• FIRM OVERVIEW
  - ACCESSIBILITY/CONVENIENCE
• ABOUT THE PROCESS
  - INITIAL CONSULTATION
  - COST
  - DIVORCE PROCESS
  - NON-DIVORCE MATTERS
  - INTERSTATE/INTERNATIONAL MATTERS

FIRM OVERVIEW

Karen Kirchoff Saminski, Esq. , L.L.C. is a law firm which practices solely in the areas of Divorce and Family Law. Our practice represents clients throughout New Jersey as well as clients from out of state and internationally. The firm has offices located in Hoboken, Jersey City and Westfield, New Jersey. As a former Jersey City Municipal Judge and seasoned matrimonial attorney with over 19 years legal experience, Karen Saminski is able to draw on her extensive knowledge, expertise and valuable insight in providing legal services in a professional, caring and assertive manner, while always keeping your specialized goals in mind.

ACCESSIBILITY/CONVENIENCE

Our firm strives to be as accessible and responsive as our clients need us to be. We want to make your participation in your legal matter as convenient as possible. To this end, we maintain three office locations. Our staff is knowledgeable, supportive and ready to help with your specialized needs. The phone is answered during business hours (only on rare occasions will you reach an answering machine). Telephone calls are returned promptly. We rely heavily on e-mail and are considerate of our clients’ time, avoiding trips into the office whenever possible. We have the right technology in place and are able to successfully handle matters for clients across the United States as well as internationally.

ABOUT THE PROCESS

YOUR INITIAL CONSULTATION

The goal of the initial consultation is to identify your issues and find out about your finances. You may have issues dealing with child custody, alimony, child support or equitable distribution. You will find out what is realistic to expect and how to plan for your matter. We will start to gather facts and discuss your options under the law. In certain cases, you will be provided with referrals to additional professionals such as financial tax planners, mental health professionals, mortgage resource experts and others who may be needed to assist you in reaching your desired outcome.

When you arrive at one of our offices you will be greeted by a member of our staff and asked to fill out a form containing basic information about you, your children and important dates such as date of marriage, separation and birthdays. This takes approximately 10 minutes. Alternatively, once you have made an appointment, you may print out an Initial Client Information Sheet and fill out the pertinent information prior to your Initial Consultation.

After completing the form you will meet with Ms. Saminski to discuss your reasons for consulting with an attorney, basic financial data, and your concerns regarding your children, your finances and your life during and after litigation. Your interview with Ms. Saminski is in-depth and confidential, as it is protected by attorney client privilege.

While we recognize that in a family law practice it may be necessary to bring your children to the office, please realize that it is not appropriate for children to be present during the interview. Therefore, we strongly urge you to bring another adult along who can attend to your child while at our office.

Scheduled telephone consultations are also available for those unable to fit an office visit into their schedule. In certain prearranged cases, clients may e-mail or fax information in advance of their first meeting to acclimate Ms. Saminski with information in order to streamline the initial interview process.

COST

Having a practice devoted solely to family law issues, our firm is committed to providing solutions to challenging family issues. While litigation can be expensive, we strive to use your retainer in the wisest manner, always taking cost benefit analysis into consideration. This allows us to conserve your resources to address your priorities. If you have a limited budget we will strategize with you and attempt to formulate a plan to achieve your goals within your budget. To further this goal, the firm employs an experienced paralegal staff. In some cases the Court may order the other party to reimburse your counsel fees. In virtually all matters, charges are by the hour.

All details regarding payment for legal services are fully outlined in a Retainer Agreement which is a contract for services between an attorney and client and is required by Court Rule. A retainer is a deposit against the future services to be rendered. Retainer amounts will vary, depending on the complexity and immediacy of your case.

DIVORCE PROCESS (Dissolution Matters)

Filing a Divorce Complaint is generally the first step in the divorce process. However, many people consider trying to resolve the issues relevant to ending their marriage through Mediation. It is advisable to consult with an experienced family law attorney before entering the mediation process. Many people choose to consult with their attorney throughout the mediation process. Ms. Saminski is a Qualified Family Law Mediator and is therefore able to guide you before and during mediation.

If you decide to file a Divorce Complaint immediately rather than pursue mediation, your case will proceed differently. Your Divorce Complaint will be filed and your spouse will have thirty-five days to respond to your Complaint. From there, you and your spouse will prepare your Case Information Statements. These forms are financial statements which are required to be filed with the court. You will also begin a process called Discovery in which you and your spouse will respond to formal requests for information. The time within which to respond to these dates is usually outlined in a Court Order called a Case Management Order.

Once discovery is complete there are certain programs required by the Court to assist you in trying to reach a settlement of your case. One such program is called the Early Settlement Panel. This program involves each party presenting their positions (through counsel) before two experienced matrimonial attorneys who volunteer their time to serve as panelists. Ms. Saminski serves as a panelist in Hudson County and is a member of the Early Settlement Panel Committee. If your case does not settle at Early Settlement Panel, you are then provided the opportunity to participate in Economic Mediation. During Economic Mediation, attorneys who are qualified mediators hear from you and your counsel in an effort to help you reach a resolution of your open issues. At the conclusion of Economic Mediation your attorney reports back to the judge to advise the court of the status of your case. If your case is still not settled, the court will likely schedule a Settlement Conference and/or a Trial date. When a trial date is set, intensive trial preparation unique to your case begins.

This is just a basic outline of the divorce process. Each case presents its own issues that can cause it to proceed in a variety of ways.

NON-DISSOLUTION (Non-Divorce Matters)

In addition to divorce matters, families often find themselves in Court when there are unmarried parties with custody/visitation or child support issues, or when grandparents or other caretaker rights are litigated. Other situations may occur when DYFS has filed proceedings, an adoption takes place, or there is post-judgment divorce litigation, a name change or domestic violence proceedings.

Each of these case types takes a different path through the Court system and the process will be thoroughly explained in your initial interview.

INTERSTATE/INTERNATIONAL CUSTODY AND VISITATION

In the Interstate arena, the UCCJEA (formerly UCCJA) controls in cases where the parties reside in different states in the United States. The Federal PKPA (Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act) can also come into play. Ms. Saminski is well-versed in all of the varying laws that come into play in the Interstate/International context.