It has often been said that 99 out of 100 NJ Divorce Cases are ultimately settled, and that only 1 out of 100 divorce cases in New Jersey actually result in a trial before a Family Court judge.

The way that a case is most often settled is through the use of a custom drafted document called a Separation Agreement (also called a Matrimonial Settlement Agreement (MSA) or an Interspousal Agreement or a Property Settlement Agreement.)

There are many names for the same type of document.

Drafting a Separation Agreement (MSA) in a NJ divorce case is not an easy task. It is sort of the metaphorical equivalent to what a sculptor faces when he sits down to create a sculpture. 

I'm not a sculptor. I have never tried sculpting from a block of rock.

Yet I imagine that if I were a sculptor, I would start with a square block of stone.

I imagine that I would have a general idea of what I intended my final project to ultimately look like before I started chipping away at that stone.

Question: "What is a New Jersey divorce trial like?"

New clients regularly tell me that they want an "uncontested divorce."

What exactly is an uncontested divorce in NJ?

To me, the phrase means two separate things:

First of all, it means that the GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE are not being contested.

Second, it means that there is no disagreement as to any of the financial issues, child related issues, or any other issues, and in fact these issues have been resolved.

When you have settled all of the issues in your divorce case, the next step is to go to court for what is called an uncontested divorce hearing, the goal of which is to divorce you and your spouse and end the divorce process.  

The uncontested divorce hearing usually lasts 10 to 15 minutes.

The easy answer under New Jersey law to that question is “no.”

Indeed, under New Jersey divorce law, if you receive an inheritance during the marriage, that inheritance is something that your spouse does not have a legal claim to in the event of divorce.

The easy answer under New Jersey law to that question is “no.”

New clients regularly tell me that they want an "uncontested divorce."

What exactly is an uncontested divorce in NJ?

To me, the phrase means two separate things:

First of all, it means that the GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE are not being contested.

Second, it means that there is no disagreement as to any of the financial issues, child related issues, or any other issues, and in fact these issues have been resolved.

When you have settled all of the issues in your divorce case, the next step is to go to court for what is called an uncontested divorce hearing, the goal of which is to divorce you and your spouse and end the divorce process.  

The uncontested divorce hearing usually lasts 10 to 15 minutes.

10 POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN DIVORCING A NARCISSIST

You live in New Jersey and you are having marital issues.

Let's assume that your spouse did something bad.

Something that is usually treated as a “given” during the pendency of a  divorce is the concept of “maintenance of the status quo”.

What happens if you get halfway through your divorce and you and your spouse start to realize that divorce might not really be the answer?