Helping Families Spend Time in the Living Room, Not the Courtroom
At New York Family Law Group, we focus on family matters so you can focus on what matters to you.
Helping Families Spend Time in the Living Room, Not the Courtroom
At New York Family Law Group, we focus on family matters so you can focus on what matters to you.
Being a father means everything to you, but navigating the family court system can sometimes feel like an uphill battle. At New York Family Law Group, our committed Upper East Side fathers’ rights lawyers advocate for dads who want to maintain meaningful relationships with their children and play an active role in their lives.
Key Takeaways:
Too many fathers enter the family court system feeling like the deck is stacked against them. While outdated assumptions sometimes persist, the reality is that New York law treats parents equally when determining custody and visitation. What matters is demonstrating that your involvement serves your children’s best interests, and that requires effective legal representation.
At New York Family Law Group, we’ve helped countless fathers secure the custody arrangements and parenting time they deserve. Our dedicated Upper East Side fathers’ rights lawyers understand the unique challenges fathers face and know how to present compelling cases that highlight your strengths as a parent. Schedule a consultation today to discuss your situation and learn how we can help you protect your relationship with your children.
For unmarried fathers, establishing paternity is often the critical first step in securing legal rights to your child. Without legal recognition as the father, you may have no standing to seek custody or visitation, even if you’ve been actively involved in your child’s life from birth.
Paternity can be established voluntarily through an Acknowledgement of Paternity signed at the hospital or later, or through a court proceeding if the mother disputes paternity or cooperation isn’t possible. Once paternity is established, you gain the legal foundation to pursue custody and visitation rights. Our attorneys guide fathers through this process efficiently so you can move forward with securing your parental rights.
New York recognizes two components of custody: legal custody, which involves decision-making authority over important aspects of your child’s life, and physical custody, which determines where your child lives. Both can be sole or joint, and the arrangements that work best vary significantly from family to family.
Our knowledgeable Upper East Side fathers’ rights lawyers work with you to develop a custody strategy that reflects your goals and your children’s needs. Whether you’re seeking joint custody with equal parenting time, fighting for primary custody, or establishing a meaningful visitation schedule, we build cases that demonstrate your commitment and capability as a father.
The key is presenting evidence that shows your involvement in your children’s daily lives, your understanding of their needs, and your ability to provide a stable, nurturing environment. Courts want to see fathers who are engaged in school activities, medical appointments, extracurricular events, and the everyday moments that make up childhood.
While New York law is gender-neutral, some fathers encounter judges, evaluators, or opposing counsel who hold outdated views about parenting roles. These biases can manifest in subtle ways that disadvantage fathers seeking custody or meaningful parenting time.
Experienced fathers’ rights attorneys know how to identify and counter these biases effectively. We prepare fathers thoroughly for custody evaluations, help you document your involvement with your children, and present your case in ways that challenge assumptions and highlight your strengths. When necessary, we advocate aggressively to ensure you receive fair treatment.
Unfortunately, some custody disputes involve false allegations of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence. These allegations can devastate a father’s case and severely limit access to children. Our team helps fathers respond to allegations appropriately, gather evidence that demonstrates their falsity, and work toward restoring normal parenting relationships.
Father’s rights extend beyond custody and visitation. Child support obligations should be calculated fairly based on actual income and circumstances. Fathers seeking custody may be entitled to receive child support from the other parent, and those paying support deserve accurate calculations. Our attorneys ensure fathers understand both their obligations and their rights.
Fighting for your parental rights takes an emotional toll. The stress and uncertainty can affect every aspect of your life. Many fathers feel isolated, believing the system doesn’t value their role. At New York Family Law Group, we provide not just legal representation but genuine support throughout the process, empowering you to be the father you want to be.
With more than 30 years of combined family law experience, our founders, Martin Mohr and Ethan Steward, have helped fathers across New York City protect their relationships with their children. We’re not interested in quick settlements that leave fathers shortchanged. We want to achieve outcomes that serve your long-term interests and your children’s well-being.
Our team treats every client with dignity and respect, providing personalized attention and keeping you informed throughout your case. We understand what you’re going through, and we’re here to fight alongside you.
