contested divorce ends in a bitter courtroom battle. Our attorneys often resolve disputes through mediation or collaborative law, saving clients time, stress, and expense. Learn more in our article: Contested Divorce Doesn’t Have to Be Contentious.

We guide many Nassau and Suffolk clients toward alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to limit court time and legal fees. In our experience roughly 60-80% of contested matters settle before trial using ADR. Mediation and collaborative law can often resolve custody, support, and complex asset division, in weeks or months rather than the year or more timeline of full litigation. At Hornberger Verbitsky, P.C., we evaluate your case facts, recommend the best ADR path, and prepare settlement documents for court submission when agreements are reached.

Divorce Mediation on Long Island, NY

Divorce on Long Island doesn’t have to be adversarial. Mediation uses a neutral third party to facilitate negotiations and typically requires 1 to 4 sessions, depending on the issues involved. Each session often runs several hours.

As trained and experienced family law mediators, we can represent you in mediator-led talks, push for full financial disclosure, and draft settlement terms that can be converted into a stipulation of divorce settlement and incorporated into a final judgment.

Mediation is generally less expensive than a contested divorce and allows parties to negotiate the terms of their divorce amicably.

Collaborative Law on Long Island, NY

Collaborative law begins with a written participation agreement committing both parties and their attorneys to settlement efforts and disqualifying those lawyers from trial if talks break down. I assemble a team that sometimes includes a neutral financial expert or child specialist and hold joint meetings to focus on negotiated solutions for parenting plans, businesses, and retirement division. Typical collaborative cases resolve in 3 to 8 sessions over several months.

Additional collaborative detail: we use the collaborative model for high-asset or business cases where privacy and tailored solutions can be very important. Teams can include a forensic accountant to value business interests, with shared expert fees often lower than separate court-ordered valuations. In a recent Suffolk County matter I resolved a disputed small-business valuation through a jointly retained accountant, avoiding lengthy discovery and producing a settlement that split assets and preserved each parent’s business role.

Hornberger Verbitsky, P.C. Protects the Interests of Long Island Families in Contested Divorces in Nassau and Suffolk, NY

The experienced divorce lawyers at Hornberger Verbitsky, P.C. advocate for clients in contested divorces across Nassau and Suffolk counties, guiding you through custody, support, and property disputes to protect your rights and future. If negotiations fail, we will litigate or pursue settlement strategies tailored to your needs, gather financial evidence, and seek outcomes that reflect your best interests. Contacting experienced counsel early gives you the best chance for a fair resolution. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation and case evaluation in our clean and comfortable offices, over the phone or via online meeting at 631-923-1910.

At Hornberger Verbitsky, P.C., we combine compassion with strong advocacy to help clients through the most challenging divorce disputes. Whether you’re in Nassau County or Suffolk County, we are here to fight for your family, finances, and future.

Contacting a divorce attorney in Long Island early in the divorce process gives you the best chance for a favorable resolution under New York divorce law.

👉 Call 631-923-1910 or fill out the form on this page for a free consultation and case evaluation.

Case Study: Affordable Contested Divorce on Long Island

Every case is unique. In one matter, our attorneys helped a client reduce litigation costs while still securing a favorable custody and property settlement. Read the full case study

Contact Hornberger Verbitsky, P.C. Today for a Free Contested Divorce Case Evaluation

Don’t wait to get legal help if a contested divorce is in your future. While challenging, this type of divorce can be successful with the support of a qualified and experienced Long Island contested divorce lawyer. The team of divorce lawyers at Hornberger Verbitsky, P.C. has handled hundreds of contested divorces on Long Island, NY, often litigating the cases in court to get its clients the results they deserve. We have a proven track record of achieving the goals of our contested divorce clients. We will protect your assets, ensure you receive everything to which you are entitled and protect your rights to be involved in your children’s lives.

Contact Hornberger Verbitsky, P.C. today for more information about contested divorces on Long Island, NY or to schedule a free consultation at 631-923-1910 or by filling out the short form on this page.

We provide every client:

• Reasonable rates
• Aggressive legal advocacy
• Personal attention to your case
• Transparent communication
• Compassionate support