Once your attorneys put the parenting plan in a legal form, you will have to submit it to a judge for approval.
Divorces don’t have to be messy and they don’t have to drag on forever. New Jersey has one of the lowest divorce rates in the country, 2.5 divorces per 1,000 people. Not much if you look at other states, but still a difficult challenge for those involved. If you want things to go smoothly, you need to get in touch with experienced Morristown family law attorneys. They can help you with everything, from filling in the forms correctly to dividing your marital property equitably.
Divorce lawyers serving Morristown and the surrounding areas see all sorts of cases. Some couples get to a point when they decide their marriage simply isn’t working and going their separate ways is the best option for both of them. Others are bitter and blame their significant other for the breakdown in their relationship. No matter how you feel about your divorce you need to pull yourself together and deal with the practical issues. What happens to your family home, the pension plans you have, bank accounts, cars and whatever other assets you might have.
The best way to solve these issues is to sit down with your ex and some reliable divorce lawyers and negotiate a fair settlement. Family law attorneys offer mediation services which are meant to save you the headache of going to court and fighting each other over marital property. They can explain how the system works and what are your chances if you do go to court. This refers not only to assets division, but also to such issues as spousal support and lifestyle maintenance.
In a collaborative divorce, each party is represented by their New Jersey divorce lawyers and, through careful mediation, you can reach an agreement you can both be comfortable with. And you get to remain on speaking terms which is vital if you have children together.
That’s another part family law attorneys can help with. If you have children that are minors at the time of your divorce, your attorneys will help you draw up a parenting plan. Under this plan, you have to decide on two issues – physical custody and legal custody. If the two of you can function as a team, your attorneys will have you consider joint custody. This is what New Jersey judges strive for, anyway, as a co-parenting agreement is considered to be in the best interests of the children.
Joint physical custody refers to an arrangement so both parents get to share an equal amount of time with the children. If that doesn’t work for your family, one of you can get sole custody and the children will live with them, while the other will get visitation rights, also to be defined in the parenting plan.
Legal custody is about who gets to make decisions for the minor – as to the school they’re going to attend or the medical treatments they might need. Joint legal custody is a way for both parents to stay involved in their children’s lives.
At the same time, your lawyers can help you decide on the often thorny issue of child support. Depending on the financial circumstances of each parent, one of you might have to pay child support even if you have joint physical custody of the children.
Once your attorneys put the parenting plan in a legal form, you will have to submit it to a judge for approval.
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