Long Island Fathers’ Rights Lawyers Ensure Fairness and Equal Treatment.
Standing up for New York Dads.
New York family law is written to be fair to both father and mother in custody disputes. Unfortunately, in the practical application of the law, courts often favor mothers in child custody and child support disputes. Moreover, men who were never married to their child’s mother can find it much more difficult to get custody or visitation rights, even though the law states that marital status does not affect parental rights.
Since 1990, Simonetti & Associates has stood up for equal custody rights on Long Island and throughout Nassau County and Suffolk County. We offer practical and cost-efficient services to solve your paternal rights issues.
Aggressively pursuing realistic goals.
For too long, fathers have complained that divorce laws have treated them like ATMs, enforcing their duty to pay out cash but not recognizing their rights to spend meaningful parenting time with their children. Although changes to the law have been made, a dim reality persists. The courts generally do not award joint custody in New York. But that doesn’t stop many fathers’ rights attorneys from encouraging their clients to pursue ill-fated, drawn-out custody battles that do nothing but drive up costs.
At Simonetti & Associates, we’re concerned with your rights and bottom line. We know how much heartbreak fathers have when their fathers’ rights do not go as planned. We help you set realistic, achievable goals for paternal custody and visitation. We also help you obtain a court order that fits your lifestyle, allowing you to nurture your children without interference. Whether you are a separated father or a divorced dad, if you believe your estranged partner is obstructing your parenting time or undermining your relationship with your children, we demand enforcement of your parenting plan and address any acts of parental alienation. We aggressively defend your right to maintain a loving relationship with your children without fighting costly, unwinnable battles that strain your resources.
Giving hope to unwed fathers through paternity actions
Fathers who were never married to their child’s mother must establish paternity before they have any legal rights to a relationship with their child. A father can do this at the time of the child’s birth if he and the mother sign an acknowledgment of paternity. If, for some reason, the mother refuses, the father may initiate a paternity action at any point from the time he learns of the pregnancy until the child turns 21 by filing a petition with the family court. The court considers all competent evidence, but in most cases, it relies on DNA testing, after which the court issues an order of filiation recognizing the father’s parental status.
Once paternity is established, the father has rights and responsibilities, including:
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- The obligation to support the child until age 21
- The right to share custody or visitation
- The right to block foster placement or adoption of the child
- The right to contribute to decisions regarding the child’s medical care, education, religious training, and other matters
Call our Long Island fathers’ rights attorneys for a free consultation.
With more than 35 years of experience, Simonetti & Associates can provide fathers with valuable representation at a reasonable cost. Our Long Island, NY, fathers’ rights law firm has locations in Syosset and Water Mill. Our hours are flexible, and we return calls promptly. For your free initial consultation, call 877-385-2560 or contact us online.
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