When you get married, the last thing you imagine is your spouse cheating on you. However, for countless spouses, this becomes a reality, making it much more challenging to continue with the marriage.  If your spouse has stepped out on you, you may want to confront them and discuss it. Before you do, you should stop, evaluate the situation, and gather evidence to prepare for the difficult conversation.  Are You Sure They’re Cheating? First and foremost, before confronting your spouse, it’s important to determine whether your spouse is, in fact, cheating. Confronting a spouse without k ..read more

Parties are encouraged to negotiate a parenting plan that allows their children to spend as much time with each parent as possible. It is presumed that spending time with a parent is in a child’s best interest unless the parent is unfit. Therefore, New Jersey courts often prefer joint child custody arrangements whenever possible. However, shared child custody has its challenges. Before you enter into a shared custody agreement, it helps to understand the pros and cons of shared child custody. Pros of Shared Child Custody Agreements in New Jersey The benefits of joint custody arrangements inclu ..read more

Are you considering divorcing your spouse? If so, you want to find the best divorce lawyer in Monmouth County to represent you. However, how do you know you are hiring a skilled divorce lawyer who is equipped to handle your case and achieve the outcome you desire? An excellent way to evaluate a divorce attorney is to ask these nine questions before hiring a Monmouth County divorce lawyer. 1. How Long Have You Practiced Divorce Law in New Jersey? Nothing can replace real-world experience. Make sure that you retain a lawyer with significant experience. Instead of hiring a general practice lawyer ..read more

New Jersey, like other states, administers its divorce laws on the principle that it is pointless to force a couple to remain married if even one spouse wants a divorce. And sometimes, that is the case, meaning one of the spouses wants a divorce and the other one doesn’t.  However, the reluctant spouse cannot prevent the divorce by refusing to sign the papers. In fact, it’s not a good idea at all to refuse to sign divorce papers. Grounds for Divorce New Jersey offers two types of divorce: no-fault and fault-based. No-Fault Divorce Your complaint should state the grounds for your divorce ..read more

Child custody can be one of the most challenging and emotionally stressful matters handled by the family courts. Parents believe they know what is in the best interest of their children. However, when parties disagree on any issue, the court must decide. New Jersey custody laws clearly state that it is the state’s public policy to ensure that children have continuing and frequent contact with both parents after a separation or divorce. The rights of both parents are equal when the proceeding begins, but the court has the discretion to grant sole custody to either parent. Joint Custody vs. Sole ..read more

The US Constitution requires you to notify a recipient of a pending lawsuit against them. The lawsuit might be seeking divorce, child custody, child support, any combination of these, some other family law issue, or some other civil law issue such as personal injury. This notification takes the form of “service of process,” where a trained, neutral third party delivers certain documents to the recipient. There are legal limitations on what a process server can do to accomplish their objective. Below is a brief outline of what processors do. Locating the Recipient It is difficult to notify some ..read more

Someone defames you when they damage your reputation by spreading lies about you. That could devastate your reputation. Imagine the damage to your reputation and your career, for example, if you are a schoolteacher falsely accused of domestic violence.  Unfortunately, defamatory claims are particularly likely to arise in a contentious divorce, especially when child custody is at stake. Slander vs. Libel Slander and libel and slander are the two forms of defamation: Slander is defamation in spoken form; and Libel is defamation in written form. Your claim can involve both slander and libe ..read more

Marriage is a commitment like no other, and the decision to dissolve this union should never be taken lightly. However, recognizing when your relationship may be broken and unsalvageable can save both parties from prolonged grief and open the doors to a quicker healing process.  If you are considering whether it is time to divorce your spouse, it is crucial to consult a Monmouth County divorce attorney.  The following are seven signs that it might be time to consider the divorce process:  1. Domestic Abuse or Violence A definitive sign that it is time to leave a marital relation ..read more

Parents in New Jersey have an obligation to provide financial support for their children, regardless of their status. Therefore, whether you are married, divorced, separated, or never married, the law requires you to support your child. When parents are not together, support for the noncustodial parent is typically in the form of child support payments. New Jersey has adopted standard child support guidelines the court uses to calculate a parent’s financial obligation for their child. The guidelines consider several factors when calculating child support payments. The primary factors are the i ..read more

Paternal rights and parental rights play different roles in making key decisions. These rights impact custody determinations and other related issues. They also affect the parent’s right to make decisions regarding their child’s upbringing. However, many may not understand the distinction between these terms and their implications.  Legal Issues Relating to Paternity Paternity refers to the legal recognition of a man as the father of a child. Establishing paternity is crucial for child custody, visitation rights, and child support obligations.  Where paternity is unclear or contested ..read more