Totowa · Child Custody Guide
Totowa has no custody court. The Family Part of the Passaic County Superior Court in Paterson hears every contested parenting case from the borough, and almost all of them go through free court mediation before a judge decides anything. We compared three child custody attorneys serving Totowa on New Jersey license details, the family law work each firm actually lists, published fee terms, and verified Google reviews, and set out who each one suits and where each falls short.
DJA Editorial · Legal Directory Research
Checked against state bar licensee records, court sources, and public review platforms · Last updated September 2026
The short answer
Three firms, each placed for a different kind of Totowa custody case. This is a shortlist, not a ranking, and the firm in the top slot has the smallest review base of the three.
1
The Law Office of Erin L. Thompson, LLC
Best for a custody case with domestic violence or a first responder parent
2
Bruno & Ferraro Law Firm
Best when a custody case overlaps a criminal charge
3
Law Offices of Peter G. Aziz & Associates LLC
Best for custody tied to property, a business, or an Arabic-speaking family
At a glance: Child Custody Attorneys in Totowa, compared
| Firm |
Best for |
Office |
Family law lead |
Fees |
Rating |
| The Law Office of Erin L. Thompson, LLC |
Best for a custody case with domestic violence or a first responder parent |
Totowa, Passaic County |
Erin L. Thompson, NJ and NY |
Free consultation, rates not published |
4.7 · 41 Google |
| Bruno & Ferraro Law Firm |
Best when a custody case overlaps a criminal charge |
Rutherford, Bergen County |
Robert A. Ferraro and Edward J. De Fazio |
Free consultation, rates not published |
4.9 · 242 Google |
| Law Offices of Peter G. Aziz & Associates LLC |
Best for custody tied to property, a business, or an Arabic-speaking family |
Clifton, Passaic County |
Peter G. Aziz |
Free initial consultation |
4.9 · 166 Google |
Child Custody in Totowa: the local picture
$0 or $325
What it costs just to file
Unmarried parents file custody as a non-dissolution (FD) case, and New Jersey charges no fee for that complaint. If custody is part of a divorce, the complaint costs $300 plus a $25 parent education fee. A later request to modify an FD order costs $25. None of the three firms below publishes its retainer or hourly rate.
6 months
The rule that decides which state hears it
A New Jersey court can make the first custody order only if New Jersey is the child’s home state, meaning the child lived here with a parent for six consecutive months before filing, or did so within the last six months. A parent who moved in recently, or whose child was taken out of state, may have to file elsewhere.
$0
Help that costs nothing
Court custody mediation in the Family Part is free, and a genuine custody dispute is referred to it automatically unless a domestic violence restraining order is in place. Low-income Passaic County parents can apply for a court fee waiver and for free representation through Northeast New Jersey Legal Services or the statewide LSNJ hotline at 1-888-576-5529.
What clients in Totowa say: Across the Google reviews we could read for these three firms, very few describe a custody case. The Totowa practice’s reviews are almost all custody and divorce clients, and they talk about fast replies and being prepared for court. The two larger firms have bigger, higher review counts, but the reviews visible to us describe criminal defense, real estate, probate, and business work. That does not make them weaker on custody. It means their ratings tell you less about custody than the numbers suggest, so ask each firm for the custody experience of the attorney you would actually get.
How we chose these Child Custody Attorneys in Totowa
We looked at firms taking child custody and parenting time cases for Totowa families, then compared them on things a parent can check: the New Jersey license details for the named attorney, whether custody sits at the centre of the practice or is one of many areas, where the office is relative to the Passaic County Family Part, what each firm publishes about fees and consultations, and the visible client reviews on Google.
This is a shortlist, not a ranking, and each firm may fit a different situation. Firm details come from each firm’s own site, cross-checked against Google Business Profile listings, public attorney directories, and New Jersey court rules, statutes, and fee sources. The New Jersey Courts Attorney Search is the official source for admission date, license status, and discipline, and we flag anything we could not confirm there during this update rather than fill it in. No case result appears here because none of the three published custody outcomes.
1. The Law Office of Erin L. Thompson, LLC
Best for a custody case with domestic violence or a first responder parent
★★★★½ 4.7 / 5 · Google · 41 reviews
The only firm here with its office in Totowa itself and a practice limited to family law. Erin Thompson spent 2004 to 2008 in the family unit at Northeast New Jersey Legal Services, where she led the domestic violence program for Passaic County, and the firm now runs separate pages for police and fire divorce, LGBTQ divorce, and post-judgment motions. If you want a professional child custody attorney in Totowa whose work sits entirely in the Family Part, and your case involves a restraining order or a parent in law enforcement or firefighting, this practice is built around that.
