Understanding Alimony
Jersey City Family Law Attorneys
Any legal issue involving families will be an emotional and stressful experience. If you want dedicated and caring legal representation, contact our Jersey City Family Law Attorneys today for a free confidential case evaluation. We have over 30 years experience with family law cases.
Any legal issue involving families will be an emotional and stressful experience. At Freeman Law Center, LLC of northern New Jersey, we will do everything we can to resolve your family law issues with a minimum of stress and expense. Our Jersey City family law attorneys will personally guide you through the legal process, never letting your concerns go unanswered.
Download Our Free Divorce Guide
Contact our lawyers today and we can offer you a free initial consultation to discuss your situation. We can help you with:
- Divorce : Our lawyers deal with every aspect of divorce settlements, treating clients with compassion while protecting their client’s rights.
- Child support : We work in both forming support agreements and making modifications to existing agreements.
- Child custody/visitation : Our lawyers always keep in mind the best interests of the children when forming or making modifications to child visitation and custody agreements.
- Name changes : We can draft and file the necessary paperwork to legally change your name or your child names.
- Child adoptions: Our Jersey City family law attorneys work mainly in private and step-parent adoptions.
- Grandparent rights
- Property division
- Domestic partnerships
- Other family law disputes
Freeman Law Center, LLC is not a large, intimidating law firm that is impersonal and has extremely high retainer fees . We always keep clients informed about their cases and their legal rights; when you have a question, you will never have trouble reaching a lawyer.
Common Divorce FAQs
>> What are grounds for divorce in New Jersey?
Some of the most common grounds for divorce are:
- Mental cruelty
- Physical cruelty
- Desertion
- Adultery
- Irreconcilable differences
Some of these grounds for divorce can be difficult, time consuming, and costly to prove. Because of that, by far the most common grounds for divorces filed in New Jersey is “irreconcilable differences.” To prove this, the court only requires you to prove that you and your spouse have been unable to get along for six months.
>> How long will it take to get divorced?
Time frames for divorce proceedings vary, and any cookie cutter estimates will be unreliable. A divorce could be finalized in under a month, or it could drag on well past a year. The amount of time a divorce takes will depend upon the facts of the case and the willingness of both parties to communicate and to compromise. An experienced divorce attorney will be able to give you a more precise and reasonable estimate after examining your circumstances at an initial consultation.
>> What will my divorce cost me?
Time and cost are usually the first questions on anybody’s mind. In most divorce cases the two are related in direct proportion. It surprises some to know that the cost of a divorce isn’t necessarily tied to the value of the assets involved. A potentially complicated divorce involving many valueable assets, property, and children could be resolved inexpensively if the parties come to an agreement before filing, or early in the process. Because most attorneys bill by the hour, the longer two spouses drag on negotiations, the more expensive the divorce becomes for both parties.
The cost of an uncontested divorce in New Jersey will typically start around $1,500.00, plus the filing fee. If the divorce is contested and there are assets and issues such as custody and child support, the initial retainer could range from $3,500.00 to $5,000.00, or more depending on the circumstances. A long and fiercely contested divorce could cost as much as $15-20,000.
>> How do I respond to divorce papers?
In New Jersey, if you’ve been served with a summons of complaint for divorce, you should consult a family law attorney immediately. You only have 35 days to respond to the complaint – that means filing an answer and a counter claim. You cannot delay to protect your rights, including control over your assets and custody of your children. If your spouse has filed a complaint, that means he or she has already consulted with an attorney about the particulars of your shared lifestyle and finances, considered strategy and drafted a set of demands. You shouldn’t wait to get an experienced attorney on your side, too. Seek that counsel, and let your attorney handle the official response.
>> Will I need to take my case to a trial?
Most divorce cases in New Jersey never make it to a trial. If the parties come to an agreement, one party can waive his or her right to an appearance, avoiding the need to go to court. Some New Jersey counties allow settlement without either party appearing in court. If there is a “default” case, when one party doesn’t answer the other party’s complaint, the filing party would have to make a very brief appearance in court to enter facts into the record before the judge comes to a decision.
>> I’m unhappy with the result of my trial. Can I appeal?
In New Jersey, you have 45 days to appeal the verdict of a case. If you appeal, the Appellate Court will take on your case. The Appellate Court may “vacate,” or make legally void, the judge’s decision in your case. If you do not file an appeal within the 45 day window, the Martial Separation Agreement (MSA) spelling out the terms of your divorce will be final and cannot be overturned. You can revise an MSA and negotiate new terms, but that requires the cooperation of your former spouse.
Contact Us
Please don’t hesitate to Jersey City Family Law Attorneys to set up a free initial consultation. For your convenience, we accept credit cards and offer evening and weekend appointments. Freeman Law Center, LLC is fully staffed with bilingual paralegals that are ready to assist you through every step of your case.
