Arons & Solomon Divorce Lawyers | March 21, 2025 | Divorce in Hackensack, NJ
The cost of divorce in New Jersey can vary greatly depending on how well the spouses cooperate, the type and amount of marital property to be divided, whether there are children involved, and how much they can afford to spend.
A divorce attorney is not required to get a divorce in the Garden State, but couples who wish to handle divorces on their own must be prepared to educate themselves to ensure their legal rights are protected.
Options for Getting a Divorce in New Jersey
When persons in a marriage, civil union, or domestic partnership wish to dissolve their legal relationship, they can choose to streamline the process and keep costs to a minimum or bottleneck the process with endless disagreements and incur substantial costs.
A divorce begins when one partner files a divorce complaint. The filing party is the plaintiff, and the other partner is the defendant. The complaint must state the reason or grounds for the divorce. Grounds for a New Jersey divorce can be either fault or no-fault.
No-Fault Divorce
“Irreconcilable differences” is an example of no-fault grounds for divorce. Basically, the couple can’t get along and doesn’t think they ever will. No-fault divorce is an option if:
- One party lived in New Jersey continuously for at least 12 consecutive months before filing;
- One party experienced irreconcilable differences for at least 6 months;
- Irreconcilable differences are the reason for requesting the dissolution; AND,
- Reconciliation is not possible.
All these requirements must be met in order for a no-fault divorce to be granted.
Fault Divorce
New Jersey law also recognizes some specific reasons that justify requesting a marriage be dissolved:
- Adultery
- Willful and continued desertion for 12 or more months
- Extreme cruelty
- Living separately for at least 18 months
- Voluntary addiction or habitual drunkenness for at least 12 months
- Institutionalized for mental illness for two or more years
- Imprisonment for 18 or more consecutive months
- Deviant sexual conduct
Fault grounds require the plaintiff to prove the defendant’s fault. This takes extra time and can increase costs. Proving fault can create an emotionally charged atmosphere and lead to further conflicts during the divorce process, which will also add to the cost of the divorce.
Factors that Increase the Cost of a New Jersey Divorce
The average cost of divorce in New Jersey is $12,000+, including court costs and legal fees.
Attorney’s Fees
Hiring an attorney is one of the biggest factors increasing the cost of a divorce. Legal fees are often the primary cost of divorce. It is not necessary to hire a lawyer to handle a divorce. However, if there is a lot of conflict between the parties and complex issues that need resolution, hiring an experienced divorce attorney can be a practical investment in your future.
Other factors that can make a divorce more expensive include:
- Conflict Between the Parties: Choosing to continue fighting divorce agreement terms can be expensive.
- Complex Property Issues: Dividing, transferring, or selling assets can take time and add additional expense.
- Child Support & Custody Issues: These issues can lead to lengthy court battles and increased legal costs if divorcing spouses continually disagree.
Divorcing couples may agree to share expenses that will arise after the dissolution has been finalized. If one party fails to fulfill their obligations, the other party may have to go back to court to enforce the settlement agreement or end up footing the entire cost.
Contact the Bergen County Family and Divorce Law Firm of Arons & Solomon Divorce Lawyers for more help
Contact the experienced family attorneys at Arons & Solomon Divorce Lawyers today for legal assistance. Visit our law office in Bergen County or give us a call at (201) 487-1199 to schedule a free consultation with our team.
Bergen County Law Office
1 University Plaza Dr #400, Hackensack, NJ 07601, United States