Blog | M. Hart Divorce & Family Law

8/18/16

After agonizing for months or even years and enduring endless sleepless nights, you’ve come to the unbelievingly scary conclusion that you want a divorce. But you freeze like a deer in headlights and fear that you will lose everything – your family, your children, your house, your retirement, your friends…and that you will have no control over your own life. You think of all those...

7/20/16

Take this One Powerful Action for an Amicable Divorce in New Jersey

Many approach the divorce process believing that they have no control over the outcome and fearing the worst. They might search online or talk to friends and acquaintances about their experiences in an effort to “educate” themselves about what to expect. Here’s the truth in my experience – You can take one single action right now to drastically reduce conflict and achieve successful agreement with...

6/5/16

How to Successfully Mediate Your New Jersey Divorce

If you are considering divorce in New Jersey, there are a variety of ways that the issues between you and your spouse can be resolved depending on your needs, interests, and goals. Many divorcing spouses are drawn to the divorce mediation process in an effort to avoid the high costs and acrimony often inherent in the court process. Divorce mediation is an out-of-court process in...

4/19/16

New Child Support Law in New Jersey Creates Automatic Emancipation of Child at Age 19

If you are currently paying or receiving child support in New Jersey under a Judgment of Divorce or other child support order that does not specify an end date beyond your child’s 19th birthday, take note that This new child support law allows for child support to continue up to age 23, however, where: The child is still in high school; The child is...

3/24/16

Top 4 Ways to Stay Out of New Jersey Divorce Court

The New Jersey divorce litigation process can be costly and unpredictable. Rather than succumb to the uncertainty, take action. After all, “the best defense is a good offense.” Establish a “driver’s seat” mindset. This is key. The reality is that you can choose to take on an active role throughout your divorce process. Banish any thoughts to the contrary. If you need help, seek out...

2/26/16

Is New Jersey Collaborative Divorce Right for You?

Collaborative Divorce is a dispute resolution process that uses a team approach to guide spouses to reach a settlement of issues, including custody and parenting time, alimony and child support, and division of assets and debt. The New Jersey Collaborative Law Act was signed into law in September 2014 in an effort to provide uniformity in collaborative law throughout New Jersey. Undoubtedly, divorce is a...

2/11/16

Is it Possible to Have an “Amicable Divorce” in New Jersey?

There are certainly the obvious benefits to of an “amicable divorce” over a contentious divorce. After all, an amicable divorce would be far better for your children, your emotional health, and certainly beneficial in terms of lower legal fees. But is an “amicable divorce” possible? The term “divorce” often evokes painful emotions beyond the grief commonly associated with the breakup of a marriage. There is...

1/26/16

What Really Happens When You Litigate Your Divorce in New Jersey

What does it really mean when we talk about “going to court” in divorce? So little is known about this area, prompting much speculation, rumors, and unease. This is why the thought of getting a divorce and “going to court” often evokes much fear and anxiety for divorcing spouses. If you do choose to “go to court” in New Jersey, what you can expect in general is...

12/17/15

How will Divorce Affect the Children?

The short answer is…that’s up to you. Ideally, you will have cooperation from your spouse. Children generally need the love and support of both parents in order to thrive regardless of whether their parents remain married. The term “divorce” refers simply to legal status. It’s the According to studies, children tend to identify with both parents and to want to please each one. Therefore,...

11/17/15

5 Ways to Prevent a Divorce From Breaking Your Bank Account

Divorce is rarely if ever considered a pleasant experience, even when both spouses want to separate and are willing to part on good terms. But if a divorce is inevitable, then it’s important to first seek out the advice of a competent divorce attorney, preferably one who is settlement-oriented, to learn how you can best minimize your legal fees while preparing financially for your post-divorce...