If your marriage is coming to an end, emotional trauma and fear can make it extremely difficult to deal with the legal issues that inevitably accompany divorce.
Furthermore, the anxiety that can come from not understanding the potential legal issues can be traumatic in its own right.
Hiring a divorce lawyer to explain your rights and options can dramatically reduce your anxiety, and help to ensure the most painless divorce possible.
It may be tempting to get information online and handle your divorce on your own, but doing so is rarely in your best interest.
If your divorce is complicated, an attorney is essential, but even seemingly-simple dissolutions of marriage can benefit from the help of experienced legal counsel.
A divorce lawyer can help reduce stress, time, and costs involved with all types of divorces, from the most amicable to the most complex.
At the Law Office of Steven M. Cytryn, LLC, we will ensure that you fully understand your rights and options before moving forward. Your family’s overall well-being is our focus, and we will work tirelessly to ensure that the process is as quick, efficient, and economical as possible.
Contact us today at (732) 214-1103 for a free and confidential consultation about your case.
Divorce Cases We Handle
Divorce may be contested or uncontested. A contested divorce occurs when the soon-to-be exes cannot agree on significant issues, such as asset and debt division or child custody. An uncontested divorce, on the other hand, occurs when both parties agree on all major issues. It should come as no surprise that uncontested divorces are typically quicker and less expensive than their contested counterparts.
Uncontested Divorce
When both parties agree about major issues, such as child custody and property division, the divorce will be uncontested. This type of divorce can save you significantly in overall costs, both financial and emotional. That being said, many of the steps in an uncontested divorce are the same as contested—once your spouse’s responses to the petition have been received, your case may proceed to the discovery phase.
It is often wise to wait until this point in the process to make a settlement offer. Even if your divorce is amicable, it is helpful to have legal counsel by your side to ensure an equitable division of assets and debts, among other things.
What Happens in an Old Bridge Contested Divorce?
Your attorney will file a divorce petition with the court and serve it on your spouse, who will have 30 days within which to respond to any requests. During this waiting period, you can request temporary court orders to address urgent issues, such as child custody, spousal support, and even attorney’s fees.
The next step in the divorce process is discovery. During the discovery phase, both parties can request information from one another to aid in determining arrangements and calculating payments and division of assets/debts. Discovery requests can take the form of letters, interrogatories, demand for documents, and depositions.
Once all information is gathered, the goal is to reach a pre-trial settlement. If, however, a settlement cannot be agreed upon, the case may move to trial. At this point, any unresolved issues will be heard by a judge. Trial is generally the most important aspect of divorce, so we will work with you and the opposing counsel to avoid going to court if at all possible.
Divorce Proceedings in Old Bridge, NJ
No two divorces are alike, but certain issues are involved in the vast majority of divorce cases. The most common include:
Division of Debts and Assets
The division of debts and assets is often one of the most complex (and stressful) aspects of divorce. What one spouse may think is community property (earnings and debts acquired during marriage and thus belonging to both spouses), the other may think is separate (belongs to only one spouse).
And to complicate things even further, some property is both separate and community. Experienced legal counsel can help you understand what types of property, assets, and debts are involved in your divorce and calculate a fair division.
Parental Rights
Ensuring that your parental rights are protected is frequently the primary concern of one or both parents during a divorce. An Old Bridge family law attorney can help you reach a custody agreement with your best interests, and those of your children, in mind.
Child Support
Child support calculations are based on a formula that takes into consideration the age and number of children, both parents’ income, and the custody arrangement, among other factors.
How an Old Bridge Divorce Lawyer Can Help You
Divorce is rarely an easy process, but it doesn’t have to be the worst experience of your life. Experienced legal representation can help you transform the end of one chapter into a beautiful, new beginning. Although more complex divorces nearly always require the help of an attorney, even simple splits can benefit from legal counsel. An Old Bridge divorce lawyer can help you:
- Divide assets, debts, and property—Personal savings, investments and retirement plans, real estate, and business interests all need to be equitably divided during a divorce.
- Determine child custody and support arrangements—Legal and physical custody, and associated support payments need to be fairly determined and calculated to protect your best interests, and those of your children.
- Ensure that your legal rights are protected from day one—The emotional stress and trauma of divorce can make it nearly impossible to determine your legal rights with a level head. Let your Old Bridge divorce lawyer ensure that issues such as tax implications, child custody, and the division of assets are effectively negotiated in the least disruptive way possible.
Contact Our Old Bridge Divorce Attorney Today
Going through a divorce doesn’t need to ruin your life. Marriages break up every day, but divorcing couples who take the necessary steps to protect their interests can continue to lead fulfilling lives, even during the divorce process. Working with an experienced Old Bridge divorce lawyer can save you money, time, and heartache.
Contact the Law Office of Steven M. Cytryn, LLC today at (732) 214-1103 for a free and confidential consultation about your case.