Identity and footprint
Office420 Totowa Road, Totowa, NJ 07512
Phone(973) 653-9036
FounderErin L. Thompson, who opened the firm in January 2020
Counties coveredPassaic, Essex, and Bergen, each with its own page on the site
HoursWeekdays 9 am to 5 pm per the firm site. Google lists Friday as closed
Distance to courtSame county as the Passaic County Family Part in Paterson
Practice and scope
Core workFamily law only: divorce, custody, child support, domestic violence
Distinct pagesPolice and fire divorce, LGBTQ divorce, post-judgment motions
Custody matters listedLegal and physical custody, modification after changed circumstances, relocation, custody claims by non-parents
Unmarried parentsThe firm states it represents unmarried parents on custody and support, which is the FD docket
BackgroundFamily unit attorney at Northeast New Jersey Legal Services from 2004 to 2008, then a partner at a Passaic County firm before founding this one
Community workServed on the Passaic County Domestic Violence Working Group and worked with WAFA House and the Passaic Alliance
Credentials and licensing
AdmissionsNew Jersey and New York; the firm states she has been a member of the bar since 2005
Law schoolJ.D., Seton Hall Law School, 2005; B.A. cum laude, Seton Hall University, 2001
Directory recognitionSuper Lawyers profile lists her as selected for 2026 in family law. The Supreme Court of New Jersey has not approved any aspect of this.
Fees and consultation
ConsultationFree, by phone or online form
RetainerNot publicly listed
Hourly rateNot publicly listed
PaymentA business directory lists cash and Visa
What clients say
✓ Custody and divorce clients
✓ Quick first response
✓ Prepared for contested hearings
✓ Available outside office hours
· 41 reviews, smallest base here
The reviews read like custody files. One father describes a high-conflict case over a four-year-old and credits her with keeping him grounded through a slow process. Others mention a free consultation arranged the same day they asked, calls returned, and help given on days off. The base is 41 reviews, so read them individually rather than leaning on the average.
Why they fit Totowa: The clearest fit of the three for a Totowa parent who wants a family law-only practice down the road from home, and the strongest background here if the case involves a restraining order, since her early career was Passaic County domestic violence work at legal services. The caveat is scale: this is a solo founder practice with 41 Google reviews, so ask who covers a hearing if she is in another courtroom, and ask for the retainer and hourly rate, since neither is published.
2. Bruno & Ferraro Law Firm
Best when a custody case overlaps a criminal charge
★★★★½ 4.9 / 5 · Google · 242 reviews
A Rutherford firm whose center of gravity is criminal defense, which is exactly why it belongs on this list for one kind of parent. If a custody dispute is running alongside a domestic violence complaint, a DWI, or any other charge, this is the practice where both files can sit under one roof. Its family bench includes Edward De Fazio, a former Hudson County Prosecutor and Superior Court judge, and co-founder Robert Ferraro, whose bio covers custody, support, and domestic violence. The firm’s New Jersey child support attorneys handle the support side that usually travels with a custody order.
Identity and footprint
Rutherford office301 Route 17 North, Suite 211, Rutherford, NJ 07070
Phone(201) 460-9494, toll free (844) 423-5342
CountyBergen County. Totowa custody cases are still heard in Paterson, so the firm travels to the Passaic County Family Part
Attorneys listedJohn J. Bruno Jr., Robert A. Ferraro, Jonathan Bruno, John W. Ferraro, Kenneth Ralph, Mark H. Ranges, Edward J. De Fazio
HoursWeekdays 9 am to 5 pm
Practice and scope
Core workCriminal defense, with family law, personal injury, wills and estates, and real estate
Family law pagesDivorce, child custody, child support, alimony, domestic violence
Criminal overlapSeparate pages for domestic violence charges, harassment, assault, DWI, and gun possession, the charges most likely to surface in a custody fight
Family attorneysThree of the seven listed attorneys show family law among their areas: Robert A. Ferraro, John W. Ferraro, and Edward J. De Fazio. The other four are listed for criminal law only
High conflict workRobert Ferraro’s bio states he handles high-asset and high-conflict divorces involving custody, support, and domestic violence
Local public rolesRobert Ferraro serves as City Attorney for Garfield and attorney to the Clifton Planning Board
Credentials and licensing
Edward J. De FazioJ.D., Seton Hall, 1978. Hudson County Prosecutor for two terms, Chief Judge of the Jersey City Municipal Court, and a Superior Court judge from 2001 to 2002 and from 2012 for seven years before joining the firm in 2019. Admitted in NJ, NY, and the U.S. Supreme Court
Robert A. FerraroCo-founding partner. J.D., Seton Hall, 1980. Admitted in NJ and the U.S. District Court for New Jersey
Experience figureThe firm’s page for Robert Ferraro states both over 38 and over 40 years of experience. These are the firm’s own figures.