Your children need their father in their lives, and you deserve the opportunity to be there for them. Don’t let uncertainty or fear prevent you from pursuing the relationship you want with your kids.
Contact our trusted Upper East Side fathers’ rights lawyers at New York Family Law Group to schedule your consultation. Let us help you protect your rights and your future with your children.
We like to keep families out of the courtroom, so mediation is a process we recommend as it allows you to retain the utmost control of your future. If you and your spouse are in agreement regarding your assets, child custody, and other divorce-related topics, mediation can create a collaborative environment to sort those details out in a less stressful, more cost-efficient manner.
About Us
Martin Mohr and Ethan Steward, our founders and partners, are passionate family lawyers with more than 30 years of combined experience in New York family law. With the help of our attorneys, you can protect your interests and your family.
Our Services
We offer a full range of family law services, including divorce, custody and visitation, child support and spousal support, father’s rights, grandparent’s rights, protective orders, and more.
Contact Us
We are passionate about serving our clients and helping them begin the next chapter in their lives. If you are seeking help with a divorce or family law matter, contact us today to get started.
Testimonials
Choosing the right family law attorney is crucial to the success of your case. And at New York Family Law Group, we strive to be your trusted partner throughout the legal process. Our attorneys have a deep understanding of family law in New York and stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the field. So you can rely on us to provide you with sound legal advice, guidance, and representation tailored to your unique needs.
about us
At New York Family Law Group, we’re not interested in repeat customers. We want to work closely with you, your children, and all other parties involved in your dispute, come to the best possible solution, and ensure the best, long-term outcome for your case. Our goal is to empower you and your family to close this difficult chapter and move on to something new.
If you need a lawyer who is compassionate and dedicated to resolving your matters in the most favorable way, give us a call. With offices in the Bronx and Manhattan, our family law attorneys are here to help.
Family law cases in NY are complex, fact-specific, and can cause a lot of pain, turmoil, and stress for you and your children. Whether you’re seeking a divorce, or you need assistance with issues such as custody disputes, domestic violence, neglect, and child abuse, our New York divorce lawyers are here to assist you.
Divorce can be emotionally taxing and traumatic for you and your children. We specialize in settling divorces out-of-court, saving you time and money, and reducing the strain on you and your family.
Whether you need help establishing initial custody or handling custody disputes, violations of custody orders and other such matters, New York Family Law Group can help.
If you have been a victim of domestic violence, our team is here to assist you in obtaining orders of protection to protect yourself, your children, and your property from your abuser.
We can assist clients in understanding the child support process, coming to agreements about child support out of court, and ensuring their children have the resources they need to ensure their best interests are protected.
Situations change, and divorce decrees need to change, too. We can assist you as you petition for changes in child support, visitation, custody, and other such court decrees.
We know you have your children’s best interests in mind. But sometimes you have to fight for your rights as a parent to be recognized by the court or a co-parent. When push comes to shove, can help.
Managing Partners of New York Family Law Group
Our approach
Family law in New York can involve significant financial implications, strong emotional attachments, and tense family dynamics. It is often these elements, rather than the law itself, that complicates family law matters for our clients. From divorces to child custody disputes, it may seem impossible to bear the burden of these issues on your own.
That’s where New York Family Law Group comes in. Our founding attorneys have more than 30 years of experience. We can provide you with the client-focused service, legal expertise, and compassionate support you need to resolve your case, and ensure the best possible outcome for you, your kids, and all other involved parties.
We understand how important it is to resolve issues between you and your spouse in the most favorable way possible. Our divorce lawyers in NYC are ready to work hard and focus on your case. To schedule a consultation with a skilled lawyer, call us today at (718) 293-1542 or send us an email through our online form.
A divorce doesn’t just impact the couple but the whole family. NYC divorce attorneys Ethan Steward and Martin Mohr take a holistic approach in the cases they handle, considering the entire family and the impact it will have on the children. They believe that the most amicable resolution enables couples to move into the future with a firmer foundation. But they also understand this is not always possible. When a couple can’t see eye to eye, a contested divorce often requires an aggressive legal approach from an experienced lawyer.
