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The outcome of a divorce can determine how much time mothers are allowed to spend with their children and the resources they carry forward to rebuild their lives. Women often face serious challenges and obstacles as they navigate the family court system in Long Island. With support from Long Island divorce lawyers for mothers you can manage your case with confidence and protect what matters most in your life.
Since 2005, The Levoritz Law Firm has stood with mothers going through emotionally and legally complex divorces. Our legal team includes attorney Karolina Krasnyanskaya, who emigrated from Ukraine in 1991 before pursuing law school and a career as a civil litigator and family law attorney. Her success in the courtroom earned her a Rising Stars distinction by the prominent legal group Super Lawyers.
When you secure representation from our law firm, you gain the support of skilled litigators who are not afraid to file first when it serves the interests of our clients. Whether your main concern is protecting your parental or property rights, we can take the time to learn about your unique situation and your goals before tailoring a strategy that works to achieve your goals in court. Our team understands the difficulties of divorce and is prepared to support your next step forward.
Awards and recognition are not guarantees of future results.
Divorces are heard at the Nassau County Supreme Court, which is located at 100 Supreme Court Drive in Mineola. Before a divorce can be finalized, both parties must reach an agreement on important matters like property division, child custody, and child support.
New York follows an equitable distribution rule for property division. Under that legal framework, marital property is divided fairly and not necessarily 50/50. Homes have an average value of $748,000 in the city, making the division of a marital estate financially consequential. Separate property is not subject to division during a divorce and includes things like inheritances, gifts, and anything owned before marriage.
Twenty-one percent of Nassau County’s population is under 18, and child custody is based on the best interests of the child and factors like each parent’s past child-rearing responsibilities and ability to provide a stable and supportive home environment. Child support is assessed based on established formulas that judges use to set monthly obligations.
Whether mothers come from Garden City, Huntington, or Rockville Centre, they can face unique challenges in family court. Finances are one such obstacle. Mothers who postpone their personal careers and ambitions to support their spouse and children can be left at an economic disadvantage during and after a divorce. If they require spousal support, the burden is on them to gather evidence to support that request.
The overall crime rate in Nassau County is 23.00 per 1,000 residents in a typical year, and many women going through a divorce may be past victims of domestic abuse or violence. Divorces are highly emotional, and they could face ongoing threats from their spouse.
Many people mistakenly assume that women have an easier time gaining equal or primary custody of a child. Women can face accusations of emotional instability and other false claims from their spouses. After spending years putting aside personal ambitions for the benefit of their families, many mothers are left facing the possibility of diminished parental rights and strained finances, particularly when they do not have strong legal representation.
Many mothers understandably focus on the final court decision, sometimes forgetting that temporary orders can last for several months or longer. While the case is pending, a judge may issue pendente lite, temporary orders that address child custody, parenting time, child support, spousal maintenance, and the exclusive use of the marital residence. These orders remain in effect until they are modified or replaced by the final judgment of divorce.
Although temporary orders are not permanent, they can significantly influence the direction of the case, which is why they should be taken seriously from the onset of a case. The judge issuing these orders generally prioritizes the safety and stability of the child during litigation, and the court may consider existing caregiving arrangements.
If one parent has been serving as the primary caregiver throughout the duration of a divorce, that could influence the judge’s final ruling. Continuity is one factor that judges consider when setting custody and visitation. For that reason, parents should consider every decision they make during the divorce.
Moving out of the marital home and a significant distance away can create unnecessary complications regarding parenting schedules. It is important to discuss your options with your divorce attorney. There may be situations where it is appropriate to request spousal support or temporary custody orders. Child support is often set up on a temporary basis early on as well.
Spousal support, also known as spousal maintenance or alimony, is intended to help reduce financial hardships on one party going through a divorce, particularly when they earn considerably less than their spouse. After reviewing the evidence, a judge may award temporary maintenance while the divorce is pending. Or the court may grant post-divorce maintenance after the marriage is dissolved.
New York courts rely on a formula as a starting point but may adjust that amount after considering unique facts and circumstances tied to the case. When determining whether maintenance is appropriate, judges evaluate factors such as:
The court may also consider whether one spouse left the workforce to raise children or made other sacrifices. High-asset cases may involve a consideration of executive compensation, investment income, deferred compensation, stock options, and other financial factors.
Because maintenance orders can significantly affect the finances of both parties, it is crucial to prepare for court hearings addressing this important divorce-related matter.
