Some New Jersey family courts are planning to reopen as new Covid-19 cases and deaths in the state begin to plateau and even decline. As they do, court procedures and the look of courtrooms may be quite different than what we have experienced in the past. Attorneys and our clients might be required to have our temperatures checked as we enter the courthouse and wear masks during hearings. Tables for each side might be moved further apart, and procedural discussions at the bench with the judge might be awkward.
Still, getting a divorce is possible.
Here are three good reasons why men and fathers in New Jersey can begin or start to plan their divorce even during Covid-19 – and possibly even get divorced during the pandemic and stay-at-home orders.
1 – E-Divorces continue to be granted.
For couples who can agree to a fair property settlement and resolve child support and custody issues on their own, our unique e-divorce service will continue to enable them to end their marriage during the pandemic – and without the husband or wife even having to appear before a judge.
We posted a case study that describes how a typical New Jersey man was able to take advantage of e-divorce to end an increasingly unhappy marriage while protecting his rights and continuing to be actively involved as a co-parent in his son’s life.
2 – Get a jump on the inevitable backlog of New Jersey divorce hearings.
If e-divorce is not appropriate for your situation, it still makes sense to begin the process. Except for e-divorces, emergency domestic violence hearings, accusations of sexual or physical abuse, children’s issues, or violations of court orders, hearings have been on hold for months. Once family courts begin hearing cases again, the backlog is likely to be huge even in smaller counties.
Most courts schedule hearings on a “first filed, first heard” basis. The news media has been reporting an increase already in divorces, but a lot of New Jersey men and fathers might be waiting until New Jersey moves into a Stage 3 reopening before starting theirs. Between the outstanding cases waiting to be heard and the new filings, it is likely to take months to clear the calendar.
If you know that you want to be divorced, filing now will put your case at the head of the new line of people who waited to begin their divorce process.
3 – Divorce takes planning for men and fathers.
Feeling trapped in a miserable marriage because of Covid-19 restrictions – especially if your wife shows symptoms of being a narcissist – is an awful way to live. But getting a divorce takes planning.
Along with the emotional upheaval that accompanies the failure of many marriages comes the need to do two critical things for all New Jersey men as they begin their divorce:
- Deciding what outcome you want at the end of the process, and
- Pulling together what can seem like a long list of financial and marital records that will need to be part of your filing.
Our unique divorce consulting service is designed to help with both. We help you determine your objective in the divorce besides “I want out!” The consulting service will also advise you on the documents and information you will have to collect. If you or your spouse owns a business or professional practice, we will offer guidance on the impact this will have on a property settlement, and we can refer you to qualified business evaluators to help you get a jump start.
Divorce Help for New Jersey Men and Fathers
If you are a man or father in New Jersey who is considering a divorce, or know someone who is, the team of family law attorneys at the Micklin Law Group can help.
Whether you feel e-divorce will work for you or want to proceed with the traditional divorce process, feel free to contact me.
We are working remotely, so we are in touch with each other and the court thanks to our digital infrastructure. If you want to talk about your situation and the options open to you, we can meet with you in our Virtual Law Office or we can discuss your divorce by phone at either 973.562.0100 in Nutley or at 862.245.4620 in Montclair.
To schedule a meeting, click here and select a day and time.