If you have decided to divorce, you need to seek a skilled divorce attorney. The legal team at the New York Family Law Group will assist you and your family with every aspect of your divorce case. Whether it is co-parenting, managing your financial transitions, or protecting your legal rights, our divorce lawyers will seek the best outcome for you. With us on your side, you have a skilled legal advocate to guide you, help you make the right decisions, and keep you focused on your future.
Strict residency requirements must be met to get divorced in NY. One of the following must exist before the courts grant you a divorce:
Other than these residency requirements, there is no waiting period to get a divorce in New York. Contact our team of divorce attorneys to discuss your case.
So much of the emotional divorce process is about blame and fault. But in New York, the fault also has a legal impact and is the basis for grounds for divorce. In New York State, the individual filing for divorce must provide grounds, or fault, for that divorce decision.
In NY, there are seven accepted grounds for divorce:
Because marriage is a legal and emotional relationship, many legal aspects must be addressed and settled to move forward for a couple to be granted a divorce in New York. Sometimes, a couple can come to these agreements themselves and seek an uncontested divorce. But in some cases, they will need to be addressed by the court if a couple can’t agree to their own terms.
Before a divorce can be granted, many things will need to be settled by the divorcing couple, including:
When a couple can cooperate and find common ground or negotiate terms with the assistance of a New York lawyer or mediator, it can save significant costs and time. To schedule a consultation with our experienced divorce lawyer, please call (718) 293-1542.
There are many reasons that couples seek a contested divorce in NY. One spouse may not want the divorce or feel disadvantaged, or the spouses cannot come to terms with decisions that must be made. In some cases, one spouse may be concerned about the truthfulness and transparency of the other.
When divorcing spouses cannot make decisions or compromises necessary for their divorce, they must rely upon the legal system and litigation. This is considered a contested divorce. Once the court makes its final decisions, both spouses will be bound by them, whether they like them or not.
Suppose you and your spouse cannot find common ground. In that case, it is essential to get skilled legal guidance to ensure your rights are fully represented during a contested divorce. Family law attorney Martin Mohr and divorce attorney Ethan Steward offer experienced representation to ensure your best interests are considered during the process. While divorce is never easy, getting experienced and knowledgeable representation is critical, especially when couples can’t agree and much is at stake.
For those couples who don’t want to navigate the costly and time-consuming process of a contested divorce, New York allows spouses to obtain an uncontested or “no-fault” divorce.
While no-fault divorces have only been recognized in New York since 2010, they are now the most utilized grounds for divorce in New York today. No-fault divorces potentially reduce the contentiousness of the divorce process and allow a more cost-effective and timely resolution for the divorcing couple to move on with their lives.
If you are considering a no-fault divorce in New York, you and your spouse must have satisfied the residency requirements and agreed:
While this seems like a lot for a divorcing couple to agree upon under the circumstances, these issues can be mediated or negotiated with the help of a New York divorce lawyer. With experienced guidance, these matters can be fairly negotiated so that you can make your own decisions, not the court.
At the New York Family Law Group, divorce attorney Ethan Steward and family law attorney Martin Mohr have guided their clients toward the best resolution possible. Whether the divorce is highly contentious or the couple has agreed to many terms of their divorce on their own, having an attorney at your side can make all the difference. If you are navigating a divorce, having our skilled legal representation ensures that all aspects of your divorce will be legally considered and addressed. You will understand your rights and the long-term consequences of your decisions to make the right ones for your future.
Call us today at (718) 293-1542 or send us an email through our form to schedule a consultation with an experienced New York attorney.
One of the most significant decisions you and your spouse face during your divorce is how you will provide for and co-parent your children. Who will be the primary custodial parent? How will you make important decisions about their healthcare and education? Who will be responsible for child support, and how much should that be?
The family court system in New York will always focus on what it determines to be in the child’s best interests. Suppose a couple cannot agree on how to emotionally and financially co-parent their children. In that case, the court will do that for them.
When it comes to child custody and support, emotions often run high, and negotiations can be highly contentious. While the court will consider parents’ wishes when making its determinations, it will always err in the child’s best interests, not the convenience of the parents. A divorcing couple should consider getting the guidance of an experienced lawyer to navigate these critical decisions.
