Committed, Aggressive Family Court Representation

Family Court is a court of limited jurisdiction. Although both Family and Supreme Courts handle many of the same issues, you cannot get divorced in Family Court. However, Family Court offers an array of services that may be quite useful to you.

For example, Family Court is available for all married or unmarried persons that have a child in common to resolve custody, visitation, child support, and spousal support issues. In addition, Family Court is also used to handle Orders of Protection, as well as abuse and neglect cases filed by Child Protective Services. 

Very often, we will utilize Family Court before or instead of the Supreme Court, for a multitude of reasons — even for married persons. Some of these reasons can include the speed of handling cases in Family Court, the cost as a factor, the services provided by Family Court which are not otherwise available in other courts or have jurisdictional limitations.

The expert professionals at Ronald Zimmer will sit with you and strategize if Family Court is best for you. This is a decision reached by both of us. Since each case is inherently unique, only by coming in for a consultation can the best advice be reached for you if Family Court is best suited to deal with your situation.

Perhaps you are the subject of a Family Court action, being forced to appear. Have no fear, we have the experience necessary since we have handled thousands of Family Court matters and can best advise you of your rights when you come in for your consultation. 

Child Support / Spousal Support

Child and spousal support are critical issues that are frequently handled in Family Court. Regardless of whether you are married or unmarried with a child in common, the Family Court has jurisdiction to handle your child support matter.

For married persons, the Family Court has the jurisdiction to hear your spousal support issue as well. As these are sensitive financial matters that will dramatically impact your life, you will need an aggressive attorney that knows the system. Ronald Zimmer has those attorneys that can handle your case with the attention and dedication to your interests that are deserved.

With over 35 years of experience, our firm has built a reputation for aggressive advocacy that yields positive results in support cases. Clients trust our firm because we consistently achieve results for our clients. We have handled thousands of maintenance and child support cases. Our experience and know-how to work with both sides of these issues, advocating for payers and recipients of support will make you confident that you have made the right choice.

In addition, you can be confident in knowing that our firm has won child support reductions and alimony terminations for people who have lost income because of disabilities, layoffs or downturns in their business. We have a successful record of winning increases in child support and spousal maintenance where a party had falsely reported a low income.

We use aggressive legal tactics by investigating undisclosed business income or unreported cash earnings. We have contacts throughout the investigative community to find the truth no matter how diligently someone has tried to hide their tracks.

As a member of Suffolk County's Modest Means Panel, we have won numerous cases for poor and indigent spouses living below the poverty line who have been oppressed by the moneyed spouse.

How Is Child Support Handled in Family Court?

Child support through Family Court is a relatively fast and streamlined process. Same as Supreme Court (sometimes referred to as Divorce Court), the Child Support Standards Act (CSSA) provides strict guidelines for calculating child support based on percentages of the non-custodial parent's income.

Income is defined by New York law and can include monies from several categories. Once the income is deduced, child support is determined by calculating the combined gross income of the parents, after deducting from each parent's income the amounts he or she actually paid for Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes. 

The child support percentages are:

• 17% for one child
• 25% for two children
• 29% for three children
• 31% for four children
• No less than 35% for five or more children

For those with an income exceeding $153,000 annually, the court will decide whether or not to use the guidelines and may consider additional factors in calculating child support. The goal of the court is to ensure that the child's basic necessities are being provided for.

It is essential to have an attorney who can properly advocate for the proper amount of child support. In some cases, it is harder to determine the actual income of a parent, especially in situations in which the non-custodial parent owns a business or works "off the books." Ronald Zimmer has the knowledge and the experience necessary to ensure you obtain the proper amount of support. Contact us to schedule an appointment today!

Where Does Child Support Money Go?

The law assumes that basic child support payments cover your child's needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. However, the non-custodial parent is not entitled to an accounting nor do they have any authority to tell the receiving parent how to spend the money.

In addition to basic child support, child support does not include other expenses such as daycare / childcare expenses, unreimbursed medical expenses, or the cost of health insurance premiums and in some cases educational expenses.