Fees and consultation
ConsultationFree, advertised on the custody and support pages
RetainerNot publicly listed
Hourly rateNot publicly listed for family-law clients
Combined mattersAsk the firm whether one representation can cover both family and criminal matters
What clients say
✓ Criminal clients praise outcomes
✓ Front desk and staff named
✓ Clear explanations of process
· Few visible custody reviews
· Rating covers the whole firm
The 242 reviews are strongly positive, but the ones we could read are about criminal matters: dismissed charges, a son’s case resolved after a short sentence, and repeated praise for John Bruno. Staff is named warmly, including the front desk. What the visible reviews do not show is a family law client describing a custody case, so the 4.9 speaks mainly to the criminal side.
Why they fit Totowa: The right call when a parent faces a charge alongside a custody dispute, since the firm’s strength is criminal defense and a judge’s view of a pending complaint can shape parenting time. The trade-off: family law is one of five practice areas here, the office is in Bergen County rather than Passaic, and the firm’s strong rating comes mostly from criminal clients. Ask which of the three family attorneys would handle your case and how often they appear in the Paterson Family Part.
3. Law Offices of Peter G. Aziz & Associates LLC
Best for custody tied to property, a business, or an Arabic-speaking family
★★★★½ 4.9 / 5 · Google · 166 reviews
A general practice whose nearest office is in Clifton, one of Totowa’s Passaic County neighbors, and the only firm here with an Arabic-speaking founder.Peter G. Aziz & Associates in Clifton lists custody, high-net-worth divorce, and post-judgment modification alongside real estate, franchise, and estate work, which matters when a custody case sits inside a divorce involving a house, a business, or significant assets. The founder’s bio notes a certification in family law mediation, useful when the case is headed to the court’s mandatory custody mediation.
Identity and footprint
Clifton office1115 Clifton Ave, Suite 204, Clifton, NJ 07013
Phone973-869-5765
Other officesSummit and Montclair in New Jersey, South Rye in New York
FounderPeter G. Aziz, founder and managing attorney
LanguagesEnglish and Arabic, per the founder’s bio
HoursWeekdays 8 am to 6 pm, the longest hours of the three
Practice and scope
Core workGeneral practice: criminal defense, family law, civil litigation, real estate, franchise law, trusts and estates
Family law pagesChild custody, high net worth divorce, post-judgment modification, restraining orders
Custody page focusLegal and physical custody, joint and sole arrangements, court mediation, and support in 50/50 parenting schedules
Founder’s listed areasCriminal, civil litigation, dealership law, real estate, franchising, and DWI. Family law is not among his listed areas, although he lists a family law mediation certification
Trial experienceThe firm states he has tried hundreds of cases to verdict as lead counsel. This is the firm’s figure and cannot be independently verified.
Credentials and licensing
Peter G. AzizJ.D. Widener University School of Law. Admitted in NJ and the U.S. District Court for New Jersey. Formerly with the Major Narcotics Unit of the Kings County District Attorney’s Office
Ethics committeeThe firm states he is appointed to the New Jersey Supreme Court District VC Ethics Committee
Directory recognitionThe firm lists Super Lawyers Rising Stars selections for 2017 to 2025. The Supreme Court of New Jersey has not approved any aspect of this.
Other attorneysThomas R. Szieber Jr. (partner) plus four of counsel attorneys; their family law roles are not stated
Fees and consultation
ConsultationFree initial consultation
RetainerNot publicly listed
Hourly rateNot publicly listed
MediationFamily-law mediation is listed among the founder’s qualifications
What clients say
✓ Responsive, explains the why
✓ Staff described as empathetic
✓ Fees called fair on probate
· Visible reviews not custody
· Rating covers all practice areas
Reviewers describe a responsive team that explains decisions rather than just announcing them, and one probate client calls the fees fair. The reviews we could read cover real estate closings, small business contracts, estate administration, and a litigation matter. None describes a custody case, so the 4.9 across 166 reviews reflects the firm’s general practice more than its custody work.
