When you speak, I guarantee you will be heard
Zacarese & Zalewski P.C.
Flat Fee Grandparent Custody
Call now: 516-660-4354
Grandparents can win custody or court-ordered visitation in New York, with the right case for standing. Steven Zalewski, Esq. represents Suffolk County grandparents for a $5,000 flat fee, with a trial fee only if your case goes to trial.
"He didn't just win my case. He gave me back my future, my peace of mind, and my ability to breathe again."
From the very first conversation, he changed everything. He didn't just see a case, he saw me, and treated me like family. His knowledge of the law was unmatched, but what truly set him apart was his humanity. If you are looking for a lawyer, stop searching right now.
Flat-Fee Grandparent Custody & Visitation in Suffolk County
Some grandparents are the steadiest adults in a child's life, and sometimes they are the ones who step in when parents cannot. New York law gives grandparents a real, but narrow, path to custody or court-ordered visitation under FCA §651 and Domestic Relations Law §72. These cases are legally demanding, because the law starts from a strong presumption in favor of parents.
Zacarese & Zalewski P.C. represents grandparents throughout Suffolk County for a $5,000 flat fee covering all pre-trial work, so protecting your bond with your grandchild never depends on how many hours the fight takes.
Flat-Fee Pricing · Suffolk County Family Court
Grandparent Custody & Visitation: $5,000 Flat Fee
Pre-Trial Flat Fee
$5,000
One fee, fixed in writing before any work begins. Covers filings, conferences, negotiations and court appearances within scope, no hourly meter.
Trial Fee: Only If Needed
$7,500
Applies only if your case proceeds to trial or a contested hearing. Quoted in writing from day one; due 30 days before trial.
Fee fixed in writing before any work begins. Third-party expenses (filing fees, process servers, transcripts, experts) are separate.
Standing: The Gate Every Grandparent Case Must Pass
Before a court ever reaches what is best for the child, a grandparent must establish standing, the legal right to bring the case at all. For visitation, standing exists where at least one parent is deceased, or where equity recognizes a substantial existing relationship between grandparent and grandchild (or sustained, documented efforts to build one that a parent frustrated). For custody, the bar is higher: the grandparent must prove extraordinary circumstances, such as parental unfitness, abandonment, persistent neglect, or an extended period in which the child has lived with and been raised by the grandparent.
Then, and Only Then: Best Interests
Once standing is established, the court applies the familiar best-interests analysis: the child's stability, the quality and history of the grandparent-child relationship, each household's ability to meet the child's needs, and any risks in the parental home. Documentation wins these cases: school records, medical involvement, caregiving history, and credible witnesses matter far more than good intentions.
Common Scenarios We Handle
Grandparents raising a grandchild informally who need legal authority for school and medical decisions; grandparents cut off from a grandchild after a divorce, death, or family conflict; and grandparents stepping forward when CPS involvement or a parent's substance abuse leaves a child without a stable home. Each follows a different legal route (petition for custody, visitation, or sometimes guardianship), and choosing the right one at the start saves months.
What Your Flat Fee Covers
Everything below is included in the pre-trial flat fee, spelled out in a plain-English written retainer before any work begins.
✓Direct Attorney Access
Talk through every development with the attorney handling your case, covered in full by the flat fee.
✓Standing Strategy
Building the threshold case first: substantial relationship or extraordinary circumstances, proven with evidence.
✓Petition & Filings
Drafting and filing your custody or visitation petition and all supporting papers in Family Court.
✓All Pre-Trial Appearances
Every conference and routine appearance in Suffolk County Family Court, handled personally.
✓Evidence Development
Caregiving records, school and medical documentation, and witnesses that prove your role in the child's life.
✓Negotiated Access
Pursuing workable visitation schedules with parents where possible, litigation only where necessary.
Transparent Rates by Case Type
| Case Type | Pre-Trial Flat Fee | Trial Flat Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Child Support (FCA Art. 4) | $3,500 | $3,500 |
| Orders of Protection (FCA Art. 8) | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Neglect (FCA Art. 10) | $7,500 | $7,500 |
| All Others (Paternity, Custody, Family Offense, Grandparent Custody, etc.) THIS CASE TYPE | $5,000 | $7,500 |
Pre-trial covers all work before testimony begins: filings, conferences, negotiations, and appearances within scope. If your matter proceeds to trial or a contested hearing, the trial fee applies to preparation and the hearing itself, and is due 30 days before the scheduled date. Third-party expenses (filing fees, process servers, transcripts, experts) are separate.
Flat Fee vs. Hourly Billing
Our Approach
Flat Fee
- Your full cost is agreed in writing before any work begins.
- Call or email your attorney freely; no clock running.
- One pre-trial fee, no matter how many appearances your case takes.
- Our incentive: resolve your case efficiently, in your favor.
The Common Way
Hourly Billing
- Cost unknown until the bill arrives.
- Hesitation to call because every minute is billable.
- Retainer drained, replenished, drained again.
- Surprise add-ons for filings, copies and minor tasks.
Flat-Fee FAQ
Do grandparents automatically have visitation rights in New York?
No. You must first establish standing, through a parent's death or a substantial existing relationship, and then show visitation serves the child's best interests. It's a two-step case, and the first step is where most unrepresented grandparents fail.
What are 'extraordinary circumstances' for custody?
Parental unfitness, abandonment, persistent neglect, or an extended disruption of custody, for example, the child living with you for years. Without extraordinary circumstances, a fit parent's decision controls, so this element shapes the whole case.
Is the $5,000 flat fee the same whether I seek custody or visitation?
Yes. Both fall under the firm's standard $5,000 pre-trial flat fee, with a $7,500 trial fee only if your matter actually proceeds to trial, all fixed in your written retainer before we begin.
The parents won't let me see my grandchild at all. Does that hurt my case?
Not necessarily, courts look at whether you made sustained efforts to maintain the relationship. Document every attempt; frustrated effort can itself support standing under DRL §72.
When you speak, I guarantee you will be heard
Decades of Love Deserve More Than an Hourly Rate
One $5,000 flat fee covers your entire pre-trial grandparent custody or visitation case in Suffolk County Family Court.
Call · 516-660-4354Fast call-backs, often the same day. Next-day court appearances are often possible.
Contact Steven Zalewski, Esq.
Call: 516-660-4354
Office: (516) 377-7830
Email: steve@zandzfamilylawyers.com
Address: 1601 Veterans Memorial Highway, Suite 500, Islandia, NY 11749
Learn More
Disclaimer
This page is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Every family's situation is different, and court procedures change. Flat-fee amounts describe our standard fee structure; your written retainer agreement controls the scope and fee for your specific matter. Consult a qualified attorney about your case.
i guarantee you will be heard
Ready to Take the Next Step?
At Zacarese & Zalewski P.C., when something isn’t right, say something—and we’ll do something about it with you.
Our flat-fee structure is clear: one flat fee for pre-trial work, and a trial fee only if your case goes to trial or a hearing. Call now and a professional will return your call quickly; if we miss you, we'll call back the same day.
