Experienced Essex County Divorce Attorneys
The breakdown of a marriage involves more than the loss of trust between spouses. The dissolution of a marriage involves emotional turmoil, as well as changes to all aspects of your life. It is important for your lawyer to understand your unique circumstances and goals for the future. For that reason, it is prudent to work with an experienced legal team that is able to see all the dimensions of the legal issues – and the impact your divorce may have in the real world – to help you to protect your rights and interests in the dissolution of your marriage.
Aggressive Advocates In Divorce – Willing To Go To Trial
At Cipriano Law Offices, P.C., in West Caldwell, our legal team takes a detail-oriented approach to building a strong case that covers all of the disputes that may arise between you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse. We listen attentively and discuss the issues with you to allow you to make smart decisions for effective and efficient solutions to resolve your divorce disputes.
With substantial courtroom, trial and appellate experience, our divorce lawyers draw on a strong command of New Jersey family law to develop tailored and legally sound strategies to protect your rights. When trial is necessary, we are poised to present a solid case to obtain the best possible outcome – with your individual goals in mind.
Our attorneys are aggressive advocates for our clients. We also understand that discretion and sensitivity are paramount, especially when children are involved. Seeing parents fight over assets or parenting time, or one parent badmouthing the other, can be extremely damaging to a child. Your best possible outcome should be guided by what is best for your children and what is best for the modified relationship you must have with your ex-spouse following divorce. Contact us online or call us at 973-852-3346 to speak with one of our West Caldwell divorce attorneys about your specific case and the benefits of professional legal representation.
Providing Personalized Divorce Representation
Each of our clients is unique, and each case requires a customized approach. As your legal representatives, we will passionately advocate for your best interests and provide you with the honest and straightforward guidance necessary to make informed decisions throughout the divorce process, addressing all issues in divorce, including:
- Equitable distribution of property, assets and debts
- Experienced advocacy in resolving property division disputes when professional practices or business interests are involved
- Effective co-parenting plans, including child support and parenting time agreements
- Fair alimony agreements
- Establishing protections for victims and those accused of domestic violence and abuse
- Providing exceptional guidance for clients facing divorce as they near retirement
The end of a marriage is difficult for all parties involved, including any children. A divorce will cause significant changes in almost all aspects of your life — emotionally, physically and financially. It can be devastating, but with the right guidance and representation, you can reduce negative consequences and make effective agreements with your soon to be ex-spouse.
Divorce Timeline In New Jersey
Every divorce case is unique, but it generally takes between six and 12 months to resolve. Many factors influence this timeline, such as if the parties are on amicable terms or if they have a contested divorce and need the court to make a ruling. A general timeline looks like this:
- File petition: You or your spouse file a divorce petition with the court.
- Response: The other party then has 35 days to respond to that petition under New Jersey law.
- Standing orders: If necessary, the court issues standing orders – such as protecting assets or rights involving children.
- Discovery: You both go through the discovery process, where you make asset declarations to the court.
- Temporary orders: If needed, the court issues temporary child support orders.
- Pre-trial negotiation: You go through pretrial negotiation, where you can make some of your own decisions or at least negotiate for a fair outcome.
- Hearing: If issues cannot be resolved in negotiation, the court sets up hearings to make a determination, such as scheduling a child custody hearing.
- Trial: Finally, you may go through a late case evaluation to see if a trial is needed. If it is, then the court sets up your divorce trial.
Only at the end of this process does the court issue a divorce decree, officially ending your marriage and instructing you on how to proceed. This is when you may get final orders regarding asset division, child custody rights and the like.
Why Choose Cipriano Law Offices, P.C., For Your Essex County Divorce?
A divorce can be complex, and you may not have been through this process before. Some of the top reasons to hire our excellent team at Cipriano Law Offices, P.C., include:
- Our experience: Our firm has been open for more than 20 years, since our founding in 2003, and our team has decades of combined experience. No matter how complex the case, this is not our first time through the legal system, and we understand exactly what steps to take.
- Our success: We are members of Super Lawyers and have been recognized for our success numerous times over the years. When you need a strong advocate on your side, call us.
- Our dedication to our clients: We take a detail-oriented approach and also focus on education, answering your questions every step of the way. We also offer free initial consultations.
You do not have to address a complex family law case on your own. Call us today to get started.
Frequently Asked Divorce Questions
Those facing divorce often have numerous questions, and here are just a few of the ones we see most often at our firm:
How are assets divided in a New Jersey divorce?
New Jersey is an equitable division state, so property division may not be perfectly equal, depending on what the court believes is fair to all parties. Martial property – assets that were acquired during the marriage – is subject to property division, but separate property is not. Our team can help define the two categories and defend your rights to your property during divorce.
What’s the difference between a contested and uncontested divorce?
The divorce itself isn’t being contested, in the sense that one spouse cannot deny the other a divorce. Instead, the terms are being contested.
For instance, in an uncontested divorce, two people may already agree on how to divide their assets and split up child custody rights. Perhaps they have a prenuptial agreement in place. The court still has to approve it, but they define the terms themselves.
In a contested divorce, on the other hand, the couple cannot agree, and the court must rule on how to divide assets or physical and legal child custody rights.
How long does a divorce take in New Jersey?
It depends on a variety of factors, such as how fast the other party responds to the divorce petition. An amicable divorce where the couple makes many decisions on their own could take just a few months, while a contested divorce could take a year or more. Generally, a divorce will take between six and 12 months, but every case is unique. Our team can help you understand what to expect based on the specific details of your case.
Contact Cipriano Law Offices, P.C. To Work With Experienced Divorce Lawyers
To learn more about how the legal team at our family law firm can help you obtain meaningful results in your divorce, send us a brief message online, or call our office in West Caldwell at 973-852-3346. We are caring and passionate advocates. Our formidable divorce lawyers serve clients in Essex County, Bergen County, Morris County and throughout northern New Jersey.