The Law Offices of Judith Goldberg Email Us 36 Mill Plain Road, Suite 307 Danbury, Connecticut 06811 Phone: 203-778-8594 (By Appointment Only) Patterson, New York 12563 Phone: 845-878-9200

Attorney Judith Goldberg

Attorney Judith Goldberg has handled a great variety of divorce and family law cases. While believing that parties should always try to settle their cases before a judge injects his or her will into their lives, Attorney Goldberg is her client's advocate first and foremost, zealously representing the strongest positions to ensure that each client not only receives the best possible representation but the best possible result in and outside of court.

Attorney Goldberg understands that the breakup of a family and custody battles are the most psychologically devastating events that a person can experience, and that in addition to important legal and financial issues, there are psychological and emotional concerns that must be dealt with. Her ability to understand the emotional aspects of what you are living through, and the high level of legal expertise she brings to your individual situation as an attorney or as a couple's Mediator, will help you meet the challenges ahead.

As an experienced courtroom advocate for over twenty years, Attorney Goldberg encourages prospective clients to consider an alternative approach to litigation, through conflict resolution, which is oftentimes a speedier, cost-saving and less adversarial process, to resolve the issues to be determined in a divorce matter. Mediation is not right for everyone, so feel free to discuss more fully with Attorney Goldberg and her paralegal. Whether through her representation as your individual attorney or as a couple's Divorce Mediator, her trained staff will provide its clients with the highest standard of professionalism and individual attention.

The Divorce Process

As Your Attorney

Judith Goldberg is an exceptionally qualified and experienced divorce and family law attorney. As a litigator and courtroom advocate she has represented clients in the courts of Connecticut for over twenty years. Attorney Goldberg and her trained staff provide the highest standard of professionalism and quality of representation and will guide you through a difficult and typically adversarial process.

Attorney Goldberg represents clients in the regional trial courts of Danbury, Litchfield, and Waterbury in the State of Connecticut, in family matters such as

• Contested and Uncontested Divorce and Legal Separation
• Divorce and Post-Divorce Mediation
• Child Custody and Parenting Arrangements
• Contested Spousal and Child Support
• Equitable Distribution of Assets and Debts
• Distribution of Investment Portfolios and Pensions
• Contested Paternity Actions
• Prenuptial Agreements
• Post-Divorce Modification
• Post-Divorce Enforcement
• Child Abuse and Neglect
• Domestic Violence, Orders of Protection

As Your Attorney-Mediator

Attorney Judith Goldberg offers conflict resolution alternatives to divorcing couples through Mediation. In practice, most legal disputes are eventually negotiated to a resolution after they have been litigated in an adversarial proceeding. In Divorce Mediation, the focus is on negotiating earlier in the process without the high level of conflict and destructive behavior. As a trained Divorce Mediator, Judith Goldberg is able to assist divorcing couples reach fair resolutions to very difficult family law problems, in a non-adversarial, peaceful manner. In a case handled through Mediation, the goal is to reach a fair resolution through open discussion and fair dealing, rather than protracted and costly litigation. Attorney Goldberg's vast knowledge of the law, experience as a matrimonial lawyer, negotiation and mediation skills acquired through special training and extensive experience as a Divorce Mediator, can facilitate a better way to resolve the challenges facing you in the divorce process. The focus is on equity, fairness, the best interests of your children and their relationship with both parents, and your future.

As a Mediator, Attorney Goldberg does not offer either the Wife or Husband legal representation, but rather acts as a facilitator to assist the couple -- in a private and confidential setting -- to resolve all of the issues that must be addressed in a dissolution (divorce) action.

Divorce Mediation -- "A Peaceful Divorce"

Mediation has emerged over the last decade or so as an impressive alternative for couples to resolve their disputes through a negotiated settlement. It is generally a speedier, more cost effective process where an environment of cooperation and fairness is more likely to occur than in a stress fueled courtroom.

I have found this to be true in my practice as well. In mediation, a divorcing couple will make their own decisions about the issues surrounding the separation of the couple. In this process, both spouses voluntarily come together to meet to work with a neutral mediator to find solutions to the issues of divorce, property and financial matters, parenting and custody, support and the myriad of other issues that are particular to your life. Mediation can work for couples who are amicable, as well as those who find it difficult to communicate with each other.

As a mediator, my role, among other things, is to diffuse the negative feelings and help each of you present your needs and concerns. All that is required is a willingness to look for a fair and equitable resolution to settle disputed issues. Mediation is focused on the future, a process that acknowledges the past and helps parties move forward by resolving disputes rather than getting held back by past events. In mediation, couples become problem-solvers; they explore their options, cooperate in talking through and testing our proposals, and seek out final terms that mutually benefit them given their respective priorities. As your mediator my job is to find, when possible, a "win-win" solution most likely to strengthen your ability to cooperate in the future. This is particularly important when children are involved; studies have shown that children fare much better when couples are divorcing when both parties are working together to dissolve a marriage.

In mediation, parties are fully informed of their legal rights by their respective advising counsel.

A mediator is a neutral party, not an advocate or lawyer for either the Wife or Husband. My role as your mediator will be to explain and educate during the process, discuss options, identify tasks that you will need to complete, and help select and resolve issues until all terms of a potential agreement are worked out. Frequently, agreements are crafted more creatively and give both parties more -- in different ways -- than each would get under the cold judgment of a court.

Mediation is cost-efficient and process-efficient: In adversarial cases, every hour of lawyer negotiation costs two hours' time (one for each client); then, after each attorney charges for talking to the other side, he/she also naturally charges to report the other side's comments back to his own client. In mediation, one professional hour (not two) is billed for every hour of negotiation. Lawyer negotiation oftentimes doubles or triples the amount of billable time otherwise needed for face-to-face discussion in mediation. Retaining the services of an "advisory" attorney is also beneficial (whether during and/or after mediation and before the final agreement is signed), but your attorney's role is significantly reduced in these situations.

Not every case is appropriate for mediation, and there will always be a place for adversarial litigation, but you owe it to yourselves and your children to find out more about how this alternative approach can work for you. Feel free to call me for a consultation.

About Our Firm -- Judith Goldberg, Esq.

Judith Goldberg is admitted to practice law before the State Courts of Connecticut and New York, the Federal District Court of Connecticut, and the United States Supreme Court. Memberships include the Connecticut Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, Connecticut Council on Divorce Mediation, and the New York Council on Divorce Mediation. She has also served as a Special Master in the Superior Court of Connecticut. Attorney Goldberg received a Doctorate of Laws (J.D.) Degree from Pace Law School, was an award recipient of Pace Law School and a member of Pace Law Review. Judith Goldberg obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree from Empire State University of New York and was a candidate for a Masters of Business Administration Degree at Pace University. She has received training as a Mediator and has acquired extensive experience in this field serving clients in Connecticut and New York. Her offices are conveniently located for clients in Connecticut at 5 Shelter Rock Road, Danbury, Connecticut and in New York, by appointment.

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