Arons & Solomon Divorce Lawyers | September 6, 2024 | Family Law
Finding things to do with your children can be challenging. You want the activity to be fun, but it must also be age-appropriate and safe. Are you searching for something fun to do with your kids that is family-friendly?
These top family activities in Hackensack, NJ, may be of interest:
- Extreme Energy is an indoor play center and trampoline park where children can run out lots of energy indoors.
- Sea Life Aquarium has a variety of fascinating aquatic life to explore.
- Arena STEM has interactive, engaging children’s activities that combine fun with learning.
- Tenafly Nature Center is a nature preserve in Bergen County that is open seven days a week.
- Nickelodeon Universe’s American Dream is an indoor theme park with many rides and a water park.
- Hackensack River County Park offers a lot of outdoor fun for families.
- Ice House has four ice rinks and offers ice skating lessons, hockey leagues, and public skating.
- Field Station Dinosaurs offers over 30 life-sized, moving, realistic dinosaurs at Bergen County’s Overpeck Park.
This list serves as a starting point for parents searching for fun, interesting things to do in Hackensack, NJ. It is not an all-inclusive list of the family-friendly things you can do in Hackensack and Bergen County.
Do I Need My Spouse’s Permission to Take My Children Places on Days I Have Custody?
You may wonder if you need your spouse’s permission to take your children on a fun adventure when you have custody. It depends on your custody arrangement.
New Jersey Revised Statutes §9:2-4 states that parents have equal custody rights at the beginning of a New Jersey child custody case. Therefore, if you do not have a custody order, you may share joint custody with your child’s other parent. If you wish to take your child to do something in New Jersey, you should be able to do so on the days you have your child. However, if you travel outside New Jersey, you may be required to get permission from your child’s other parent.
However, if you have a child custody agreement, you must follow the terms of the order. A custody order may restrict where you can travel with your children or the activities you can engage in with your children. Therefore, read your custody order to determine if your activities or travel is restricted. If not, you should be able to take your children to places in New Jersey.
Talk with a Hackensack child custody lawyer if you are concerned about violating your custody arrangement. An attorney will explain your custody rights so you are clear on what you can and cannot do on days you have custody of your children.
How Do Courts Decide Child Custody in New Jersey?
Parents are encouraged to work together to develop a parenting plan and visitation schedule that allows children to maintain a close relationship with both parents. Therefore, joint custody is preferred unless it is not in the best interest of the children.
When parents cannot agree on custody terms, judges decide custody based on the best interest of the child.
Factors judges consider include:
- The number of children and their ages
- A child’s special needs, if any
- A parent’s ability to communicate and cooperate on matters related to the child
- The location of a child’s school
- The fitness of each parent
- How close are the parents’ homes
- The safety and stability of the home
- The extent and quality of time a parent spent with the child before and after the separation
- A child’s age-appropriate preference for custody
- Allegations or a history of domestic violence or abuse
Judges can consider any factors relevant to determining a child’s best interests. In some custody cases, judges appoint an attorney or guardian ad litem to represent the child in the custody case.
The attorney or guardian ad litem investigates the matter and submits a report to the court. A judge may or may not incorporate the guardian’s or attorney’s recommendations in the final order.
Do You Have Questions About Child Custody in New Jersey?
A Bergen County child custody lawyer is your best source for answers to questions about child custody. If you need help with a custody matter, call to schedule a free consultation with a family law attorney.
Contact the Bergen County Family and Divorce Law Firm of Arons & Solomon Divorce Lawyers for more help
Contact the experienced family attorneys at Arons & Solomon Divorce Lawyers today for legal assistance. Visit our law office in Bergen County or give us a call at (201) 487-1199 to schedule a free consultation with our team.
Bergen County Law Office
1 University Plaza Dr #400, Hackensack, NJ 07601, United States