Freehold Divorce Lawyer

Every contested divorce in Monmouth County runs through the Family Part of the Superior Court, and the judges who hear those cases sit in Freehold, the county seat. For anyone who lives in or near the borough, that is a practical fact: hearings on custody, support, and the division of property all happen within a short drive of home. Sanvenero & Cittadino, LLC is a law firm that concentrates on divorce and family law and represents spouses and parents in Freehold and across Monmouth, Ocean, and Middlesex Counties.

If you are searching for a Freehold divorce lawyer, you are probably trying to answer questions that have nothing to do with legal jargon. Will I keep the house? How much will support be? When will I see my kids, and on what schedule? Those answers are shaped by New Jersey statutes, by the financial records each side can produce, and, since early 2026, by a rewritten custody law that changed what judges look at first. The sections below cover how these issues play out and what to do while your case is still taking shape.

What Changed in New Jersey Custody Law and Why It Matters in a Freehold Divorce

In January 2026, Governor Murphy signed Kayden’s Law, which rewrote N.J.S.A. 9:2-4. Before the amendment, the statute leaned toward a policy of frequent and continuing contact with both parents. That presumption is gone. Now a custody or parenting-time decision must treat the safety of the child as a threshold issue before the court gets to anything else. The list of best-interest factors grew to fifteen, and children’s own preferences carry more weight than they did before.

Several other pieces of the amendment matter if your divorce involves children. Where there is a history of domestic violence or child abuse, a parent who committed the abuse cannot be given more custody time as a way to repair the relationship. Judges can no longer order reunification therapy without generally accepted, scientifically valid evidence that it is safe and effective. A court also may not simply assume that a child’s reluctance to see one parent is parental alienation; it has to look into the reasons. In contested cases, judges must put detailed findings on the record, and mental health professionals who evaluate a family must be licensed in New Jersey, with specific training in domestic violence or abuse when those issues are present.

For parents, the practical lesson is that a parenting plan built around the child’s actual routine, school, and safety tends to be better received than one built around fairness to the adults. Our child custody work focuses on preparing plans and evidence that speak to the questions judges now ask first.

Why Choose Sanvenero & Cittadino, LLC as Your Freehold Divorce Attorney

Sanvenero & Cittadino, LLC is a full-service firm built around divorce and family law, serving individuals, families, and business owners in Freehold and throughout Monmouth County, along with clients in Ocean County, Middlesex County, and across New Jersey. Richard Sanvenero, the firm’s Managing Partner, is a New Jersey Supreme Court Certified Matrimonial Attorney. That designation is granted by the state’s highest court to lawyers who meet experience requirements and pass an examination in the field. Before practicing, he served as a law clerk in the Family Part of the Superior Court, so he has seen how family judges read a case from the bench side. He is also trained in mediation, arbitration, and collaborative divorce, which means he can steer a case toward agreement or prepare it for trial, depending on what the facts call for.

Joshua Cittadino, Founding Partner, brings experience in real estate, construction litigation, personal injury, employment matters, and business transactions. That background is useful in divorces where a marital home, rental property, or family business sits at the center of the dispute. Mike Canarick, Of Counsel, is a tax and estate planning attorney who helps clients understand the tax effects of a settlement and update their estate plans afterward. The firm’s attorneys are admitted in New Jersey, New York, Florida, and the District of Columbia, and several have been recognized by Super Lawyers.

Many divorces involve more than a marriage. A closely held company, an investment portfolio, a stream of royalties, or inherited wealth can all be on the table. In high net worth cases, the firm works with forensic accountants and business valuation professionals, and its own estate planning and tax attorneys, to identify and value what is really there. Clients describe a team that communicates clearly, returns calls, and explains each step in plain terms. The firm has also recovered $400,000 for personal injury clients in just three months, a result that reflects the litigation depth behind the family law practice.

