Inquiry
Share your borough or county, matter type, urgency, and optional case-related notes. We use this only to support matching criteria — not to give legal advice.
New York Family Court · Prototype
Experienced Family Court counsel — without the premium markup.
We help you find well-seasoned New York attorneys who focus on Family Court matters — custody, visitation, support, and related domestic relations — at competitive rates, then guide you toward a clear retainer conversation.
- Family Court–focused experience
- Transparent, competitive pricing
- Path to a written retainer
The service
From first contact to a signed retainer
This prototype connects people who need New York Family Court representation with experienced counsel willing to work at competitive rates — then supports a straightforward engagement process.
Match & consult
We look for attorneys with meaningful Family Court experience who price competitively. You speak with counsel to confirm fit, scope, and expectations.
Retainer next steps
If you proceed, counsel provides a written retainer describing services and fees. In matrimonial/domestic-relations matters, NY practice also calls for a Statement of Client’s Rights before you sign.
Attorney matching
What we look for — not a directory of named firms
We do not list fictional “partner” attorneys. Matching is based on criteria you care about: experience, Family Court focus, pricing transparency, coverage, and language.
Experience & focus
- Prefer counsel with substantial years in practice and a clear Family Court caseload
- Comfortable with custody, visitation, child support, family offense / orders of protection, and related petitions
- Familiar with local practice in NYC and surrounding counties
Competitive pricing
- Hourly rates and advance retainers explained up front — no bait-and-switch
- Emphasis on value: seasoned judgment without unnecessary premium branding
- Written fee terms before engagement; unused advance funds handled per the retainer
Borough & county coverage
- NYC: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island
- Nearby (as available): Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland
- Match to the court location that fits your case whenever possible
Languages & access
- English as default; Spanish and other languages when available
- Clear communication about timelines, appearances, and what to expect in Family Court
- Respectful, calm advocacy — not high-pressure sales tactics
Seasoned custody & visitation focus
Illustrative match for a parent seeking modification of a prior custody order in Kings County, prioritizing courtroom experience over firm prestige.
Support & enforcement matters
Illustrative match for child-support enforcement or modification where clear fee estimates and frequent court appearances matter.
Bilingual Family Court counsel
Illustrative match when language access and urgent protective-order familiarity are part of the intake criteria.
Educational overview
New York Family Court — high-level basics
This is general public information, not legal advice. Court choice can depend on whether a divorce is pending and on your specific facts. Confirm with counsel.
Family Court often handles
- Child custody and visitation (when no divorce is pending in Supreme Court)
- Child support and, in many situations, modification or enforcement after divorce
- Paternity
- Family offense petitions and orders of protection
- Certain adoption and guardianship matters
- Spousal support in some non-divorce contexts
Supreme Court typically handles
- Divorce, legal separation, and annulment (exclusive)
- Equitable distribution of marital property and debt
- Custody, visitation, and support inside a pending divorce action
- Changes to property/debt division in a divorce judgment
Practical note
If a divorce or separation case is already open in Supreme Court, custody, visitation, and child support usually belong there; a new Family Court petition may be transferred or dismissed. After a divorce, Family Court is often where people go to modify custody, visitation, or child support — unless the judgment keeps those issues in Supreme Court. Orders of protection can sometimes proceed in Family Court even while a divorce is pending.
Based on publicly available NY Courts / Family Court Act overviews. Always verify for your situation.
Toward engagement
What “retainer” means here
A retainer is typically an advance payment held under the terms of a written agreement, not a guarantee of unlimited work. Before you sign, you should understand scope, rates, billing, and refund terms.
- Consultation Discuss your goals, timeline, and whether counsel is a good fit. Ask about consultation fees in advance.
- Statement of Client’s Rights In many domestic-relations matters, NY rules require counsel to provide a prescribed statement before a retainer is signed.
- Written retainer agreement Plain-language terms: services, advance retainer, hourly rates, expenses, billing, and what happens if either side ends the relationship.
- You decide Read carefully, ask questions, and only sign when the terms are clear. This site does not sign retainers for you.
Next step
Continue with AI
Add a few case details to create a focused prompt for an AI assistant. Your details stay in this browser demo; no attorney or referral service is contacted.
- Case-only prompts — no name, phone, or email required
- Use AI to organize counsel criteria and retainer questions
- Review anything generated and verify it with a licensed NY attorney
Case details saved locally
Your prompt is ready below. Review and edit it before opening an AI assistant.
AI handoff
What to expect next
Choose an AI assistant to open a pre-filled prompt using only the case details above. Review and edit it before sending. Ask for counsel criteria, questions about experience and retainers, and practical preparation — not legal advice.
Pre-pop instructions
- Open a link below after all required fields are filled.
- Review and edit the pre-populated prompt before sending it.
- Ask the AI for counsel criteria and retainer questions — not legal advice.
The preview updates as you fill in borough / county, matter type, urgency, and notes.
Important disclaimer
This website is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Nothing here creates an attorney–client relationship. We are not a court-authorized referral service, and we do not endorse or guarantee any particular outcome or attorney. Content about New York Family Court is informational and high-level only; it may be incomplete or outdated and is not a substitute for advice from a licensed New York attorney about your specific facts.
This is a working prototype for evaluation. Password protection is client-side only and is not a security boundary for sensitive data. Do not submit confidential case details you would not want stored in browser localStorage.