We represent and mediate for clients of all asset levels, including high net worth individuals. To learn more about how we can help you, call the Brick Law, LLC, in Bergen County, New Jersey.
Common questions about comprehensive divorce and family law representation in New Jersey, answered by Brick Law, LLC.
File a Complaint for Divorce in the Family Part of the Superior Court, in the county where the cause of action arose or where either spouse lives. One spouse must have been a New Jersey resident for at least twelve months before filing, except where the ground is adultery.
Most New Jersey divorces proceed on irreconcilable differences, a no-fault ground requiring that the breakdown has lasted at least six months. Fault grounds remain available, including extreme cruelty, desertion, adultery, addiction, institutionalization and imprisonment, but they rarely change the financial outcome of the case.
An uncontested divorce where terms are agreed can conclude within a few months. Contested matters typically run a year or more, driven by discovery, business valuations and custody evaluations rather than by the filing itself. Settling at any point before trial shortens the timeline substantially.
Cost depends almost entirely on how much is disputed and for how long. An uncontested matter is a fraction of a litigated one. The largest drivers are contested custody, business valuation and discovery disputes — not court filing fees, which are a minor part of the total.
Most New Jersey divorces settle without a trial. Cases move through case management conferences, the Early Settlement Panel and mediation, all designed to resolve issues short of trial. A judge decides only what the parties cannot, and contested trials are a small minority of matters.
A sworn financial disclosure listing income, expenses, assets and debts, required in any case involving support or equitable distribution. It is the single most important document on the financial side of a divorce, and an inaccurate one undermines a party’s credibility on every other issue.
Have a question that is not answered here? Contact Brick Law, LLC or call (201) 254-0881 to speak with a Bergen County family law attorney.
This information is general and about New Jersey law. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case turns on its own facts.