In the state of New Jersey, there are a total of nine grounds for divorce. These are reasons that the state recognizes for petitioning to dissolve a marriage.
Grounds for divorce include abandonment, adultery, separation and irreconcilable differences. These grounds are all similar in that they indicate that at least one spouse no longer wants to be married or remain with the other person. People may also have grounds to file for divorce if they can prove that their spouse has been addicted to alcohol or drugs for a period of at least 12 months or if their spouse has been institutionalized for at least 24 consecutive months after the marriage occurred. Moreover, spouses may have the grounds to file for divorce if their partner was sentenced to jail for at least 18 consecutive months.
Other grounds include domestic violence or cruel treatment against a spouse. For example, spouses may file for divorce if they were treated in a way that endangered their health or life. It is important to note that spouses must wait at least three months since the last incident of cruelty to file for divorce on these grounds. Additionally, spouses can file for divorce in New Jersey if their partner committed certain sexual misconduct without their consent.
There are certain requirements that a spouse must meet in order to file for divorce on specific grounds. A family law attorney may assist individual spouses in determining if they meet these requirements or, if not, what grounds best suits their case. An attorney may not only help with filing the paperwork required in divorce cases but also provide strong representation during negotiations and, if necessary, litigation.
Source: Women’s Law, “What are the grounds for divorce in New Jersey?“, December 04, 2014