How Can I Protect the Privacy of my New Jersey Divorce?

The process of divorce is complicated and emotional as it is one of the most difficult times in a person’s life. It is because of this that they tend to want to keep these matters private, especially if they are going through a high profile or a high net worth divorce. It is important to know that there are various steps that can be taken during this time to ensure these intimate matters stay solely between the parties that are involved. Continue reading to learn more and retain the services of a New Jersey divorce attorney for help dealing with these matters.

Use out of Court Methods

Spouses who can make decisions regarding their marital issues together outside of a courtroom can begin to reach a settlement quickly and quietly. This can be accomplished with alternative methods such as mediation, collaborative divorce, or arbitration. Through these, couples can work together to come to agreements instead of divorcing through litigation. Once they are done, proper divorce paperwork can be filed so that their settlement can be approved by the court. This gives spouses the best chance at privacy due to the fact that public records do not include terms that were agreed upon privately. 

Put Temporary Agreements in Place

When spouses divorce, they can benefit from creating temporary agreements beforehand with the help of their attorneys. Doing so can allow both parties to protect their interests by agreeing to abide by certain terms throughout the proceedings. Examples can include freezing marital assets until final agreements are decided and establishing temporary custody arrangements. By doing so outside of the courtroom, they are not public record. 

Use Your Prenup

Before spouses get married, they can sign a prenuptial agreement, also known as a prenup. This is a document that outlines how they would want to divide their assets in the event that they divorce in the future. Doing so can be beneficial for spouses, as it can hurry along the process instead of spending more time working out the details. In addition to this, prenups can sometimes include privacy clauses that ensure neither spouse speaks publicly about their divorce.

Consider Grounds for Divorce When Filing

In the beginning of their divorce, spouses cite the grounds for their divorce, such as fault or no-fault. A couple that wants to keep their divorce private may want to consider these options carefully, as the grounds for a divorce can become public knowledge. While grounds do not impact the outcome of a divorce, it can impact public perception. For example, citing fault grounds for adultery, abandonment, abuse, etc., may be more problematic than citing no-fault grounds due to irreconcilable differences.

Contact our Firm

If you need an experienced legal team to guide you through your family law matter, contact Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark L.L.C today.