Civil Union Dissolutions

Civil Union Dissolutions

Civil Union Dissolution Attorneys in Bergen County, NJ

New Jersey Civil Union Dissolution Laws

A Civil Union is a domestic partnership that entitles the participants to the same protections under New Jersey as married couples. There are a variety of reasons why a couple may enter into a civil union rather than a marriage. However, should that civil union dissolve, the same divorce issues will need to be decided, such as child custody, child support, alimony, and the division of assets.

Just as with divorce, if you are undergoing a civil union dissolution, it is highly recommended that you retain the counsel of an experienced attorney to ensure that your unique needs, concerns, and legal and financial rights are accurately represented before the civil union can be legally dissolved.

At The Law Office of Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark, our attorneys have extensive experience helping clients to fairly and efficiently resolve their divorces and civil union dissolutions in New Jersey. By retaining our services, you can rest assured that the legal complexities of your civil union dissolution, domestic partnership termination, or same-sex divorce are in good hands, and you can concentrate on looking towards your future.

Call our office today to discuss your unique needs and concerns when it comes to your civil union dissolution in a free and confidential consultation with our legal team today.

New Jersey’s Civil Union Laws and History

Same-sex civil unions and civil unions for couples over the age of 62 have been legal in New Jersey since 2004 thanks to the Civil Union Act. Now, thanks to the 2015 Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, same-sex marriage is legal in every state.

However, existing civil unions were not automatically converted into marriages as part of this change to the law, requiring domestic partners to take legal action for their civil union to instead be considered a marriage. This means that there are many couples whose legal relationship is still defined as a civil union, rather than a marriage.

Our attorneys treat all circumstances involving legal separation with equal seriousness and respect. Whether you are dissolving a civil union or filing for divorce, lean on our extensive experience to handle your unique case and reach the desired conclusion.

What Issues Need to Be Resolved To Legally End a Civil Union?

Civil union dissolution, same-sex divorce, and opposite-sex divorce are all legally analogous. This means that partners who are dissolving a civil union will need to face, and resolve, essentially the same issues that any divorcing couple will need to face, and resolve. These issues of course being:

  • Alimony and Spousal SupportIn some cases, one partner will be given the right to receive regular alimony payments from the other, to maintain the standard of living that they enjoyed during the civil union. Whether either partner is owed alimony and the amount to be paid is all determined on a case-by-case basis
  • Child Custody – Child custody is often the most contentious of issues to agree upon as it impacts not only the future of the child, but the needs and wants of the parents as well. In New Jersey, “physical” and “legal” custody are separate issues. Physical custody determines where the child will live and spend his or her time. Legal custody determines who has the legal authority to make important decisions in the child’s life such as choice of school or medical decisions
  • Child Support – Payments toward child support can be difficult to swallow for some parents, but our attorneys like to remind clients that it is not money for the sake of the other parent, it is money for the sake of the child. We can review your case and see what might be owed based on standard NJ formulas
  • Division of Assets – It is also vital to divide household assets. This can be difficult to determine as many years may have passed since purchases were made, pre and post-civil union. You will need to decide what happens with your Property, Owned Businesses, Debts, Retirement Assets, and more.

Again, just as with divorce, couples who wish to dissolve their civil union have a variety of options to choose from. These options will hopefully provide a path to reach agreements in the areas of child custody, child support, alimony, and marital asset division.

At the family law firm of Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark, our attorneys are highly-trained and well-versed in Alternative Dispute Resolution methods like mediation, arbitration, and collaboration. For information regarding how these processes work and their specific advantages and disadvantages, please click any of the clicks above.

Conversely, our attorneys are also prepared to help you dissolve your civil union through more traditional means like negotiation and courtroom litigation. Which of these methods ultimately works for you depends a great deal upon how willing you and your partner are to work together to find fair resolutions, and whether one party or the other has very specific demands that the other is not willing to meet.

Contact our Bergen County Civil Union and Domestic Partnership Dissolution Attorneys Today for a Free Consultation

At The Law Office of Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark, our attorneys have extensive experience helping clients to dissolve their civil union through a wide variety of methods including negotiation, litigation, and divorces alternatives like collaboration, mediation, and arbitration in Bergen County.

By practicing exclusively family and divorce law, our firm can focus on providing each of our clients and their families with the knowledgeable, effective, and attentive legal counsel they need and deserve when it comes to the critical matters of child custody, child support, alimony, and the division of assets.

To speak with our legal team today in a free and confidential consultation regarding your civil union dissolution, domestic partnership termination, or divorce, please contact us online, or through our Hackensack, NJ office at (201) 397-1750.

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