Shrewsbury Child Custody Lawyer

Custody cases arising in Shrewsbury and the rest of Monmouth County are heard in the Family Part of the Superior Court, and since the state rewrote its custody statute, the first question a judge asks is no longer about contact with both parents. It is about the child’s safety. Sanvenero & Cittadino, LLC is a law firm centered on divorce and family law, representing parents in Shrewsbury, Red Bank, Rumson, Middletown, Holmdel, Colts Neck, Tinton Falls, Freehold, Long Branch, and Asbury Park, along with families in Ocean and Middlesex Counties.

If you are looking for a Shrewsbury child custody lawyer, the timing matters. The amendments to N.J.S.A. 9:2-4 that Governor Murphy signed in January 2026 (known as Kayden’s Law) removed the old presumption favoring frequent and continuing contact with both parents, expanded the best-interest factors to 15, and told courts to treat safety as a threshold issue. A parenting plan that would have drawn little scrutiny a few years ago may now be examined closely, and so may the evidence behind any allegation of abuse, neglect, or alienation.

For most families the real questions are practical. Where will the children sleep on school nights? Who decides about schools and medical care? How do holidays work when one parent has a shifting work schedule? We build answers to those questions around the statute as it now reads, and we walk clients through how a judge is likely to see their facts.

How Custody Gets Decided Under the Amended New Jersey Statute

The governing standard is still the best interests of the child, but the structure around it has changed. Under the revised N.J.S.A. 9:2-4, custody and parenting-time decisions must promote the safety of children as a threshold issue. A judge looks at safety first and then moves through the expanded list of best-interest factors. Where there is a history of domestic violence or child abuse, the court may not give the offending parent more custody as a way of repairing the parent-child relationship.

Two other changes matter a great deal in contested cases. First, courts may no longer order reunification therapy unless there is generally accepted, scientifically valid evidence that it is safe and effective. Second, a judge may not simply assume that a child’s reluctance to see a parent is parental alienation; the reasons for the reluctance have to be investigated. Judges in contested cases are also expected to make detailed findings on the record, and mental health professionals who perform evaluations must be state-licensed, with specific training in domestic violence or abuse where those issues are present.

The practical effect is that a child’s own preferences carry more weight, and a parent’s story about why a child is pulling away will not be accepted at face value. If you are the parent who has been pushed out of the picture, your case needs facts that explain the distance. If you are the parent raising safety concerns, your case needs documentation that holds up when the other side challenges it.

Why Choose Sanvenero & Cittadino for Custody Matters in Shrewsbury

Sanvenero & Cittadino, LLC represents parents throughout Shrewsbury and Monmouth County, along with clients in Ocean and Middlesex Counties and across New Jersey. Family law is the foundation of the firm’s work. Richard Sanvenero, the firm’s Managing Partner, is a New Jersey Supreme Court Certified Matrimonial Attorney, a designation granted to lawyers who meet experience requirements set by the state’s highest court. He previously served as a law clerk in the Family Part of the Superior Court of New Jersey, so he has seen custody disputes from the bench side, and he is trained in mediation, arbitration, and collaborative divorce. That training matters because many custody cases are best resolved through a well-built agreement rather than a trial.

Joshua Cittadino, a Founding Partner, brings experience in real estate, construction litigation, personal injury, employment matters, and business transactions. That breadth helps when custody overlaps with other issues, such as a parent who runs a business with unpredictable hours or a family home that has to be sold or refinanced as part of a new parenting arrangement. Mike Canarick, Of Counsel and a tax and estate planning attorney, rounds out a team that can coordinate family, business, real estate, and estate planning questions rather than sending clients to disconnected firms.

Our attorneys are admitted in New Jersey, New York, Florida, and the District of Columbia, and several have been recognized by Super Lawyers. The firm has also recovered $400,000 for personal injury clients in just three months, which reflects the litigation discipline we bring across practice areas. In custody work specifically, clients tell us what they value is that our team communicates clearly, returns calls, and explains each step in plain terms.

Custody Issues We Handle for Shrewsbury Parents

• Initial Custody and Parenting Plans: Parents who are separating or divorcing need a written schedule covering weekdays, weekends, holidays, summer, and decision-making authority. We draft plans that are specific enough to enforce and flexible enough to survive a change in school or work.
• Contested Custody Litigation: When parents cannot agree, the Family Part decides after weighing the 15 best-interest factors and making findings on the record. We prepare witnesses, financial records, and any expert evidence the new statute allows.
• Safety-Based Disputes: Because safety is now the threshold inquiry, allegations of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence can reshape a case early. We represent parents raising those concerns and parents defending against them.
• Parental Alienation Claims: Courts can no longer presume alienation just because a child resists contact. We help parents on either side of these claims document the reasons behind a child’s reluctance.
• Custody Modification: A relocation, a new work schedule, a change in a child’s needs, or a safety concern can justify revisiting an existing order. The court generally looks for a substantial change in circumstances.
• Enforcement of Parenting Time: When a former spouse withholds scheduled time or ignores a judgment, we file enforcement motions supported by a clear record of what was ordered and what actually happened.
• Custody Intertwined With Support: Parenting time affects child support, and unpaid child-related expenses such as medical bills, childcare, and college costs often surface in the same proceedings. We handle both sides of that picture.
• Custody and Restraining Orders: A temporary or final restraining order can reshape parenting time overnight. We represent clients seeking protection and clients defending against an order.