Why they fit Totowa: The strongest fit when custody is one piece of a larger divorce involving real estate, a business, or substantial assets, since the firm already does that property and transactional work, and the only choice here for a family that wants to talk it through in Arabic. The honest caveat: this is a broad general practice; the founder does not list family law among his own areas, and the site does not name who handles custody. Ask that directly at the free consultation.
What to check before hiring a Child Custody Attorney in Totowa
✓ Look up the license yourself on the NJ Courts Attorney Search
The New Jersey Judiciary runs a free Attorney Search showing admission date, current status, and the county of the attorney’s office. Search the individual lawyer who will handle your custody case, not the firm, and use the Attorney ID to make sure you have the right person. None of the three firms publishes its attorneys’ ID numbers.
✓ Know which docket you are on before you pay a retainer
Unmarried parents file an FD custody case at no court cost. Married parents usually raise custody inside a divorce, which costs $300 plus $25 for the parent education program. The FD route is often simpler, and some parents handle it with the court’s self-help forms and free mediation before deciding whether they need a lawyer.
✓ Ask for the retainer, the hourly rate, and who bills the time
None of the three firms publishes its fees. Ask for the retainer amount, the hourly rate for the attorney and for paralegals, whether time spent in court mediation is billed, and what happens to any unused retainer. Get the answers in the written fee agreement.
✓ Check the six-month rule if anyone has moved
If you or the child arrived in New Jersey recently, or the other parent has taken the child to another state, raise it at the first call. Whether New Jersey is the home state decides where the case can be filed, and filing in the wrong place wastes months.
✓ Ask who will actually sit with you in Paterson
Every Totowa custody case is heard at the Passaic County Family Part in Paterson. Ask which attorney will attend the mediation and hearings there, how often they appear in that courthouse, and who covers if they are unavailable. At the two larger firms, ask for the family law attorney by name.
✓ Tell the attorney about any restraining order or charge first
A domestic violence restraining order changes the process: the court will not send the case to custody mediation while one is in effect. A pending criminal charge can shape parenting time. Both need to be on the table at the first meeting, not discovered later.
Child Custody Attorneys in Totowa: frequently asked questions
Which court hears a child custody case from Totowa?
The Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, Family Part, for Passaic County, located at 401 Grand Street in Paterson. Totowa Municipal Court does not handle custody. You can file with the Passaic County Family Division online, in person, or by mail.
How much does it cost to file for custody in New Jersey?
Nothing, if you are filing a custody or parenting time complaint as an unmarried parent on the FD docket. If custody is part of a divorce, the complaint is $300 plus a $25 parent education fee. Asking to modify an existing FD order costs $25. Parents with low income and assets can ask the court to waive fees using the Judiciary’s fee waiver form.
Do I have to go to mediation for custody in New Jersey?
Usually, yes. When a custody or parenting time dispute is genuine and substantial, the court refers it to its own custody mediation program, which is free and is meant to finish within about two months. The exception is a case with a domestic violence restraining order in place, which is not sent to mediation. Anything agreed in mediation is written up for the court to approve.
How does a New Jersey judge decide custody?
On the child’s best interests. The factors set by statute include each parent’s ability to cooperate and communicate about the child, the child’s relationship with each parent and siblings, any history of domestic violence, the stability of each home, the child’s needs and school, and the preference of a child old enough to form one. Neither parent is favored because of gender.
Can I move out of New Jersey with my child?
Not without the other parent’s consent or a court order. New Jersey law requires one or the other before removing a child with two parents from the state. If the other parent objects, the court decides the move on the child’s best interests, so raise any planned relocation with your attorney before making commitments like a new lease or job.
Can a custody order be changed later?
Yes, if circumstances have changed enough to affect the child’s welfare, such as a parent’s move, a new work schedule, or a change in the child’s needs. On the FD docket, the application costs $25. Many parents use the same free court mediation to agree on a change before asking a judge to impose one.
DJA Editorial
Legal Directory Research
Compiles Distinguished Justice Advocates city guides from state licensing records, court rule and statute sources, and publicly visible client reviews. Firms appear as a shortlist rather than a ranking. Figures a firm publishes about itself are labeled as such, and anything that could not be verified is flagged on the page rather than estimated. No aspect of this page has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
