Don’t Lose Your Long Island Child Custody Battle Before It Starts

Actions Now Can Affect Your Child Custody in Nassau County & Suffolk County Courts

As Divorce Attorneys practicing on Long Island, we see many critical mistakes that occur at the beginning or before a divorce case is even filed that put many parents at a disadvantage when it comes to their ability to have Child Custody with their children when the divorce is finalized. 

Long Island Child Custody Mistake #1

One of the biggest and most common mistakes a parent living in Nassau County or Suffolk County can make is to move out of the marital/joint residence and leave your child with the other spouse. This essentially gives away custody to the residential parent. If want to retain custody of your child or children, you cannot move out of the home without your child, period. No matter how bad the situation is with your partner, in the Nassau County or Suffolk County court system, if you leave without the child, you essentially give up Child Custody.

Long Island Child Custody Mistake #2

If you do decide that you must move out of the joint residence with the children, make sure you get your spouse’s consent to do so. This does not necessarily have to be a formal written agreement; you can simply ask your spouse in an email to respond to your request to move out with the children. If your spouse consents via a reply email, it amounts to a virtual statement by your spouse that you are the child’s or children’s primary caregiver.

Long Island Child Custody Mistake #3

Conversely, if you are the parent remaining in the marital home and you give permission to your spouse to leave with the children, you are telling the Nassau County and Suffolk County courts that your spouse is the child or children’s primary caregiver.

Protect Your Child Custody Rights Now

As experienced divorce attorneys practicing on Long Island, we recognize that preventing your spouse from moving out of the marital home with the children is more difficult to control than staying in your residence, however, there are steps you can take to protect your Child Custody rights. First, as soon as it is clear that you and your spouse are getting divorced, make it absolutely clear to your spouse that it’s not okay with you for them to take the children. This too can be done through texts and emails. Make it clear that your spouse is free to leave the marital home, but your children must remain until your divorce and child custody case is fully resolved.

File for Divorce Early in Nassau or Suffolk County Court to Protect Yourself

As soon as you realize that your marriage is ending, it is a good idea to file for a divorce. The filing of a divorce petition, protects your Child Custody rights, should your spouse attempt to move out of the joint residence and take the children without your consent. With a pending divorce case, you will have the right to seek emergency relief requesting that the children be returned to their home. Of course, in such a case, it is important to have a record that you do not consent to the other spouse removing the children from their home.

Questions About Child Custody and Visitation on Long Island?

See this page to learn everything you need to know about Child Custody and Visitation on Long Island.

To learn more about what you need to know about Child Custody on Long Island, visit this page on Child Custody or contact us at 631-923-1910 for a complimentary consultation.

We’re Here to Help with a Free Consultation

The Long Island Child Support Attorneys and Child Custody Lawyers at Robert E. Hornberger, P.C. have successfully assisted many families in Nassau County and Suffolk County with their Child Support or Child Custody cases. Contact us at 631-923-1910 or fill out the short form on this page and we will be happy to demonstrate how we can help during a free consultation.