Bridgeton Office
196 East Commerce Street
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
Tel: 856-497-9000
Fax: 877-445-7105
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1-877-HELMER1
1-877-435-6371
Divorce can be a very lengthy and emotional process for many people. Often people are confused about what they are entitled to and what their obligations may be within the divorce context. In New Jersey, all assets and debts that were acquired during a marriage are subject to equitable distribution between the parties. Equitable distribution means that the assets and debts will be divided between the parties in an equitable fashion based on a variety of statutory factors. Additionally, there may be support due and owing from one party to the other, whether it is child support, spousal support (also known as alimony) or both.
The divorce process in New Jersey can be very confusing. It is important for a litigant to retain an attorney to help him/her navigate through the court system and to ensure his/her rights are protected.
In order to file for a divorce in New Jersey, residency requirements must be met for the court to accept the case. If the court discovers it does not have jurisdictional rights to hear the case it will not be accepted or it will eventually be dismissed.
There are two types of grounds for divorce: fault and no-fault. New Jersey law sets forth two “no fault” grounds for divorce and seven "fault" grounds for divorce. The Complaint for Divorce must declare the appropriate New Jersey grounds upon which the divorce is being sought. The no fault divorce grounds are as follows:
The fault grounds include:
There are a number of different ways to distinguish between different types of divorces. For example, in addition to the distinction between fault and no-fault divorces discussed above, the divorce process can also be described as either “contested” or “uncontested.” As you begin the process with your New Jersey divorce attorney, it will be important to thoroughly consider all of your options and choose the path forward that makes the most sense for you.
In a contested divorce, the spouses are in disagreement with regard to one or more of the primary aspects of their divorce. For example, the spouses may both want to keep certain assets, or they may have differing opinions about what custody arrangement reflects the best interests of their child(ren). Regardless of the specific issue (or issues), the distinguishing factor for a contested divorce is that the spouses must find a way to reach an amicable resolution in order to avoid going to court.
An uncontested divorce, in contrast, involves no significant disagreements. The spouses are on the same page with regard to how to divide their assets, who should be providing financial support (and in what amount), and how they will divide time with their children. As you might expect, divorces are rarely uncontested from the outset, and both spouses must be careful to avoid overlooking issues or giving up their rights in an effort to streamline the process and pursue an uncontested divorce.
Understandably, many spouses who are contemplating a divorce have concerns about the costs involved. Oftentimes, this manifests in the form of a question: Do you need to hire a lawyer to help with your divorce?
Strictly speaking, the answer to this question is, “No.” In New Jersey, there is no legal requirement to hire an attorney to represent you in your divorce. However, as a practical matter, there are numerous reasons why hiring a New Jersey divorce lawyer is strongly in your best interests, and hiring a lawyer to help you avoid mistakes can save you a significant amount of money in the long term.
At Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A., our New Jersey divorce lawyers are experienced in helping client’s obtain successful results in their divorce cases. As a client, we can assist you throughout your divorce process to achieve the best results possible for you and your child(ren). We help guide clients from the date of the filing of the divorce complaint to the completion of the case. We take great care to ensure the client is satisfied with the end result.
Our firm has 15 office locations throughout New Jersey, and we can arrange for you to meet with one of our attorneys at a time and place that are convenient for you. If you are considering a divorce, use the links below to learn more about our offices in your area, then call 877-435-6371 or contact us online to arrange a confidential initial consultation at one of our local offices:
Tel: 856-497-9000
Fax: 877-445-7105
Tel: 347-305-0500
732-540-7701
Fax: 888-855-7672
Tel: 848-207-3500
Fax: 888-401-1567
Tel: 201-212-4900
Fax: 877-295-7651
Tel: 856-547-7888
Tel: 609-601-6100
Fax: 609-601-6101
Tel: 609-337-2090
Fax: 866-275-4118
Tel: 856-232-7000
Fax: 877-872-8879
Tel: 856-690-0900
Fax: 866-691-0778
Tel: 856-428-5700
Fax: 888-387-0499
Tel: 856-769-0780
Fax: 866-309-5450
Don’t let your rights be jeopardized.