Morris, Downing, Sherred LLP

Morris, Downing, Sherred LLP

Sussex County Personal Injury Attorneys | Family Law Lawyers Newton NJ

973-383-2700
  • Home
  • Attorneys
  • Areas of Law
    • New Jersey Personal Injury Attorneys
      • Motor Vehicle Accidents
      • Motorcycle Accidents
      • New Jersey Truck Accidents Lawyers
      • Commercial Vehicle Accidents
      • Pedestrian Accidents
      • Uber Accidents
      • Drunk Driving Accidents
      • Slip and Fall Injuries
      • Dog Bites
      • Construction Accidents
      • Products Liability
      • Nursing Home Neglect
      • Severe Injuries
      • Spinal Injuries
      • Traumatic Brain Injuries
      • Walmart Lawsuits
      • Wrongful Death
      • Workers’ Compensation
      • Third-Party Claims
    • Employment Law
      • Employment Discrimination
      • NJ Workplace Harassment Law Firm
      • Wage and Hour Disputes
      • Severance Agreements
      • Non-Compete and Confidentiality Agreements
      • Whistleblower Claims
    • Medical Malpractice
      • Birth Injuries
      • Surgical Errors
    • Family Law
      • Divorce
      • Mediation & Arbitration
      • New Jersey Child Custody & Visitation Lawyers
      • Child Support
      • Alimony
      • New Jersey Complex Property Division Lawyers
      • New Jersey Domestic Violence Lawyers
    • Real Estate
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Title Closings
      • Zoning and Land Use
    • DUI & Traffic Violations
    • Trusts & Estates
      • New Jersey Estate Planning Attorneys
      • Will Drafting
      • Probate and Estate Administration
      • Trust Administration
      • Revocable Trusts and Living Trusts
      • Irrevocable Trusts
      • Special Needs Trusts
      • Durable Powers of Attorney
      • New Jersey Living Wills Lawyers
      • Asset Protection
      • Executor Assistance
      • Fiduciary Services
    • Business Law
      • Business Formation
      • Business Transactions
      • New Jersey Contract Disputes Attorneys
      • Mergers and Acquisitions
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Non-Compete and Confidentiality Agreements
      • Environmental Law and Litigation
    • Environmental Law
    • 9/11 Victims’ Compensation Claims
  • Testimonials
  • Articles
  • Blog
    • 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund
    • Employment Law
      • Whistleblower
      • Wrongful Termination
      • Discrimination
      • Sexual Harrassment
      • Employment Contracts
      • Severance Agreements
    • Family Law
      • Divorce
      • Domestic Violence
      • Alimony
      • Child Custody
      • Child Support
      • Property Division
      • Marital Settlement Agreement
      • Same-Sex Couples
    • Medical Malpractice
      • Birth Injuries
    • Personal Injury
      • Car Accidents
      • Motorcycle Accident
      • Truck Accidents
      • Slip & Fall Accidents
      • Pedestrian Accidents
      • Dog Bites
      • Products Liability
    • Trusts & Estates
      • Probate
      • Living Trusts
      • Power of Attorney
      • Wills
      • Will Contests
    • Workers’ Compensation
  • Contact

Accusations of domestic abuse in child custody cases

Posted Apr 24, 2017

On behalf of Morris, Downing & Sherred, LLP posted in Domestic Violence on Monday, April 24, 2017.

Emotions often run high during child custody disputes, and family law judges in New Jersey and around the country frequently have to determine whether or not there is any truth to inflammatory accusations. While malicious comments made in the heat of the moment may sometimes be excused or overlooked by judges, accusations of domestic violence are generally taken extremely seriously.

This is because child custody decisions are based on what is thought to be in the best interests of the child, and judges tend to err on the side of caution when there is even a small chance that children could be placed in dangerous situations. Claims of domestic violence may not only prevent parents from being awarded sole or joint physical custody, but they could also lead to the denial of their visitation rights. However, judges will expect to be provided with compelling evidence that abuse actually occurred.

Evidence of domestic abuse that is likely to meet these standards includes actual video or audio recordings of assaults, the medical records of the victim and reports of any action taken by law enforcement. Judges will generally consider when and how frequently the abuse occurred, whether or not the children involved witnessed it or were threatened in any way, and the outcome of any related criminal proceedings.

Experienced family law attorneys will likely have encountered clients who have made claims of domestic violence or had such accusations leveled against them. When violent episodes are recent or ongoing, attorneys may seek restraining orders to protect both the children involved as well as the victims of abuse. When incidents are less serious or occurred long ago, attorneys could recommend domestic violence counseling or anger management classes to parents who have made mistakes in the past but still wish to enjoy nurturing relationships with their children.

Domestic Violence domestic violence

Contact us for a free consultation.

"*" indicates required fields

Disclaimer*
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Small Town Attention, Big City Results

Follow Us on Social

We Would Love Your Feedback

Have something to share?
Facebook | Google My Business | Yelp

Morris, Downing & Sherred, LLP | 1 Main Street, P.O. Box 67 | Newton, NJ 07860
Phone: 973-383-2700 | Fax: 973-383-3510

©2025 Morris, Downing, Sherred LLP. All Rights Reserved.

Disclaimer. Privacy Policy.