Children’s Rights Attorney

Children have a right to have a relationship with both parents. When the child is denied this right, the court may need to step in to remind both parents of the needs of their child.

At the Law Offices of Jeffrey W. Goldblatt Esq., we work to defend the rights of children in custody cases and family law matters. For more than 30 years, attorney Jeffrey W. Goldblatt, a New Brunswick and Freehold children’s rights lawyer, has been helping families reclaim their time together and rebuild relationships through the court system.

Contact the Law Offices of Jeffrey W. Goldblatt Esq.

732-238-8700 East Brunswick | 732-780-9333 Freehold | Fill out our online intake form

Protecting and Defending Children

It is in the child’s best interests to have healthy and stable relationships with both parents. Whether custody is being established in the context of a divorce or as its own action, courts will look to the child’s best interest in creating and modifying child custody orders and parenting time.

In order to determine what is in the child’s best interests, the court will use different evaluation methods, including:

• Best interest evaluation: The county probation department conducts this evaluation. They will interview both parents, any interested parties and the child, if they are old enough. The evaluator will prepare an evaluation for the judge to review.
• Custody neutral assessment (CNA): This method is more in depth than the best interest evaluation. A mental health professional, such as a psychologist, conducts this evaluation. It typically costs around $1,000 and the parties share this cost.
• Full-blown psychological/custody evaluation: When this method is used, a psychologist has multiple interviews with each party, over a period of several months. This evaluation is the most comprehensive but it is also the most costly, with the fees paid by the parties.

When you hire our firm, attorney Goldblatt will review your situation and advise you of the best evaluation method for you. He will help you understand your options and the possible costs. He can represent you in court and he will vigorously defend your interests throughout the entire process.

Mediation and Arbitration

Courts in New Jersey can also order both parties to attend custody and parenting time mediation. You would meet with a mediator at the courthouse to resolve custody and parenting issues as an alternative to a trial.

Parties can also engage in custody arbitration as an alternative to trial. You can have a private arbitrator oversee the proceedings and make a decision on custody. It does cost money. However, the cost of arbitration can be significantly lower than the cost of a complete trial.

For answers to your children’s rights questions, contact a Long Branch custody valuation attorney at our firm.