Marriages are always “over” for a reason. Issues may exist from the very beginning, or they may develop over time. Perhaps you have come to the decision that the issues are simply insurmountable, or that your efforts have been valiant but insufficient when facing significant challenges, or that your spouse’s behavior has made it impossible to move forward. The demise of a relationship is always difficult, and the trajectory of events spells significant implications for the divorce process. Many times, the most divisive issues in a relationship are perpetuated after the marriage has ended, creating hostility that makes the divorce process similarly difficult. When a divorce becomes acrimonious, it may be difficult to move through the issues and reach a resolution. Under these circumstances, a team of experienced contested divorce attorneys can aggressively advocate for your interests, ensure that your case is resolved, and allow you to move on with your life.
Contested Divorce Attorneys | Here to Represent Your Best Interests
The New Jersey divorce attorneys at Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark, have over 75 years of combined experience in the area of divorce and family law. Our skilled legal professionals have limited their entire scope of practice to this area of the law in order to accumulate the greatest amount of knowledge and experience possible. Having served on behalf of thousands of clients across the state of New Jersey, we are well-equipped to tackle the many challenges involved in high-conflict or acrimonious divorces. In fact, our three senior partners are among the only 2 percent of their peers who are recognized by the New Jersey Supreme Court as Certified Matrimonial Law Attorneys. They have also each received the honor of being included in the Super Lawyers list published by Thomson Reuters. Ultimately, our firm is committed to solutions: crafting the most innovative strategies to resolve our clients’ issues and when necessary, ferociously representing their interests in court. If you are involved in an acrimonious divorce and wish to discuss your specific situation with one of our seasoned New Jersey divorce attorneys, contact our offices today to schedule your free initial consultation.
Acrimonious Divorces in New Jersey
When divorce happens, you must decide whether to pursue a no-fault or a fault-based divorce. With either option, there is the potential for gridlock on critical issues such as child custody, child support, alimony, and division of assets. Often, when divorce conflicts escalate, spouses take retaliatory measures that must be immediately addressed before you suffer long-term consequences. Some of the most common issues that we assist clients within contested divorces are explained in more detail below.
Contested Child Custody
When a divorce is extremely acrimonious and parents are arguing frequently in front of children, the children can suffer serious emotional trauma. Even when children are shielded from some of the conflicts, the underlying stress and tension can take its toll on them. To prevent your children from becoming collateral damage, it is essential to call upon professionals who can help you and your spouse to resolve issues like child custody. New Jersey has parenting coordinators that are available to divorcing couples who lack the ability to communicate well together. These professionals can facilitate communication among parents and help to protect the well-being of the children involved. One of our partners, Laurie L. Newmark, serves as a court-appointed Parent Coordinator in high conflict divorce cases involving children. Her extensive knowledge and experience in this realm allows her to provide unique insight to her clients as she guides them through divorce conflicts with special attention to the best interests of the children.
Parental Alienation
Another potential consequence of acrimonious divorce is parental alienation, a phenomenon in which one parent manipulates their child to cause division between the child and his or her other parent. Parental alienation may involve a variety of behaviors used to influence the child to become estranged from and/or reject the other parent. Our skilled New Jersey divorce lawyers are well-versed in the psychological implications of parental alienation and we fight zealously to prevent it and correct it when necessary.
Contested Division of Assets
One topic that is often a great cause of arguments among divorcing couples is property division. Individuals often fight aggressively to obtain the property that they believe is rightfully theirs. Our New Jersey divorce lawyers can assist you in understanding the many facets of the division of assets process and we will work tirelessly to achieve the best possible property settlement for you. Our specific knowledge and vast resources related to complex marital property distribution and high net worth divorce are often extremely valuable during conflicts over asset division.
Excessive Spending of Marital Assets
Another issue that can inflame an already acrimonious divorce is one spouse’s excessive spending. Due to the fact that New Jersey abides by a policy of equitable distribution, spouses may choose to spend excessively during divorce in order to dissipate the couple’s marital assets. This spiteful behavior, meant to deprive the other spouse of marital funds, is not viewed positively by the courts. In fact, judges may take excessive spending into consideration when awarding property and assets, leading to an unfavorable award for the spouse who was excessively spending. Identifying and highlighting this issue is critical in order to hold your spouse accountable and receive the property settlement you deserve.
Contact Our Morristown, NJ Contested Divorce Attorneys Today
If you are facing an acrimonious or contested divorce in New Jersey, you need an advocate and an adviser who will walk you through every phase of this process. We are honored to serve as your unwavering champions and we refuse to give up until we reach the best possible outcome. Contact our New Jersey divorce lawyers to begin your journey toward a successful divorce resolution.