Trenton Divorce Lawyers

Divorce Attorneys in Mercer County, NJ

Divorce brings up many issues that must be resolved before the process can be finalized. It is important to come up with a solid plan concerning these issues so that you can move forward.

These include:

• Child custody and parenting plans. What type of custody agreement do you want to create?
• Child support. This is generally calculated according to state guidelines.
• Division of marital property and debt. This can involve many decisions and complications depending on your situation, from what to do about the marital home to investments, pensions, retirement accounts, and more.
• Alimony/spousal support. Are you a financially-disadvantaged spouse who will need monetary support? Or will you be responsible for paying alimony and how will this be decided?

You and your spouse can negotiate the terms of any issues relevant to your case. Where disputes arise that cannot be resolved, it will be left up to a judge to decide after hearing evidence from both sides.

Our Trenton divorce lawyers are here to help you every step of the way. Contact us today!

Filing for Divorce in New Jersey

The residency requirements for a divorce filing include having been a New Jersey resident for at least one year prior which involves at least 183 days of living in the state.

New Jersey provides a no-fault divorce option that is based on the assertion that you and your spouse cannot be reconciled. In a no-fault divorce, neither you nor your spouse has to prove any marital misconduct of the other for the divorce to be finalized. In order to get a no-fault divorce, you and your spouse must be separated and living apart for 18 months prior to filing.

Fault-Based Grounds for Divorce

Fault-based grounds for divorce can also be used. These can play a substantial part in how divorce issues such as property division and alimony may be decided.

These grounds include:

• Adultery
• Extreme physical or mental cruelty
• Irreconcilable differences
• Desertion/abandonment
• Habitual substance/alcohol abuse
• Imprisonment
• Institutionalized mental illness
• Deviant sexual conduct

Uncontested Divorce

Divorces that are contested generally must be resolved through the courts. This involves time, money, and almost certain stress. While no divorce is stress-free, an uncontested divorce in New Jersey may help reduce some of your stress during a difficult time. If you are one of the many people seeking an amicable, cost-effective way to get divorced, an uncontested no-fault divorce may be your best option. As long as both sides in the divorce are reasonable, cooperative, and willing to communicate effectively, it’s a process that works for many individuals across New Jersey.

An uncontested divorce means that both you and your spouse agree on all of the key settlement terms decided upon during the divorce. This includes child custody and parenting, child support, tax deductions and exemptions, alimony (spousal support), and equitable division of your marriage’s assets and debts, along with any other marital disputes that may arise.

If, during the process, you and your spouse disagree on any of these terms, our firm can help you settle the situation before the courts consider it to be a contested divorce that requires a trial.

Benefits of an Uncontested Divorce

One of the main benefits of an uncontested divorce is that it’s cost-effective. Although attorney representation is always advisable in any divorce situation, working with an uncontested divorce attorney will result in lower court costs and legal bills. Plus, an uncontested divorce often results in finalizing the divorce quicker than contested ones, thanks to fewer legal proceedings.

Another key benefit is that an uncontested divorce helps to alleviate conflict. Although every divorce has some level of conflict, an uncontested divorce offers fewer opportunities for conflicts to arise, fewer demands for information and communication, and fewer court proceedings. Even though divorce proceedings are currently made public, uncontested divorces allow spouses to minimize the amount of private information made available to the public.

If you need skilled legal help with any type of divorce, contact a Trenton divorce lawyer at our firm today.