Family Law Attorneys
Personal, proactive support for new beginnings and beyond in Essex County, Hudson County, Hunterdon County, Middlesex County, Bergen County, Passaic County, Morris County, Somerset County, Monmouth County or Ocean County
Facing family law matters can be daunting, confusing, and often emotional.
You deserve experienced attorneys who understand what you are going through and provide compassionate guidance the whole way through. At Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, we are here to help you move forward.
Our team of compassionate matrimonial and family law attorneys will help you find a
resolution that meets your needs, allowing you to focus on what matters most—your future.
Our Approach to Family Law Matters in New Jersey
Finding the right matrimonial and family law attorney to work with is one of the most important steps in moving ahead. At Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, we believe that you deserve to feel confident in your legal support and in your path forward.
Our approach to family law is built around the idea that:
- Every family law matter requires a personalized approach
- Transparency and education are an essential part of our relationship with clients
- Clients deserve the opportunity to create the future they want for themselves and their families
We are advocates and champions for our clients. Our goal is to find the best solution for your family law matters.
Our Matrimonial and Family Law Services
Family law matters often extend beyond your primary issue. They come with many concerns and
questions that need to be resolved so you can move forward in the best possible position.
From child support and child custody to distribution of assets and more, it is essential to look for a law firm that can fully support your legal needs. At Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, we offer a full range of matrimonial and family law legal services.
Our matrimonial and family law attorneys have extensive experience in the following areas:
Divorce Matters
Divorce is rarely an easy situation. It can become a time-consuming and expensive process.
Divorcing couples often find themselves dealing with stressful conflict and drawn-out court battles that do nothing to help them move on with their lives. Disputes over child support and child custody can add even more pressure.
The good news is that working with an experienced, compassionate divorce attorney can help you resolve divorce and custody matters more smoothly.
At Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, we help clients:
- Create an efficient divorce strategy that meets their needs
- Explore the range of options available to them to reduce conflict and stress during the process
- Protect their safety and financial security in the short and long term
- Identify solutions regarding child support, spousal support, and equitable distribution of assets
For clients facing financially complex and high net worth divorces, we work to safeguard your interests throughout the divorce process and beyond.
Business ownership, inheritances, highly valued trusts, estates, stock options, pensions—these are just a few of the factors that can complicate divorce proceedings.
We are experienced in handling financially complex and high net worth cases. Our family law attorneys collaborate with trusted professionals such as employment experts, forensic accountants, and real estate appraisers to ensure a fair and equitable distribution of assets to preserve your lifestyle and financial security.
Child Custody
Child custody is an emotionally charged issue for everyone, but working with an experienced child custody attorney can help you identify the best, least stressful route to resolve child custody disputes.
Our goal is always to ensure that we identify outcomes that protect your child’s best interests and preserve their relationship with both parents.
Our team of family law attorneys includes trained and court-approved family court mediators. This provides families with the best opportunity to maintain independently arranged child custody solutions.
Child Support and Contribution Towards the Child’s Expenses
Determining child support for your children following divorce is an important part of your divorce.
In most cases, the New Jersey Child Support Guidelines are applied to calculate the appropriate child support award. The award is based on the amount of time each parent spends with the child and the amount of income each party earns or has the ability to earn. Disputes often arise when one party is unemployed, underemployed, or self-employed.
Additionally, both parties may be required to contribute towards each child’s extraordinary expenses, including, but not limited to, unreimbursed medical expenses, private lessons, automobile and automobile insurance, work-related child care, private school, and post-secondary education.
We strive to help parents avoid the expense and stress of litigation by using negotiation, mediation, and other forms of alternative dispute resolution to achieve your goals—but we will vigorously defend your parental rights in court when needed.
Legal help for your child does not end once you have reached an agreement with your co-parent. At Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, we help you navigate temporary child support needs, child support modification, and what to do when your child comes of age.
Post-Judgment Applications
Child custody and child support are intended to support your child’s best interests, but circumstances—and what is in their best interest—may change over time.
We can help you get the custody arrangement that meets your child’s needs and helps your family move forward.
Whether you need a new custody and visitation plan to reflect an out-of-state move or you need to apply for a child support modification, our family law attorneys can help. We help clients navigate the process of filing a post-judgment application to the family court and securing a new arrangement that reflects their current circumstances.
Domestic Violence
When domestic violence occurs, it upends the victim’s life and makes the future very uncertain. Our experienced domestic violence attorneys can help.
We will work tirelessly to help you find safety and navigate this difficult period. We can explain your legal options, what they mean, and how they can help protect you.
We know that this is a difficult time for you, and we are here to help.
Sadly, domestic violence laws can be used as a sword instead of a shield. For individuals falsely accused of domestic violence, these charges can put their future at risk.
Deciding the right course of action can be intimidating. We will be here for you every step of the way. If a restraining order has been entered against you based on a false claim or which imposes unfair restrictions against you, we can defend you and protect your rights.
Our Knowledgeable Family Law Attorneys
Finding the right attorney for your family law matter is only the first step. It is essential to have a strategy that reflects your needs, goals, and concerns during the legal process and beyond.
You have options. We will help you understand them.
It is possible to save time, reduce costs, and ease the stress of your legal matter.
The experienced attorneys at Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski work closely with clients to identify the best legal course to take. Many issues can be settled outside of court by mediation or other forms of alternative dispute resolution. These approaches tend to be quicker and less expensive than litigation—and often allow for a more amicable resolution to the matter.
We fight for our clients
While not all matters require litigation, having a family law attorney who is highly skilled in litigation can give you the assurance that your best interests will be protected in the courtroom. Our family law attorneys are highly experienced in litigating every facet of divorce and child custody matters from start to finish. We represent clients vigorously in the courtroom.
Contact Our New Jersey Family Lawyers Today
We are here to help you take your first steps toward a new beginning. Contact our experienced and compassionate family law attorneys today. We support clients throughout New Jersey in Essex County, Hudson County, Hunterdon County, Middlesex County, Bergen County, Passaic County, Mercer County, Sussex County, Morris County, Somerset County, Monmouth County or Ocean County.
Family Law Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get support from my spouse before the divorce is final?
Both parties are obligated to maintain their household’s financial status quo during the divorce process. If your spouse is refusing to provide you with financial support for necessities before finalizing your divorce, you may be able to obtain temporary support. Each situation is unique, and it is important to discuss your options and work with your divorce attorney to determine the right course of action for you.
How long does the divorce process take in New Jersey?
No two divorces are alike, and your timeline will vary depending on the issues you and your spouse need to resolve. More complex divorces, high net worth divorces, or high conflict divorces may require a longer timeline, particularly if litigation is necessary. If you and your spouse are amicably divorcing and can quickly come to an agreement, your case will generally be much faster.
Will my spouse get my retirement assets during our divorce?
New Jersey is an equitable distribution state, meaning that assets are divided fairly but not necessarily equally during divorce.
Because retirement assets are subject to tax penalties upon early withdrawal, dividing them up during divorce is not a simple matter of closing an account and dividing funds. Working with an experienced divorce attorney can help you understand the nuances of dividing retirement assets and the steps you may need to take to ensure you receive your fair share of all your marital assets.
Do both parents have equal rights in child custody?
Unless the facts of your case give the court a strong reason to favor one parent over the other, both parents have equal rights in the state of New Jersey. That means that the court will not favor one parent over the other when making decisions about custody and parenting time. All custody and parenting time decisions are made without bias to gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
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