WHAT CAN I EXPECT DURING THE DIVORCE PROCESS?
If you are considering filing for or have initiated a complaint for divorce, you may be unfamiliar with the process. Here’s what you can expect as you move through a divorce.
Step One: File the Complaint
If you decide to be the one to officially file a Complaint for Divorce, you will be referred to as the Plaintiff. In your Complaint, you will state the ground (reason) for your divorce. In 2007, New Jersey added “Irreconcilable Differences” to the possible grounds for divorce and it is by far the most commonly used one. Other commonly cited grounds are extreme cruelty, desertion, adultery or 18 month separation. In addition to your Complaint, you will have to file a Certification of Insurance, a Confidential Litigant’s Information Sheet and a Certification of Complementary Dispute Resolution. Our office will then arrange to have your spouse, the Defendant, served with the Complaint. Your spouse will have 35 days to file an Answer to the Complaint along with the other required forms.
Step Two: Prepare and File your CIS
A Case Information Statement (CIS) must be filed by both parties within 20 days of the Answer being filed. The CIS is a 9 page, very comprehensive financial document. We will need your last year’s tax return and your last 3 pay stubs in addition to information about your assets, liabilities and monthly expenses. This document can seem overwhelming: you have no need to worry.
Contact the Law Offices of Kelly Berton Rocco
To schedule a free, 30 minute telephone consultation to discuss your concerns, call or e-mail us today.
E-mails are always returned within 24 hours and in most cases, within the hour. Phone calls will always be returned by the next business day – again, usually sooner. We’ll be at your side every step of the way.
At the Law Offices of Kelly Berton Rocco, we have focused our practice exclusively on family law and divorce since 1988. We are located in Hackensack and serve Bergen County, Passaic County & Essex County as well as the cities of Ridgewood, Paramus, Oradell, GlenRock, Wyckoff, Allendale, Ho-Ho-Kus, River Edge, Franklin Lakes, Saddle River & Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.