New York City divorce attorney Ethan Steward and family law attorney Martin Mohr can help you understand the full legal impact of any decisions you make regarding your children and help you navigate the system, so you are in control. Once the court becomes involved with child custody and support matters, the couple must abide by the court’s decision. On the other hand, when a couple can come together to make decisions for the benefit of their children, the better for everyone involved.
Under New York law, two types of property are owned by married partners. One is separate property that has been acquired and is owned by the individual. The other is marital property that the couple has acquired during the marriage. The same holds true for separate and marital debt.
In a divorce, separate property and debt remain in each spouse’s possession and responsibility. In contrast, marital property and debt must be divided. New York is an equitable distribution state. Under equitable distribution rules, assets are equitably divided considering many different factors, including:
Equitable does not mean an even split of property and debt. Even when property division is relatively equal, some assets, such as the family home or a family business, cannot be split evenly, and other remedies must be considered.
To fairly divide marital assets, an asset valuation must be done to determine what each is worth. This will be relatively easy for some assets but more difficult for others. Couples who can negotiate and reasonably agree to divide their marital property and debt between themselves can save on costly appraisal fees and reduce points of contention. A skilled New York divorce attorney can help a couple negotiate a property division that works for both spouses.
Please get in touch with New York Family Law Group today at (718) 293-1542 to speak with a New York attorney who may be able to help with your case.
Divorce is stressful at its best and wholly devastating and overwhelming at its worst. Divorce and other family law matters can run from highly complicated and contentious to cooperative and amicable. What starts as one often can change during a divorce case and do a complete about-face.
Your decisions during this time will affect your and your family’s emotional and financial future. When navigating the highly emotional and financially serious terrain of divorce, these decisions require a calm and legally knowledgeable approach. Without the proper legal representation, you could be fighting legal matters surrounding your divorce for months, if not years.
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If you and your spouse have decided to divorce, getting level-headed and experienced legal help can help you navigate this time effectively and efficiently with your future and best interests in mind.
New York divorce attorneys Martin Mohr and Ethan Steward at the New York Family Law Group understand what you are going through and treat you with the dignity and respect you deserve. We offer compassionate and skilled legal representation when you are navigating this rugged terrain. We know that there is a future beyond divorce for you and keep you focused on that time.
Our team has over 30 years of combined family law experience in New York. We provide expert legal guidance to ensure that our client’s best interests are being considered each step of the way.
Call us or schedule a confidential consultation through our online contact page.
The grounds of “irretrievable breakdown” are also known as “no-fault” divorce. To use this ground for divorce, the spouses must have had a breakdown in their relationship for at least 6 months.
In addition, all economic issues including debt, division of marital property, child support and custody, and spousal maintenance must have been settled by the spouses.
To get a divorce in New York State, you must meet the residency requirement, meaning:
You also must meet one or more of the seven grounds for divorce in New York, meaning you have a legally acceptable reason for the divorce to occur.
There are seven grounds for divorce in New York, as follows:
Not always. In fact, it’s common to settle uncontested divorce proceedings out of court. When this happens, both spouses agree to terms of divorce, usually with the help of divorce lawyers. Then, this agreement is presented to the court. If the court approves the agreement, the divorce will be finalized.
However, if you or your spouse disagree on any particular part of the divorce and cannot come to an agreement out of court, this is known as a “contested divorce,” and must be settled in court.
New York is an “equitable property” state. This means that marital property will be divided “equitably,” though not necessarily in a 50/50 split. The court will take into account the age of both spouses, earning potential, health, and other factors to determine the division of marital property.
Marital property is any kind of property acquired during the marriage, regardless of who earned it or whose name it’s held under. This is divided during a divorce.
However, separate property is not divided. This consists of property and assets acquired before marriage, as well as certain types of property like gifts and inheritances. These assets are not divided between the divorcing couple.
Whether you are interested in settling an uncontested divorce out-of-court with your spouse, or you are involved in a contested divorce and need lawyers to represent your best interests, attorneys Martin Mohr and Ethan Steward are here to help.
At New York Family Law Group, our New York divorce attorneys will support you and guide you throughout the divorce process, and work toward the best possible outcome so that you can move forward with your life.
Contact us now at (718) 293-1542 to schedule a consultation today.
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