Toms River Divorce Lawyers
The divorce process can be legally complex and emotionally overwhelming. Having experienced, compassionate legal advocates on your side is essential to protecting your rights, your finances, and your family. Our Toms River divorce lawyers at Zeigler Law Group, LLC bring years of hands-on New Jersey family law experience to every case and provide clear, objective legal guidance tailored to your unique circumstances.
What Types of Divorce Matters Does Zeigler Law Group, LLC Handle in Toms River?
Our Toms River divorce lawyers at Zeigler Law Group, LLC represent individuals and families in a wide range of New Jersey family law matters. Our practice areas include, but are not limited to:
Divorce & Property Matters
- Divorce (contested and uncontested)
- Equitable distribution of marital assets and debts
- High-asset and high-net-worth divorce
Parenting & Support Issues
- Child custody and parenting plans
- Child support
- Visitation agreements
- Grandparent visitation rights
- Spousal support (alimony)
Alternative Dispute Resolution & Specialized Matters
- Divorce mediation
- Family law disputes
- Surrogacy and reproductive law matters
- Tax considerations in divorce
What Are the Legal Grounds for Divorce in New Jersey?
In New Jersey, couples filing for divorce — including those in Toms River — must choose either fault or no-fault grounds. When filing, you must provide a reason for divorcing, legally referred to as “grounds.” Most divorce couples we help in Toms River file for no-fault divorces, also referred to as an “uncontested” divorce, based on the grounds of “irreconcilable differences.” However, you are not required to disclose any reasons for the dissolution of the marriage when citing irreconcilable differences.
To file for divorce in Toms River, you must meet the following requirements:
- Due to New Jersey’s residency requirement, one or both spouses must have resided in New Jersey for at least 12 consecutive months before filing.
- One or both spouses must have experience irreconcilable differences for at least six months prior to filing.
- One or both spouses are certain that reconciliation is not possible.
If you have specific reasons for divorcing, such as domestic violence or adultery, you may consider filing a fault-based divorce. New Jersey’s legal grounds for fault-based divorces include:
- Abandonment or desertion
- Adultery
- Alcohol or drug addiction
- Deviant sexual behavior
- Domestic violence or mental abuse
- Incarceration
- Institutionalization
Fault-based divorces can be challenging to prove. You will be responsible for having evidence that supports your stated grounds. Gathering evidence proving your claims can be quite difficult to acquire on your own. It is crucial in fault-based divorces to hire an experience lawyer who understands the system, the complexities of each ground, and the information necessary to establish proof. Our Toms River divorce attorneys regularly help clients gather evidence, work with investigators, and prepare claims in Ocean County courts.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Divorce in New Jersey?
The length of a divorce in New Jersey varies depending on several factors, including the complexity of the case, the level of cooperation between spouses, court scheduling, and whether disputes must be resolved through litigation. Many divorces are finalized within several months to one year, while long-term marriages and high-asset divorces may take longer.
An experienced Toms River divorce lawyer can help streamline the process, avoid unnecessary delays, and work toward efficient resolutions whenever possible.
How Does the Divorce Process Work in New Jersey?
The New Jersey divorce process — including divorces filed in Toms River — is complex, and numerous matters must be addressed and agreed upon to dissolve a marriage, such as:
- Child custody
- Child support
- Division of marital property and debts
- Distribution of retirement funds or pension plans
- Spousal support
- Visitation agreements
- Any other relevant legal matters
While each case is unique, the divorce process typically involves the following steps:
- File the divorce petition: One spouse will file the divorce petition with the court, listing names, addresses, marriage dates, grounds for divorce, and more.
- Spouse response: Once served, the receiving spouse has 35 days to officially respond, dispute the claims, or file a counterclaim against the filing spouse.
- Discovery period: Discovery is the longest part of the divorce process. Both spouses must provide all financial information, including income, assets and debts, marital and personal property, investments, taxes, etc.
- Negotiate an agreement: Once each party has disclosed all required information, negotiations begin regarding the division of property and assets, child custody and support, alimony, visitation, and all other issues requiring mutual agreement. If you reach a settlement agreement before or after filing for divorce and have no need to negotiate, the agreement can be filed for the court to review and rule.
- Mediation process: If negotiations fail, the court may order mediation to reach an agreement.
- Settlement conference: If mediation fails, the court may order an Intensive Settlement Conference as a last-ditch effort to avoid trial.
- Court trial: If all attempts to reach an agreement fail, the case will go to trial, and the court will determine and rule on a settlement agreement.
How Is Marital Property Divided in a Divorce?
New Jersey is an equitable distribution state. Marital property will be divided in a manner that the court deems fair but not necessarily equal. Marital property refers to all assets and debts jointly acquired during marriage, such as the following:
- Bank accounts
- Businesses and business interests
- Credit card debt
- Fine art
- Loans and lines of credit
- Outstanding debts
- Real estate
- Retirement or pension funds
- Stocks and other investments
- Vehicles and boats
Determining the division of marital property is a complex and lengthy process, particularly in high-asset divorces with wealth exceeding $1 million. All marital property must be located and valued to determine how it will be distributed. During the process, the court considers numerous factors to determine a fair distribution of property, such as the following:
- Length of the marriage
- Each spouse’s age and health
- Each spouse’s income and future earning ability
- Marital standard of living
- Each spouse’s economic circumstances
- Value of marital assets
- Assets both spouses contributed to the marriage
- Prenuptial or postnuptial agreement requirements
- Any other relevant factors
Individually owned personal property each spouse acquired before or during the marriage is typically not considered marital property and is exempt from division. However, commingled assets are generally considered marital property and may be subject to division between the spouses.
How Can a Toms River Divorce Lawyer Help Me?
Divorce can become contentious quickly, even those that are initially amicable. A knowledgeable Toms River divorce lawyer can guide you through every stage of the New Jersey divorce process while protecting your financial and parental rights. When you hire Zeigler Law Group, LLC, a Toms River divorce lawyer will do the following:
- Determine grounds for divorce.
- Prepare and file all legally required documents.
- Help determine your marital assets.
- Gather financial records, locate and value assets, and determine liabilities and tax implications.
- Help determine whether you receive or are required to pay alimony.
- Develop child custody and co-parenting agreements.
- Help mediate on contentious issues.
- Represent you in court should the case proceed to trial.
Our Toms River Divorce Lawyers at Zeigler Law Group, LLC Represent Clients in Numerous Divorce Matters
If you are considering divorce, our Toms River divorce lawyers at Zeigler Law Group, LLC are dedicated and compassionate advocates who will support and guide you. Call 732-361-4827 or contact us online to schedule a consultation. Located in Toms River, Red Bank, Princeton, and Mount Laurel, New Jersey, we serve clients in Ocean County, Monmouth County, Mercer County, and Burlington County.