(973) 379-9292
(973) 379-9292
High-Quality Representation in Divorce
and Family Law Matters
Our Chatham divorce lawyers help residents of Chatham Borough and Chatham Township through each stage of a New Jersey divorce. These proceedings are more common than one might think: Between July 2024 and June 2025, the Morris County Family Division added 2,229 dissolution cases, including 1,309 new filings, according to the New Jersey Judiciary. Each case starts with a filing and ends once alimony, custody, child support, and property division are settled.
New Jersey law controls how marital assets are divided and how support is calculated, so a single overlooked account or income source can change a settlement for years. Before any agreement is signed, our Morris County divorce lawyers at Diamond & Diamond, P.A., review those financial details, which is especially important in cases involving significant wealth or serious disagreements.
New Jersey recognizes both no-fault and fault grounds for divorce. Before filing, at least one spouse generally must have lived in the state for a full year, although adultery cases are an exception. Most people choose irreconcilable differences, which means the marriage has broken down with no reasonable chance of repair. Recognized grounds include:
Cases also differ by how much the spouses agree. When they settle every issue, the divorce is uncontested. When there is a contested divorce Chatham spouses cannot settle, the open issues head to a judge for a decision.
This type of divorce involves highly valuable or hard-to-value property; examples for both include a family business, investment accounts or significant real estate holdings. Many high-net worth divorce cases in Chatham also involve pay from Manhattan employers, and many of our area’s residents commute to the city on the NJ Transit Morristown Line.
That compensation often comes in forms that are harder to divide than a regular paycheck, such as:
Because part of this value may be earned during the marriage but paid later, we often work with forensic accountants who can calculate how much of those earnings qualify as marital property.
Chatham divorces are heard in the Family Part of the Superior Court at the Morris County Courthouse in Morristown, a short drive west along Route 124 through Madison. After both sides exchange financial details, the court schedules an Early Settlement Panel, where volunteer family law attorneys review the case and suggest fair terms. If that session fails, mediation and a settlement conference typically follow before any trial.
The process begins when one spouse files a Complaint for Divorce and has it served on the other spouse, who generally has 35 days to respond. Each side then completes a Case Information Statement, a detailed form listing income, expenses, assets and debts. As the case moves forward, both sides trade documents and negotiate; the case closes when a judge signs a Final Judgment of Divorce.
You can call our Short Hills, NJ office at (973) 379-9292 for your legal needs or send us an email at [email protected] to schedule a consultation today. Learn your options and how to proceed. Initial divorce consultations are free.
A Chatham, NJ, divorce cannot end until the spouses resolve every financial and parenting issue tied to the marriage, including:
New Jersey follows equitable distribution, which divides marital property fairly but not always equally. Judges first identify the assets acquired between the wedding and the filing of the complaint and assign a value to each one. They then divide that property using factors such as the length of the marriage, each spouse’s income, and the standard of living. For example, a 401(k) built from paychecks during the marriage is usually split, whereas an inheritance from a grandparent kept in a separate account typically stays with the spouse who received it.
Our legal team members review finances, prepare court filings, and negotiate terms that reflect each spouse’s rights under state law. When a case reaches the courtroom, our Morris County divorce lawyers present evidence at hearings and trial. We handle litigation, mediation, and arbitration:
New Jersey courts require mediation when parents disagree about custody or parenting time, and judges usually order economic mediation when financial issues remain unresolved. Cases involving a domestic violence restraining order are exempt from mandatory mediation.
Remarriage ends open durational and limited duration alimony, although rehabilitative and reimbursement awards follow different rules. Moving in with a new partner may also justify suspending or ending payments.
Judges apply the New Jersey Child Support Guidelines, which look at both parents’ combined net income and how many overnights the child spends with each parent. For example, if one parent earns twice as much as the other, that parent usually covers a larger share of the support.
To learn more about your legal options during this challenging time, contact the Chatham divorce lawyers at Diamond & Diamond, P.A. Our respected legal team will guide you through the divorce process and help you move forward. Call us at 973-379-9292 or contact us online for a consultation. Initial divorce consultations are free. With an office located in Short Hills, New Jersey, we serve clients throughout the state.