Arons & Solomon Divorce Lawyers | May 11, 2022 | Divorce
You remember saying those iconic words, “as long as we both shall live.” That was a promise to stay married for the rest of your life. But what if you’ve changed your mind and want to end the marriage? Then all you need to do is file for divorce.
However, what if you change your mind again? It’s a more complicated situation when you’ve already filed for divorce and you decide you don’t want to go through with it. Now you want to know whether it’s even possible to stop divorce proceedings once they have begun.
The good news is that it is possible to stop a divorce proceeding after it has begun. The bad news is that it may be complex and costly. Additionally, the rules for stopping a proceeding change depending on how far along you are in the process.
You may need to discuss the case with an attorney, even if you didn’t have one when you initially filed for the divorce.
Resolve Your Marital Issues Before Making Any Decisions
Ending divorce proceedings is only worth doing if you have resolved the marital issues that originally led to the divorce filing. If you haven’t resolved those problems, you will likely be in divorce proceedings again shortly.
There are numerous ways to resolve marital problems, but the most effective options are:
- Working out financial problems
- Getting marriage counseling from a professional therapist
- Ending any affairs
- Living apart for a while
If you haven’t yet resolved your problems but you believe you might be able to, you can request additional time from the court. This keeps the divorce on the docket but delays court action on the case.
Stopping the New Jersey Divorce Proceedings
Until your spouse has responded to your divorce complaint, ending divorce proceedings is easy. At that point, you can simply end the proceedings by informing the court.
But as previously noted, unless you have resolved your original problems, ending divorce proceedings may prove to be a temporary solution. Your spouse could re-file the next day and put you right back where you started.
If your spouse has already responded to your divorce complaint, the process is more complicated. In this case, you need to file a stipulation of dismissal with the court. Your spouse has to agree to and sign the stipulation of dismissal before it is filed. If this is done properly, the court should dismiss your case without complication.
Changing Your Mind About Getting Divorced Is Costly
The divorce process typically costs a significant amount of money. Even if you don’t hire a family law attorney, you have to pay a fee to file for divorce with the court. But given the complicated legal nature of divorce, it’s best to hire an attorney to shepherd you through the process.
Divorce attorneys aren’t particularly cheap. Even if all you’ve done is file the initial paperwork with the court, you will probably have spent a few hundred dollars on your attorney.
From that point on, you are paying by the hour, and you are responsible for any additional court fees. And if your spouse responded to your filing, they almost certainly hired an attorney as well.
At a bare minimum, filing for divorce and then changing your mind probably costs a few hundred dollars and could cost a few thousand later in the process. It’s much better to spend that money on couples therapy and avoid divorce proceedings in the first place.
Contact a New Jersey Family Law Attorney For Help if You’ve Changed Your Mind About Getting Divorced
Even if you believe you’ve resolved the marital issues that led to the divorce filing, you should speak with a New Jersey family law attorney about your decision.
Many attorneys offer a free consultation, which will give you an opportunity to discuss your situation, what led to you (or your spouse) filing for divorce, and the factors that changed your mind about getting divorced. An attorney may provide additional insight that you may not have considered and advise how to proceed.
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) 379 6630 to schedule a free consultation with our team.
Bergen County Law Office
1 University Plaza Dr #400, Hackensack, NJ 07601, United States