Divorce Lawyers in Hunterdon County

Protecting Your Interests & Well-Being in Hunterdon County

The divorce attorneys at Tune Law Group, LLC recognize that divorce can have a significant effect on everyone involved, especially children, so we prioritize your family’s needs. Divorce is unfortunately very common; nearly everyone knows someone who has endured a divorce, and many have experienced their parents’ divorce as children.

We know that divorce proceedings can be taxing and that most use it as a last resort, while also understanding that many circumstances in a marriage can make divorce a necessity. Often, divorce is the only way for individuals to retake charge of their lives and create a more suitable environment for their children. Our dedicated Whitehouse Station divorce lawyers are here to assist you through the process.

If you are looking into a divorce, there are a lot of options and factors to consider. It’s important that you think through them carefully and put an experienced Hunterdon County divorce attorney on your side.

What is Divorce?

Divorce is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. New Jersey’s divorce rate is close to the national average, with approximately 2.5 divorces per 1,000 couples. It is expected that there will be a surge in that number, as New Jersey couples continue to make use of the state’s no-fault divorce.

What Is Involved in a Divorce?

Depending on the parties’ circumstances, there can be several issues involved in a divorce, including:

Child support
Alimony or spousal support
Division of property and assets
Division of debt

Our Whitehouse Station divorce lawyers use a hands-on approach to make sure that these factors are dealt with in a way that protects your well-being, and especially the well-being of your children. If you have been given a court order regarding one of the above aspects that you feel is unfair or ungrounded, we can help you appeal the decision.

How Long Does a Divorce Take in New Jersey?

Generally, spouses without children, property, or debts can expect the divorce process to be finished in as little as 3 to 6 months. When there are more complex issues to resolve, a divorce can take a year or more to be completed.

What Are the Grounds For Divorce?

New Jersey offers divorce based on both no-fault and at-fault grounds.

No-Fault vs At-Fault Divorces

New Jersey allows for no-fault divorces through two causes of action:

Irreconcilable differences: In these cases, both spouses must have lived in New Jersey for a year, and be able to prove that the marriage has been broken beyond repair with no prospect of reconciliation for at least six months. Citing irreconcilable differences allows a marriage to end without either spouse taking the blame.

Separation: Spouses must be able to prove that they have lived separately for at least 18 months and there is no chance of reconciliation in order to file for this kind of no-fault divorce.

Spouses seeking an at-fault divorce are required to provide evidence that at least one of the following grounds applies:

Adultery
Extreme cruelty
Desertion
Drug or alcohol addiction
Imprisonment
Institutionalization for mental illness
Deviant sexual conduct

How Can I File for a Divorce in Hunterdon County?

While New Jersey law allows you to represent yourself when filing for divorce, it is highly advisable that you consult with an experienced divorce lawyer. There are a number of paths you can take when filing for divorce in New Jersey, depending on your specific circumstances. It is crucial to know the state’s rules and regulations and to follow them carefully.

Before you can file for divorce in New Jersey, either you or your spouse must have been a New Jersey resident for the last 12 consecutive months, the exception being when your reason for seeking a divorce is based on your spouse’s wrongdoing. You must also have “grounds” for divorce, meaning a legally acceptable reason for terminating the marital union.

The divorce complaint and accompanying documents must be filed with the Family Division court clerk’s office in the New Jersey county where you resided when your grounds for divorce arose. If you are filing for divorce based on irreconcilable differences and lived in Hunterdon County when the mandatory six-month separation period ended, you should file your documents at the County Courthouse in Flemington, New Jersey.

Here is a full guide on How to File for a Divorce in New Jersey.

Hunterdon County Clerk’s Office

If you lived out of state when the cause of action arose, you must file in the New Jersey county where your spouse resided at that time. If neither of you were residents when the cause of action arose, you should file in the New Jersey county where you currently live.

A knowledgeable divorce lawyer will address your questions and concerns, and handle the details of your case from start to finish, including:

Filing the Complaint
Case Management Conferences
Gathering and submitting discovery
Drafting Case Information Statement (CIS)
Economic mediation
Settlement agreements
Custody issues
Filing motions
Trial

How Can a Divorce Be Settled in New Jersey?

The following are the four ways divorces can be settled in New Jersey:

Litigation– this means that divorce goes all the way to family law courts. This usually occurs when one spouse seeks full custody of the children or wants to ensure a fair share of their marital assets.
Collaboration – Both parties benefit from a team of professionals trained to provide the most peaceful and beneficial agreements through collaboration.
Arbitration – Arbitration involves one professional, a neutral arbitrator, having the final say, and usually occurs when collaboration is unsuccessful.
Mediation – Mediation is cost and time-efficient, and involves a neutral third party guiding both spouses through negotiation aimed at reaching a mutually beneficial settlement.

What Do I Need to File for Divorce?

To start divorce proceedings, the spouse initiating the divorce needs to complete and file the following documents:

Complaint for divorce
Summons
Confidential litigation information sheet
Certification of representation or of self-represented litigant
Dispute resolution alternatives
Certification regarding redaction of personal identifiers
Certification of verification and non-collusion
Certification of insurance coverage

There are different forms for the complaint, depending on the grounds for divorce. The divorce complaint should also list the various topics you may want the court to address, such as child custody, child support, spousal support, and how to divide your property and debt.

Contact a Divorce Lawyer Near You

If your marriage has taken an unexpected turn and you are considering divorce, our dedicated and caring divorce attorneys at Tune Law Group, LLC provide exceptional legal representation regarding divorce, dissolution, and child custody. Clients are our top priority, and we understand the difficulties of divorce and work tirelessly to ensure that each and every client receives the utmost representation throughout the divorce process.

Call us today at 908-434-1061 or contact us online to schedule an initial consultation and let us bring you some peace of mind through your upcoming divorce.

We serve clients in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey and throughout Hunterdon County and Monmouth County.