Dedicated Northern New Jersey Family Law Attorneys
Put over a century of trusted, practical, and honest legal experience in your corner during life’s most challenging transitions.
When a family court dispute enters your life, your world can change in an instant. Your financial security, your parental rights, your home, and your peace of mind are suddenly on the line. Whether you are contemplating a divorce, trying to establish a stable schedule for your children, seeking safety from abuse, or planning your financial future before marriage, these legal decisions will shape your household for years to come.
At Raff & Raff, LLP, we have represented residents of Paterson, Passaic County, and throughout Northern New Jersey for over 100 years. We know that family law cases are highly personal, emotionally draining, and frequently very expensive.
That is why we reject the high-conflict, “scorched-earth” tactics that many modern law firms use just to run up their billable hours. Instead, our advocacy is defined by absolute honesty and strategic pragmatism. We will analyze your circumstances clearly, explain what is realistically achievable under New Jersey law, and work diligently to secure a fair, cost-effective resolution. If a fair settlement is possible, we will help you secure it quickly; if the other side refuses to cooperate, we are seasoned trial litigators fully prepared to defend your rights aggressively before a Superior Court Judge.
“Many people enter the family court system believing it is a place where a judge will automatically solve their emotional disputes. The truth is that family court is a highly structured, legal system governed by complex statutory factors and rules of evidence. Walking into court without an experienced, honest trial attorney who will tell you the hard truths is an immense financial and personal risk.”
— Daniel A. Levy, Esq.
Our Core Family Law Practice Areas
Choose a practice area below to learn your rights, understand the legal process, and discover how we protect your future:
Divorce and Dissolution
Whether you are facing a highly contested asset battle or seeking a fast, cost-effective no-fault divorce based on irreconcilable differences, we protect your financial interests and your rights.
Child Custody & Parenting Time
Your children’s safety and your parental rights are paramount. We help you navigate legal and physical custody, coordinate parenting schedules, and implement New Jersey’s updated 2026 custody statutes.
Child Support & Alimony
Secure your financial stability. We ensure child support is calculated accurately under the New Jersey Guidelines and negotiate structured, fair spousal support (alimony) agreements.
Post-Judgment Modifications & Enforcement
Life does not stand still after a divorce. We represent parents seeking to modify support or custody due to income or schedule changes, and aggressively enforce existing court orders when an ex refuses to comply.
Civil Domestic Violence & Restraining Orders
We represent clients in high-stakes civil restraining order proceedings in the Family Part—providing immediate safety advocacy for survivors of abuse and aggressive defense for those facing false, tactical accusations.
Divorce & Family Mediation
Avoid an expensive, stressful, and public courtroom battle. We act as neutral mediators to help couples resolve their disputes amicably, and serve as independent review counsel for spouses in private mediation.
Prenuptial & Cohabitation Agreements
Protect your business, real estate, and future inheritances before saying “I do.” We draft legally bulletproof premarital contracts and cohabitation agreements for unmarried couples.
Not Sure Where You Fit?
There are many other family-related issues that present themselves and result in family court filings. If you think you might have a case for Family Court that isn’t common, the best thing to do is to contact us and see if we can help you!
The Non-Dissolution (“FD”) Docket: Family Court Solutions Without Divorce
One of the most common myths in family law is that you must file for a full, contested divorce to establish legally enforceable court orders for support or custody. This is an expensive misconception.
In New Jersey, the family court maintains a specialized pathway known as the Non-Dissolution docket (the “FD” docket). This is a highly efficient, cost-saving legal avenue that we regularly utilize for:
- Unmarried Parents: The FD docket is the mandatory legal highway for unmarried couples to establish paternity, calculate child support under the guidelines, and secure structured, court-ordered parenting schedules.
- Separated Married Couples: If you are separated but considering reconciliation, filing for divorce can feel too final. An FD action allows you to establish temporary financial support and visitation schedules while you work on your marriage.
- Simple, Low-Cost Divorces: If you do not own real estate, have no complex retirement assets to divide, and share simple parenting terms, we can establish support and custody under the FD docket first. Once those orders are running smoothly, we can later file a fast, uncontested, “no-fault” divorce that simply carries over your existing FD orders—bypassing standard divorce litigation completely and saving you thousands in fees.
Why Choose Raff & Raff, LLP?
- Over a Century of Trusted Service: Our firm has served Northern New Jersey communities since 1922. We have stood the test of time because we treat our clients with honesty, respect, and absolute professionalism.
- A Reputation for Honest Counsel: We will never encourage you to pursue expensive, unnecessary litigation just to inflate our legal fees. If a dispute can be settled reasonably, we will tell you. If a trial is necessary, we will tell you why and what it will cost.
- A Complete family Law Arsenal: Because we represent clients across all aspects of family court—including high-conflict trials, collaborative mediations, domestic violence hearings, and premarital drafting—we understand how different decisions impact your overall legal strategy.
- Deep Local Familiarity: We do not just practice in New Jersey; our offices are historically rooted in Paterson, giving us deep, practical familiarity with the local procedures, administrators, and judges of the Passaic, Bergen, Essex, Morris, and Hudson county courts.
Centrally Located in Paterson and Ridgewood to Serve Northern New Jersey
Family law cases are filed in the county where the custodial parent or children reside. Because our central office on Church Street in Paterson is located less than a 5-minute walk from the Passaic County Family Court (Superior Court of New Jersey, Family Part) and a 15-minute drive from the Bergen County Family Court, we are uniquely positioned to handle emergency filings, attend unscheduled hearings, and represent clients seamlessly in:
- Passaic County (Paterson)
- Bergen County (Hackensack)
- Essex County (Newark)
- Morris County (Morristown)
- Hudson County (Jersey City)
Frequently Asked Questions About NJ Family Law
No. The vast majority of family law cases—including divorce, child support, and custody—are resolved outside the courtroom through negotiated settlement agreements, consent orders, or mediation. Only a small fraction of cases ever proceed to a full, contested trial before a judge. However, having a skilled trial lawyer represent you during negotiations is the best way to ensure the other side takes your proposals seriously.
The cost of a family law case depends entirely on the complexity of your issues and how cooperative both parties are. Uncontested matters, mediated settlements, and simple agreements are highly cost-effective and can be completed quickly. If there are contested assets, business valuations, or high-conflict custody disputes, fees will reflect the time spent in court and during negotiations. During your free consultation, we provide a transparent breakdown of hourly rates, retainer structures, and filing fees.
While it is wonderful to have an amicable relationship, verbal agreements are not legally binding or enforceable under New Jersey law. If your ex-spouse suddenly changes their mind months or years down the road, the court will only enforce the original, signed, and stamped court order. To protect yourself, any verbal agreement regarding child support, alimony, or custody should be drafted into a formal Consent Order by an attorney and submitted to a judge to be officially signed.
Family court deals with civil matters—such as dissolving a marriage, dividing marital assets, calculating support, establishing parenting schedules, and issuing protective civil restraining orders. Criminal court deals strictly with violations of state law (such as simple assault, harassment charges, or stalking) prosecuted by the state. While some situations (like domestic violence) involve concurrent cases in both courts, they are handled separately under completely different standards of proof.
Build Your Future on a Strong Legal Foundation.
Do not allow legal uncertainty, financial stress, or emotional conflict to control your family’s future. Speak directly with an experienced, honest, and pragmatic Northern New Jersey family law attorney today to learn your rights and outline a clear path forward.
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Fill out this form or call us directly at 973-742-1917 to schedule a complimentary strategy session