South Jersey Divorce Lawyer

Divorces can be hard, but they can lead to a new lease on life for both parties.  Some divorces are highly contested, but not every divorce case needs to be that way.  Working with an experienced lawyer can help you negotiate fair terms and potentially end your marriage peacefully.

Carl Taylor has over 15 years of experience handling divorce cases in New Jersey and can help you achieve the divorce you are looking for.  We can go over possible grounds, property and custody issues to take into account, and different options for how to move forward with or without your spouse's cooperation.

For a flat-rate consultation on your divorce, call divorce lawyer Carl Taylor at (609) 359-3345 today.

Can I File for Divorce Without a Lawyer?

It is technically possible to file a divorce petition without a lawyer in New Jersey, but you should never try to handle something so complicated and important without legal advice.  There are many issues -- including custody and support -- that an online form from the court or a third-party website cannot encompass, and you should have personalized representation before filing.

Can I Respond to Divorce Papers Without a Lawyer?

If you have been served with divorce papers, you need a lawyer, too.  It is likely your spouse already used a lawyer to draw up those papers, and going into a divorce case without a divorce lawyer of your own leaves room for you to be taken advantage of, whether that is your spouse's goal or not.

What Issues Does a Divorce Lawyer Handle?

Divorce cases touch on almost every other area of family law.  If you and your spouse have no children and separate assets, your case might be quite straightforward, but most couples have shared accounts, shared homes, and perhaps even children to consider.

Not only will our attorney help you actually file for divorce, but he can also help with these related issues:

• Asset division
• Child custody, support, and visitation
• Spousal support/alimony
• Supporting yourself during the divorce case.

In many cases, one spouse has control of the family's finances, and it can be hard for you to file for divorce.  However, we can potentially get you alimony pendente lite to pay for your lawyer, even over your spouse's objections.

Can I File for a No-Fault Divorce in South Jersey?

New Jersey is a no-fault divorce state, meaning that you can file for divorce without needing to prove something serious like abuse or adultery.

Traditional "cause" grounds for divorce do allow divorce after 18 months of separation.  If you and your spouse have been living "separate and apart" for that time, you can file for divorce on those grounds.

However, you can also file for a no-fault divorce based on "irreconcilable differences" without having been separated first.  This is one of the most common ways to file for divorce because you do not need to really prove anything bad happened, just that these differences have lasted for at least 6 months.

Issues of asset division and alimony are not usually affected by fault in New Jersey, so you typically do not lose anything by filing a no-fault divorce instead of using fault grounds.

How Are Assets Divided in South Jersey Divorce Cases?

In New Jersey, we use an "equitable division" system.  This means that shared property is not split 50/50, but rather according to a list of criteria that accounts for the following and more:

• Both spouses' economic and non-economic contributions to the marriage and household
• The length of the marriage
• Both spouse's ages, health, and well-being
• The standard of living they shared
• Either party's individual assets, income, and ability to support themselves after the marriage ends
• Either spouse's contributions to the other's education, professional licenses, training, etc. (e.g., one spouse working to put the other through medical school)
• Deferred career goals (e.g., staying home with the kids instead of continuing your career).

Courts can also look at any other relevant factors.

Essentially, this looks at what each spouse put into the marriage to see what each should get out of the marriage at its end.

Keep in mind that only marital property is divided.  Anything you owned separate from your spouse -- e.g., things you owned before getting married or gifts/inheritances that only went to one of you -- are not divided.

Divorcing with Children in South Jersey

Whenever you get a divorce with shared children, we will need to negotiate custody and support terms, or else let the judge set them in a court order.  These considerations start as soon as you and your spouse are separated, potentially meaning you need to look into these issues before even filing for divorce.

Divorces are not instantaneous, and it can take weeks or months to get them finalized.  During that time, your children will need a place to live and financial support.  These orders and agreements can then be addressed again when the divorce is finalized.

Can We File for Legal Separation in South Jersey?

Under NJ law, there is no "legal separation," but parties can become separated on their own terms without filing for it.  Having a separation agreement is often important, as it can resolve issues like the date of separation, how to divide assets, and how to deal with shared children during the separation.

Since there is no legal filing for separation, you can end a separation at any time if you and your spouse agree to get back together.  You can also use the separation's decisions about shared property, child custody, visitation, and child support to help build your final divorce agreement.

Can We Use the Same Lawyer for an Uncontested Divorce?

Generally, each party should have their own lawyer in a divorce case.  This allows each of you to have your rights protected by an advocate who can give you legal advice without needing to worry about conflicts of interest with the other party.

Schedule Your Consultation Today

Call (609) 359-3345 to schedule a 1-2 hour flat rate consultation where you can discuss your needs with divorce lawyer Carl Taylor and get started on your divorce case. We help in Mount Laurel, Moorestown, Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Vorhees, and all of the surrounding areas.

Take the First Step?

Schedule a Flat Rate $250.00 Consultation with the firm and receive a 1-2 hour strategy session with Carl and a complementary copy of his book "Happily Even After: the Guide to Divorce in New Jersey.