The New Jersey court system is growing increasingly back-logged so that if you file for divorce today, it may be years and tens of thousands of dollars before you get in front of a judge for a trial. Divorce arbitration is a faster, more streamlined alternative to resolve your divorce without waiting for your turn in a years long line of divorce cases that were filed before yours.
How Does Divorce Arbitration Work?
Divorce arbitration is an quick, effective and cost-efficient way to help you get divorced, divide your assets, set up a custody arrangements and other issues related to getting divorced in New Jersey.
Unlike mediation where a third-party mediator helps the divorcing spouses reach an agreement about the various issues facing them when terminating their marriage, in arbitration, the third-party arbitrator serves as a decision-maker. The arbitrator considers the facts and circumstances of your case and the evidence submitted, rendering a decision binding under New Jersey family law. You have input into the rules of the arbitration, whether or not there will be a review of the final decision and what issues will be decided in arbitration.
The parties often still have attorneys and, just like a divorce case in a New Jersey courtroom, the rules of evidence can be followed, witnesses testify and documents are submitted.
When the hearing is over, the arbitrator advises the parties of a date for issuance of the decision with the goal of resolving your divorce in weeks, rather than the years it currently takes through the normal court system. Another benefit of arbitration is that the trial dates are close together, avoiding the months and high cost of trials in family court.
Read frequently asked questions about arbitration.
How We Can Help.
Careful selection of your arbitrator may be the most important decision you make towards a satisfactory and timely resolution of your divorce, since his or her decision will be binding, as with a judge in a courtroom.
