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Babylon Divorce Attorney
“I attribute my overall success to the fact that I truly care.”
Our Babylon office is at 57 W Main St, Suite 220, in Babylon Village, a short walk from the Babylon LIRR station. Chris Palermo and Riley Perry meet clients there from every part of the Town of Babylon: the villages of Babylon, Amityville, and Lindenhurst, and the hamlets of West Babylon, North Babylon, Deer Park, Copiague, Wyandanch, Wheatley Heights, North Amityville, North Lindenhurst, and East Farmingdale.
A divorce filed from anywhere in the Town of Babylon goes to the Suffolk County Supreme Court, and its matrimonial cases are heard mostly at the Hon. Marquette L. Floyd Supreme Court Building, 400 Carleton Avenue in Central Islip. Suffolk County Family Court sits in the same complex. It hears custody, support, and family offense petitions filed outside a divorce, and it’s also where most Babylon parents end up later to enforce or modify the custody and support terms of their divorce judgment.
Babylon cases turn on local facts: which of the town’s ten school districts your children attend, whether the house sits south of Montauk Highway in a flood zone, and what the family business on Route 110 or Sunrise Highway is really worth. Those are the facts we build your case around. For how New York divides property and sets support in general, see our Long Island divorce attorney page.
The Town of Babylon is served by ten public school districts: Amityville, Babylon, Copiague, Deer Park, Farmingdale, Half Hollow Hills, Lindenhurst, North Babylon, West Babylon, and Wyandanch. Hamlet names and district lines don’t always match, so we confirm each parent’s district by street address before a schedule is built around it.
When parents separate across a district line, the custody order has to answer questions a generic schedule skips. Which home is the child’s residence for school enrollment? Who handles the weekday bus stop? How do midweek exchanges work when one parent is in Deer Park and the other is in Copiague? We write those answers into the order so they don’t become emergency motions in Central Islip.
A parent who later wants to move into another district, or off Long Island, needs consent or a court order when the move changes the schedule. Planning for that now keeps your children’s school year intact.
Child Custody on Long IslandMany homes in Babylon Village, Lindenhurst, Copiague, and Amityville sit in FEMA flood zones, and Lindenhurst was among the hardest-hit communities on Long Island in Hurricane Sandy. A house that was raised or rebuilt afterward has an appraisal, insurance cost, and paperwork history that a buyout has to account for.
If the home received federal disaster aid after Sandy, including a NY Rising elevation grant, federal law generally requires flood insurance to stay on the property, and that obligation passes with the house. The spouse who keeps it inherits the premium, so we price it into the buyout or a credit before you agree to anything. Read how South Shore flood zones affect dividing a home.
Couples who own a shop on Deer Park Avenue, a restaurant on Montauk Highway, or a contracting or aviation business near Route 110 and Republic Airport need a valuation built on tax returns, sales records, and what the owner actually takes home. We work with neutral appraisers and forensic accountants when the numbers are disputed. Read how a Babylon business is handled in divorce.
Suffolk County Divorce and Family LawKnow where you stand before you sign anything or move out.
Meet Chris Palermo
Chris Palermo
Chris Palermo, Esq. has dedicated over 20 years to helping families in Suffolk County navigate complex legal matters. A graduate of Villanova University and Touro College Law School (2001), he combines a strong academic foundation with a deep commitment to his clients.
Known for his compassionate yet assertive approach, Chris has successfully guided hundreds of individuals through challenging family law cases. He is admitted to practice in all New York State courts and has earned widespread recognition, including a perfect 10/10 Avvo rating and the distinction of being named a National Top 100 Trial Lawyer.
Beyond the courtroom, Chris is an active supporter of the Suffolk County community. He contributes to causes like the Marcie Mazzola 5K Run/Walk and the St. Jude Foundation, reflecting his dedication to both his profession and those in need.
Riley Perry
When you need a trusted divorce and family law attorney in Suffolk County, Riley T. Perry, Esq., brings a unique blend of expertise, dedication, and personalized care to every case. As a partner at Palermo Law, Riley has built a reputation as a tireless advocate for clients navigating the complexities of divorce, child custody, and family law matters across Long Island.
With deep roots in the local community and a proven track record, she’s here to guide you through life’s toughest legal challenges with compassion and skill.
- New York State Bar Association
- Suffolk County Bar Association
- Suffolk County Matrimonial and Family Law Committee
- American Institute of Family Law Attorneys’ 10 Best Female Attorneys
Comprehensive Babylon Divorce Representation You Can Trust
Chris Palermo has practiced divorce and family law in Suffolk County for 20 years. His partner, Riley Perry, is a member of the Suffolk County Bar Association and its Matrimonial and Family Law Committee. Together they bring 30 years of combined experience to the matrimonial parts in Central Islip, the same courthouse where your Babylon case will be heard.
You meet your attorney in Babylon Village, not at a regional intake center. Calls and emails are returned within 24 hours, and our office staff speaks Spanish for families in Copiague, Wyandanch, and across the town.
After the Judgment
Babylon families come back when a job changes, a child changes schools, or a former spouse stops paying. We handle child support modifications, custody changes, and enforcement petitions in Suffolk County Family Court in Central Islip, and we draft the deed transfers and retirement orders that finish dividing the property.
One Office, Every Stage of the Case
The attorney who negotiates your settlement is the one who appears at your preliminary conference, argues motions, and tries the case if it doesn’t settle. When both spouses want a lower-conflict path, Chris and Riley also handle mediation, and if talks stall you already have an advocate who knows the file.
Answers for Long Island families
Where will my Babylon divorce be filed and heard?
In Suffolk County Supreme Court. Matrimonial cases are heard mostly at the Floyd Supreme Court Building, 400 Carleton Avenue in Central Islip, and most papers are filed electronically through NYSCEF. Later custody or support changes usually go to Suffolk County Family Court in the same complex.
Learn more about where Babylon divorces are filed and heard.
How do I start a divorce in Babylon?
You buy an index number and file a summons in Suffolk County Supreme Court, either with a notice or with a verified complaint. Your spouse must then be personally served within 120 days, along with the required notices. Automatic orders bind you once you file and bind your spouse once served.
How much does a divorce cost in Babylon?
It depends on how many issues are contested and whether appraisers or forensic accountants are needed. A flood-zone home or a family business usually adds appraisal costs, while an uncontested divorce costs far less than a case that goes through discovery and hearings. Your first consultation at our Babylon office is free.
What if our kids attend different Babylon-area school districts?
The parenting plan should keep midweek travel to a minimum, line up with each school's bell times, and say in advance what happens if a district transfer comes up. Deciding these points now prevents emergency motions later.
Read more about how to navigate different school zones upon separation.
We own a small business in Babylon. How is that handled?
The marital share of a business is valued using tax returns, financial statements, sales data, and usually an expert appraisal. The court weighs goodwill, what the owner actually takes home, and whether a buyout or a distributive award is fair.
How do South Shore flood zones or storm damage affect dividing our home?
Flood insurance costs, elevation status, and repair history can change a home's value and whether one spouse can afford to keep it. An updated appraisal, the elevation certificate, and the storm-repair records help set fair buyout terms or credits.
Read more about how South Shore flood zones and storm damage affect the division of property.
Are mothers favored in Babylon custody cases?
No. New York custody law is gender-neutral. Judges in Central Islip look at each child's best interests, who has handled day-to-day care, each parent's stability, and each parent's willingness to support the child's relationship with the other.
Legal Memberships & Awards