What to Do Right Now if a Custody Dispute Is Starting

Start by writing down the current routine in your child’s life: who handles school mornings, doctor visits, activities, and bedtime. A judge wants to see what the child’s days actually look like, and a clear record kept in real time is far more persuasive than memory reconstructed months later. Keep communications with the other parent civil and in writing where possible. Texts and emails tend to end up as exhibits.

If there is any safety concern, say so early and document it. In a case governed by the amended statute, safety is the first thing a judge examines, and an allegation raised late can look strategic even when it is not. Report incidents to the police, keep medical and school records, and preserve photos, messages, and any prior orders. If you need emergency protection, a temporary restraining order comes with a hearing date within ten days, and those hearings move quickly. Anyone who has been served with a TRO should treat it seriously, since violating one can be prosecuted as contempt.

Custody cases for Shrewsbury families are filed in the Family Part of the Monmouth County Superior Court, which sits at the Monmouth County Courthouse in Freehold. Families in Ocean County file in the Ocean Vicinage in Toms River, and Middlesex County families file at the Family Courthouse in New Brunswick. Where you file depends on where the child lives and where the case belongs, so talk to an attorney before filing anything on your own.

Avoid the common mistakes: moving a child out of the home without a plan, withholding time from the other parent out of anger, posting about the case on social media, and speaking negatively about the other parent in front of the children. Judges notice all of it. Consider, too, whether mediation can resolve the schedule. It is often faster and less costly than trial, and parents keep control of the outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions About Custody in Shrewsbury

What does New Jersey mean by legal custody and physical custody?

Legal custody is the authority to make major decisions about a child’s education, health care, and religious upbringing. Physical custody concerns where the child lives day to day. Parents can share legal custody even when one parent has most of the parenting time.

Did the 2026 custody amendments change who gets custody?

They changed how judges reach the decision. The old presumption favoring frequent and continuing contact with both parents is gone, child safety is the threshold question, and the best-interest factors now number 15. Many families will still land on shared arrangements, but the reasoning behind them is different.

How much weight does my child’s preference carry?

More than it used to. The amendments gave children’s preferences greater weight, though the court still considers the child’s age and maturity and whether the preference reflects pressure from one parent.

Can a judge order my child into reunification therapy?

Only if there is generally accepted, scientifically valid evidence that the therapy is safe and effective. The amended statute sharply limits court-ordered reunification therapy, and judges cannot treat a child’s reluctance as alienation without investigating why the child feels that way.

Should I try mediation before going to court?

Often, yes. Mediation lets parents design their own schedule and usually costs less than a contested trial. Richard Sanvenero is trained in mediation, arbitration, and collaborative divorce, so we can steer a case toward agreement when that serves the client and prepare for trial when it does not.

What happens if the other parent has a history of domestic violence?

Safety becomes the central issue. Under the amended statute, a parent with a history of domestic violence or child abuse cannot be given increased custody as a way of improving the relationship with the child. The Family Part also expects evaluators to have specific training in abuse and domestic violence when those issues are present.

How long does a contested custody case take in Monmouth County?

Timing depends on the court’s calendar, whether evaluations are needed, and how cooperative the parents are. A negotiated plan can be finished in weeks or a few months. A contested case with expert evidence and a hearing on the record takes considerably longer.

Can I move out of Shrewsbury with my child?

Not freely. A relocation that disrupts the other parent’s time generally requires consent or a court order, and judges look at the move’s effect on the child. Talk to an attorney before you list a house or sign a lease in another state.

My ex keeps missing parenting time or refusing to follow the schedule. What can I do?

You can file a motion to enforce the existing order. Keep a log of missed exchanges, messages, and any costs you incurred. Courts respond best to a clear record of what the order required and what actually happened.

Does a custody order affect child support?

Yes. The parenting-time schedule is one factor in how support is calculated, and custody disputes frequently arise alongside disputes over unpaid medical, childcare, and activity costs. Child support generally ends by operation of law at age 19, when a child marries, enters military service, or dies, unless a court order or approved agreement provides otherwise.

Can a custody order be changed later?

It can. A new job, a safety concern, a child’s changing needs, or a significant shift in a parent’s circumstances can support a modification. The court generally looks for a substantial change in circumstances, and the party asking for the change carries the burden of showing it.

Serving Custody Clients Across Shrewsbury and Monmouth County

Our work starts in Shrewsbury and extends through the Monmouth County communities where our clients live and raise their children. We represent parents in Red Bank, Rumson, Fair Haven, Little Silver, and Middletown, and further along the Navesink and bayshore in Holmdel, Hazlet, Keansburg, and Union Beach. To the west and south, we serve families in Colts Neck, Tinton Falls, Eatontown, Freehold, Marlboro, Manalapan, and Howell, and along the coast in Long Branch, Asbury Park, Ocean Township, Neptune, and Belmar.

The firm also represents parents in Ocean County, including Toms River, and throughout Middlesex County, and handles matters across the State of New Jersey. Wherever your family is based, the same custody statute applies, and the same careful preparation applies to your case.

Talk to a Shrewsbury Child Custody Attorney

The custody amendments have changed what judges look for, and the parents who do best are the ones who prepare early, document honestly, and build a plan centered on the child. If you need a Shrewsbury child custody attorney, Sanvenero & Cittadino, LLC can review your situation, explain how the current statute applies to your facts, and help you decide whether to negotiate, mediate, or litigate. Call to schedule a consultation and start with a clear picture of where you stand.