Wall Township

Wall Township is a New Jersey township with an area of 32 square miles. As of 2010, about 26,000 people lived there. The median household income between 2006 and 2010 was $89,000. A divorce can become heated. Even couples who try to maintain an amicable relationship during a divorce can benefit from the involvement of experienced family law attorneys. Often, spouses do not fully understand their rights and obligations to each other arising out of their marriage relationship, and a knowledgeable attorney can clarify these. In the vast majority of divorce cases, it is possible to reach a settlement agreement through negotiation and mediation, while in other cases, it is necessary to take one or more issues to trial. At the Goldstein Law Group, our Wall Township family law lawyers provide tenacious and experienced advice and legal representation to our clients, led and inspired by the firm’s founding partner, Mark Goldstein Esq. who possesses more than 32 years of experience, grit, and determination to protect and pursue the rights of his clients.

When filing for divorce, one of the spouses must be a bona fide resident of New Jersey. As a general rule, they must be a bona fide resident for at least one year preceding the divorce. There are both no-fault and fault-based reasons for a divorce (referred to in New Jersey as “grounds for divorce”). The divorce complaint is required to include and state at least one of these specified grounds (reasons) as the basis upon which the divorce is being requested. The parties must either agree upon the grounds, or the filing spouse must prove the grounds in court. No-fault grounds for divorce include separation for 18 or more months and irreconcilable differences. Examples of fault grounds include adultery, willful desertion, extreme mental cruelty, institution of a spouse for mental illness, incarceration, and addiction. Generally, fault will not govern property distribution, child custody, or alimony. There are however, certain exceptions to this general rule, as a family law attorney in Wall Township can explain.

Child custody includes two distinct components - legal and physical. The former gives the parent who possesses it the authority to make important life decisions for a child, such as where the child goes to school, who their doctor is, which medical procedures they can undergo, and whether they practice any particular religion. The latter involves where a child lives the majority of the time. Physical, or residential custody is sole residential custody is when a child lives with one of the parents most of the time and spends less than two overnights each week with the non-custodial parent. A non-custodial parent usually gets to enjoy parenting time, which used to be called visitation. However, in many cases, children spend more than two overnights per week with both parents, and they have exercise a shared physical custody arrangement. One parent will be the “parent of primary residence” (known as the PPR), while the other will be the parent of alternate residence (known as the PAR).

Parenting arrangements can vary widely. In some cases, parents are able to hammer out an agreement, guided by a Wall Township family law attorney. Parents who live close to each other and who do not have a lot of conflict are more likely to be able to have a shared physical custody arrangement.

Both parents are required to financially support their children until they are emancipated or the court orders otherwise. The amount of child support that you pay is usually based on the New Jersey Child Support Guidelines. The legislation giving rise to these Guidelines were enacted to allocate the cost of raising a child between both parents, based on the combined income of both parents and the child's age. The guidelines will apply in all cases up to a maximum dollar limit and for children up to the age of 18. There are many exceptions to the Guidelines and consulting an experienced family law attorney familiar with these laws and rules is important to ensure the child support in your situation is fair, reasonable, and in compliance with these laws.

The Wall Township Municipal Court has limited jurisdiction over matters such as ordinance violations, traffic offenses, and disorderly persons offenses. New Jersey operates on a point system with regard to traffic offenses. If somebody accumulates at least six points, they are assessed a surcharge. When surcharges are not paid, the driver's license is suspended. You can also have your license suspended for accumulating 12 or more points. You can go to jail for driving on a suspended license. Although matters heard by the Wall Township Municipal Court may seem minor, they can add up and result in more serious penalties down the road. It is important to obtain effective legal representation.

At the Goldstein Law Group, our attorneys provide experienced legal advice and representation to Wall Township residents regarding family law matters such as divorce, property distribution, child support, alimony, and child custody. You can contact us at 732-967-6777 or by completing our online form.