Issues That Shape a Freehold Divorce Case

• Equitable Distribution of Marital Property: New Jersey divides assets acquired during the marriage fairly, which does not always mean equally. Homes in Freehold Township and the surrounding towns, retirement accounts, and business interests are the usual battlegrounds.
• Alimony: Permanent alimony was eliminated in 2014, and the statute now uses open durational alimony, along with limited duration and other forms. Support disputes often turn on accurate income figures and lifestyle evidence.
• Child Custody and Parenting Time: Under the amended N.J.S.A. 9:2-4, child safety comes first, followed by fifteen best-interest factors. Work schedules, school location, and each parent’s involvement shape the plan.
• Child Support: Support obligations generally continue until a child reaches 19, marries, enters military service, or dies, unless a court order or approved agreement says otherwise. College costs and medical expenses are frequent flash points.
• High Net Worth Divorce: Professional practices, stock options, executive compensation, trusts, and royalties require valuation experts and careful tracing of what is marital and what is not.
• Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements: A valid agreement requires a writing, full financial disclosure, and a chance for each party to consult independent counsel. Agreements that miss those requirements can be challenged.
• Domestic Violence and Restraining Orders: A restraining order can reshape custody, housing, and finances almost overnight, and the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act governs both temporary and final orders.
• Post-Judgment Modifications and Enforcement: Job loss, retirement, a significant raise, or a former spouse who stops paying can all send a case back to court.

What to Do in the First Weeks of a Freehold Divorce

Start with paper. Gather the last several years of tax returns, pay stubs, bank and brokerage statements, retirement account statements, mortgage and loan documents, and anything showing the value of a business or professional practice. If you are the spouse who has never handled the finances, collecting these early is one of the most useful things you can do, because both sides will eventually have to exchange full financial disclosure.

Contested divorces and custody disputes in Monmouth County are heard in the Family Part at the Monmouth County Courthouse in Freehold. The Family Division handles divorce, custody, parenting time, and support, and the courthouse is also where domestic violence hearings take place for Monmouth cases. If you have been served with papers or a temporary restraining order, note the dates carefully. A temporary restraining order includes a hearing date within ten days, and that hearing can affect where you live and how much time you spend with your children right away.

Avoid the mistakes that tend to hurt people later. Do not move money, hide assets, or run up debt without advice; judges notice. Keep social media quiet. Do not use the children as messengers or ask them to choose sides, particularly now that courts must take a child’s preference seriously and investigate the reasons behind it. Keep communication with your spouse civil and in writing where possible. And before agreeing to anything informally, speak with an attorney, because verbal understandings about the house, support, or the schedule do not bind anyone until they are in a signed agreement or a court order.

Many Freehold couples explore mediation or collaborative divorce first, particularly when they share a business or want to keep family matters out of a courtroom. These approaches can be faster and more private, and Richard Sanvenero’s training in both means the option is genuinely open. If talks break down, the same preparation carries over into litigation.

Support, Retirement, and Cohabitation After the Judgment

A divorce judgment is not always the final word. Under N.J.S.A. 2A:34-23, alimony can be modified or ended when the paying spouse retires or when the recipient is living with another person in a way that changes the financial picture. For orders entered after the 2014 reform, there is a rebuttable presumption that alimony ends when the payor reaches full retirement age, which is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. Older orders and agreements fall under a separate standard.

When a payor loses a job, the court looks at why the income dropped and whether the person made documented efforts to find replacement work. When the payor is self-employed, the application has to analyze the economic and non-economic benefits received from the business and compare them to what existed when the order was entered. A court can adjust the amount of limited duration alimony but generally will not change the length of the term except in unusual circumstances. In every case, the strength of the financial documentation decides the result.

Frequently Asked Questions About Divorce in Freehold

How long does a divorce take in Monmouth County?

It depends almost entirely on whether the case settles. An uncontested divorce with a signed settlement agreement can finish much sooner than one that requires discovery, expert valuations, and a trial. Disputes over custody, a business, or alimony add time. Mediation and collaborative divorce often shorten the process.

Do I have to go to court to get divorced?

Not always. Many couples resolve everything through negotiation or mediation and finalize the judgment with limited court involvement. If you cannot agree on custody, support, or property, the Family Part in Freehold will decide those issues after a hearing or trial.