Properly preparing for divorce before a case is filed can help protect your financial interests and parental rights, along with reducing unnecessary stress throughout the legal process. Begin by gathering important documents, including:
Having organized financial information allows your attorney to accurately evaluate the marital estate and identify potential issues early in the case. Parents should also document their involvement in their children’s daily lives by maintaining records of school activities, medical appointments, extracurricular events, and parenting responsibilities. If custody becomes contested, this information may become valuable evidence.
Avoid making major financial decisions before speaking with an attorney. Selling assets, transferring money, changing beneficiaries, or taking on significant debt can complicate the divorce process.
Finally, consider your long-term priorities, whether they involve protecting your business, preserving retirement savings, securing parenting time, or reaching an efficient settlement. Early preparation allows your attorney to develop a strategy that protects your rights and positions you for the strongest possible outcome.
Going through a divorce in Long Island, NYC without strong legal representation could jeopardize your parental and property rights. When you work with divorce attorneys for mothers in Manhattan, you benefit from their deep knowledge of divorce laws and how to use the court system to achieve your goals.
A family law attorney can:
The outcome of your divorce case could rely on your decision to hire a divorce attorney who understands how to strategically negotiate or litigate fair terms for your final decree settlement.
The courts in New York do not favor one parent or gender over the other. But that doesn’t mean that stay-at-home mothers do not face unique challenges. One concern a spouse may have is whether to obtain employment or not. As with other court-related matters, the answer depends on the facts of the case. The courts recognize that raising children, managing a household, and supporting a spouse’s career come with personal sacrifices.
When judges determine spousal maintenance, they may consider factors like how long the marriage lasted, each spouse’s potential to earn, education, age, health, and the time that would be needed for a lower-earning spouse to obtain education and training. In certain cases, a court may consider a vocational evaluation to assess future earning potential, but outcomes are case-specific and depend on the evidence presented in court.
Working mothers face their own unique challenges. A demanding career can leave mothers facing accusations that they cannot provide their children with focused attention at home. Careers as executives, physicians, attorneys, and business owners often leave mothers relying on childcare providers or assistance from family members.
A judge would likely focus on the mother’s past involvement rather than counting hours at work, but this can still be a significant concern for any mother seeking meaningful custody and parenting time with their child or children. In these complicated matters, legal support can play a critical role in protecting the mother’s parental rights.
A lawyer can protect a mother’s parental rights by focusing negotiation and litigation efforts on achieving their client’s priorities. Courtroom negotiations and hearings require focus and an ability to anticipate the other party’s next moves. By countering false claims and providing evidence to support their client’s goals, legal representation can shape the outcomes of high-stakes cases.
If the other parent challenges a mother’s fitness or parenting ability in Long Island, your lawyer can take decisive action to protect your rights and interests. Accusations must be backed by evidence, not just one person’s personal attacks. Your lawyer can call witnesses to testify about your history of child-rearing and support. By countering your spouse’s false narratives and providing a more honest account of events, your lawyer can take decisive action to protect your rights.
Relocation can affect a mother’s custody rights in various ways in New York. If there is a standing court order and one parent moves farther away, that could make the current visitation schedule untenable. The common solution would be for either party to seek a modification to account for the relocation. During a divorce, a party’s decision to move could complicate the custody process if the distance between the parents makes child exchanges difficult.
Mothers should speak with their attorneys about what steps to take when preparing for a custody evaluation on Long Island. The outcome of those evaluations could influence the outcome of a final judgment. Common steps to prepare include prepping for questioning and gathering supportive documents that may be requested. With a statewide divorce rate of 2.4 per 1,000, mothers should take early and decisive action to protect their parental rights by hiring an experienced family law attorney.
A mother can protect her lawful claim to marital property by promptly hiring an experienced divorce attorney to manage the complexities of her divorce. Legal support can play a key role in protecting a mother’s right to retain separate property. Legal support allows mothers to understand the court process and play an active and decisive role in shaping the outcome of the case.
Going through a divorce in Long Island can make you feel like everything is on the line. By working with The Levoritz Law Firm, you can remove much of the uncertainty from the process. Our lawyers can handle the complexities of the divorce process while focusing on achieving your goals in court.
Our firm’s foundation is built on integrity, responsiveness, and personalized legal representation designed to help clients achieve meaningful results. Once we understand your priorities, our award-winning law firm can take decisive action to position you for a favorable outcome in court. Contact our office today to learn how we can help.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Yonatan Levoritz who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a divorce & family attorney.
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