When you and your spouse are at odds on the issue of getting a divorce, or cannot agree on the terms of the action, your best recourse is to file for a contested divorce. For this purpose, you want the services of an attorney who is well versed in divorce and family law in the state of New Jersey. When looking for the right Ocean County contested divorce lawyer, make it a point to go with a law firm that offers these specific attributes.
Full Understanding of NJ Divorce LawsThe attorney that you engage must be able to guide you through every step of the divorce process. This begins with preparing a Complaint for Divorce that will serve as notification to the court and to your spouse that it is your intention to dissolve the matrimonial bond. Since the divorce is likely to be contested, the attorney will prepare the text in such a way that your spouse is granted 35 days from the date of the summons to file some sort of response.
From there, the attorney must be able to help you with the task of evaluating the family assets and determining how those assets will be divided. If there are minor children involved and you will be the custodial parent, then that will also have significant bearing on who receives what.
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When you will be the non-custodial parent, the Ocean County contested divorce attorney will use court approved calculations to determine the level of financial support that you will be legally obligated to provide. That obligation will most likely be in the form of child support payments along with other means of support, such as providing health insurance for each child.
The goal is to make sure you understand exactly how to tailor the divorce action so that it is in full compliance with current laws. Doing so will minimize the chances of slowing down the process, and allow you to obtain the divorce with minimum difficulty.
Your Lawyer as a NegotiatorPrior to the court date, expect meetings between the legal counsels that are geared toward reaching an equitable settlement. Depending on the current status of your relationship with your spouse, the two of you may be present at those meetings. A competent lawyer will stand firm in making sure you receive a share of the marital assets that is in line with current NJ laws. The attorney will be able to advise you on when to compromise and when to stand firm on what you want in terms of belongings and assets. If it proves impossible to come to terms, then the next step is the courtroom.
Court ExperienceYour contested divorce lawyer in Ocean County should also have plenty of experience appearing before a judge and pleading the case on behalf of a client. In some cases, your spouse may have a change of heart and choose to not contest the divorce action, but don’t count on that happening.
Be prepared to go to court and stand before a judge if you really want to end the marriage. When that happens, you want an attorney who can provide you with expert support and counsel during those proceedings.
If you are facing the prospect of a contested divorce, call the law offices of Goldstein Law Group at Ocean County, NJ today. Our experienced team will help you deal with every step of the process and make sure your interests are protected at all times. Our contested divorce attorneys can help Ocean County residents dissolve a marriage as efficiently and smoothly as possible.