In nyc how much time do you have to serve custody papers

You must serve her personally 8 or more days prior to the court date. One note - service must be done by someone else who is 18+ years old. You are also well advised in such a case to schedule a consultation with a Bronx Co. Family Law attorney.

As the other attorneys have indicated if you want to know about the procedural time frame--personal service must be 8 or more days prior to the date your petition/motion is set to be heard (the "return date"). On the other hand, if you are wondering how long you have after the baby is born to make a decision about whether you will start an action seeking custody, the answer is the sooner the better. Technically, if you are not married to the child's mother, then you must ensure that you've established yourself as the child's "legal father" before you will have standing to bring a court action. You can do this either by signing an Acknowledgement of Paternity or by order of the court. Once you've taken care of that little detail, then you should bring your petition for custody as soon as possible. Good luck!