How does New Jersey decide custody now?

Courts apply the amended N.J.S.A. 9:2-4. Child safety is the threshold question, and the judge then weighs fifteen best-interest factors, giving more weight to a child’s preferences than before. The old presumption favoring frequent and continuing contact with both parents no longer applies.

Is alimony still permanent in New Jersey?

No. The 2014 reform eliminated permanent alimony. The statute now provides for open durational alimony, limited duration alimony, rehabilitative alimony, and reimbursement alimony, depending on the length of the marriage and the circumstances.

What happens to the house in a divorce?

The home is a marital asset if it was acquired during the marriage, and the court can order it sold, or one spouse can buy out the other. The outcome depends on the equity, each spouse’s ability to carry the mortgage, and where the children will live.

Can a prenuptial agreement be thrown out?

Yes, if it fails the statutory requirements. New Jersey requires a written agreement, full financial disclosure, and a chance for each party to consult independent counsel. An agreement missing those elements can be challenged, often when a divorce is already underway.

My spouse owns a business. How is it valued and divided?

A business interest is usually valued by a professional who reviews financial statements, tax returns, and the company’s operations. We work with business valuation professionals and forensic accountants to determine what the business is worth and how much of it is marital property. Whether to keep, buy out, or sell the interest is then negotiated or decided by the court.

Will child support end automatically when my child turns 18?

Not necessarily. Unless a court order or approved agreement says otherwise, child support ends by operation of law at 19, marriage, military service, or the child’s death. Many orders continue support for children in college, so the exact wording of your judgment matters.

Does a restraining order affect my divorce?

It can affect nearly every part of it. A restraining order can determine who stays in the home, shape the custody schedule, and require the surrender of firearms. A final restraining order does not expire, and violating a temporary or final order can be prosecuted as contempt.

Can I get help with costs if I was a victim of domestic violence?

Possibly. New Jersey’s Victims of Crime Compensation Office can assist eligible victims with expenses like medical care, counseling, lost wages, and relocation. The crime generally must be reported to police within nine months, or a restraining order filed, and a claim must be filed within five years, though the office may allow later filing for good cause. A conviction of the offender is not required.

Can I change support if my income drops after the divorce?

You can ask the court to modify support, but you must show a substantial change in circumstances and back it up with documentation. For a job loss, that includes proof that you looked for replacement work. For a self-employed person, the court examines the benefits received from the business compared with those at the time of the order.

Should I hire a lawyer if my divorce seems amicable?

It is usually worth at least a consultation. Even friendly divorces involve retirement accounts, tax consequences, and support terms that are hard to change later. A settlement agreement becomes a binding judgment, and fixing a flawed one after the fact is difficult.

Serving Freehold Divorce and Family Law Clients Across Monmouth and Neighboring Counties

Our work begins in Freehold, where the Monmouth County Family Part sits, and extends across Monmouth County. We represent clients in Freehold Borough and Freehold Township, as well as Red Bank, Rumson, Middletown, Holmdel, Colts Neck, Tinton Falls, Long Branch, Asbury Park, and Shrewsbury. Because many divorces involve a home in one town and a business or job in another, we are comfortable working across the county line.

We also serve families in neighboring Ocean County, including Toms River, and clients throughout Middlesex County, where family matters are heard in the Family Division in New Brunswick. For clients with matters elsewhere in the state, our attorneys are admitted in New Jersey, and we handle cases across New Jersey. Whether the issue is a high asset divorce, a custody dispute, a prenuptial agreement, or a post-judgment support modification, the same team is available to coordinate family, business, real estate, and estate planning needs.

Speak With a Freehold Divorce Attorney at Sanvenero & Cittadino

The decisions made in the first months of a divorce tend to echo for years, in the home you keep, the support you pay or receive, and the schedule your children live by. If you are weighing your options, a conversation with a Freehold divorce attorney at Sanvenero & Cittadino, LLC can give you a clear sense of where you stand and what comes next.

Call us to schedule a consultation. We will listen to the facts, explain how New Jersey law applies to them, and outline a plan that fits your family and your finances.