Freehold Family Lawyer

Anyone filing for divorce, fighting over a parenting schedule, or asking a judge to change an alimony order in Monmouth County will end up in the same place: the Family Part of the Superior Court in Freehold. Sanvenero & Cittadino, LLC is a New Jersey law firm centered on divorce and family law, and it represents spouses and parents from Freehold and across Monmouth, Ocean, and Middlesex Counties in negotiated settlements, mediation, collaborative divorce, and contested litigation. If you are looking for a Freehold family lawyer, the questions that matter most usually involve who decides what, how quickly, and on what evidence.

Family law in New Jersey changed noticeably in January 2026. Governor Murphy signed Kayden’s Law, which rewrote the custody statute so that the safety of the children is the threshold question in every custody and parenting-time decision. The old presumption favoring frequent and continuing contact with both parents is gone, the list of best-interest factors grew to fifteen, and judges in contested cases must now make detailed findings on the record. Anyone starting or defending a custody case in Freehold today is working under a different framework than the parents who came before them.

The same courthouse also handles the financial side of a family breakup: support, the division of property, alimony, and the enforcement and modification of judgments years after they are signed. A good family lawyer thinks about all of it together, because a parenting schedule affects child support, a business affects alimony, and a retirement date affects both.

What Kayden’s Law Means for Custody Cases Heard in Freehold

The revised custody statute says custody and parenting-time decisions must promote the safety of children as a threshold issue. In practice, that means a judge looks at safety before turning to schedules, school districts, or each parent’s work hours. Where there is a history of domestic violence or child abuse, a parent who committed the abuse cannot be awarded additional custody as a way of repairing the relationship with the child.

Two other changes matter a great deal to parents who feel stuck in a long dispute. Courts may no longer order reunification therapy unless there is generally accepted, scientifically valid evidence that it is safe and effective. And a judge may not simply assume that a child’s reluctance to see one parent is parental alienation; the court has to investigate the actual reasons. Mental health professionals who perform custody evaluations must be state-licensed, and when abuse or domestic violence is part of the case they must have specific training and experience in those areas.

For a parent who is the primary caregiver, these changes can strengthen a safety-based concern that might once have been treated as a complaint. For a parent who is accused of something, they raise the importance of an early, organized response. Our child custody lawyers help parents build clear, child-focused parenting plans and prepare for the issues the Family Part now looks at most closely.

Why Choose Sanvenero & Cittadino for Family Law Matters Near Freehold

Sanvenero & Cittadino, LLC represents individuals, families, and business owners throughout Monmouth County, including Freehold, Colts Neck, Holmdel, Middletown, Tinton Falls, Red Bank, Rumson, Long Branch, and Asbury Park, as well as clients in Ocean County, Middlesex County, and across the state. Family law is the core of the practice, and the firm has the depth to handle the business, real estate, tax, and estate questions that so often sit inside a divorce.

Richard Sanvenero, the firm’s Managing Partner, is a New Jersey Supreme Court Certified Matrimonial Attorney. That designation is granted to attorneys who meet experience requirements and pass an examination. He previously served as a law clerk in the Family Part of the Superior Court of New Jersey, so he has seen how family judges read a file from the bench side, and he is trained in mediation, arbitration, and collaborative divorce. Joshua Cittadino, Founding Partner, brings experience in real estate, construction litigation, personal injury, employment matters, and business transactions, which is useful when a marital estate includes a company, rental property, or contractor receivables. Mike Canarick, Of Counsel, is a tax and estate planning attorney who works with the family law team when the tax consequences of a settlement or the restructuring of an estate plan are on the table.

Our attorneys are admitted in New Jersey, New York, Florida, and the District of Columbia, and several have been recognized by Super Lawyers. In high net worth divorces we work with forensic accountants and business valuation professionals to identify and value closely held businesses, professional practices, stock options, trusts, inherited wealth, and royalty or licensing income. Clients tell us, and we aim to deliver, that our team communicates clearly, returns calls, and explains each step in plain terms. Because the firm also handles business, real estate, estate planning, and litigation matters, a client dealing with several problems at once works with one coordinated team rather than several disconnected firms. That coordination reflects the firm’s results elsewhere too, including $400,000 recovered for personal injury clients in just three months.

Family Law Issues We Handle for Freehold Clients

• Divorce and Equitable Distribution: New Jersey divides marital property equitably, not necessarily equally, and the process includes the home, retirement accounts, business interests, and debt, along with alimony, child support, custody, and the final judgment. Cases resolve by agreement or go to trial in the Family Part.
• High Net Worth Divorce: Closely held businesses, professional practices, executive compensation, stock options, investment accounts, real estate holdings, inherited wealth, and creative income such as royalties require valuation work and careful tracing of what is marital and what is not.
• Child Custody and Parenting Time: Decisions now begin with child safety under the amended statute, followed by an expanded set of best-interest factors, with more weight given to what children say they want.
• Alimony: Permanent alimony was eliminated in 2014; the statute now speaks of open durational alimony, along with limited duration and other forms. Disputes turn on real income, lifestyle evidence, and claims that a spouse is earning less than they could.
• Child Support: Support depends on accurate income figures for both households, including self-employment income, bonuses, and commissions, and on how parenting time is divided.
• Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements: Agreements must be in writing, supported by full financial disclosure, and signed after each party has had a chance to consult independent counsel, or they can be challenged later.
• Post-Judgment Modification and Enforcement: Job loss, a business downturn, retirement, cohabitation, emancipation, and unpaid child-related expenses such as medical bills, childcare, activities, and college costs all bring clients back to court.
• Domestic Violence and Restraining Orders: Temporary and final restraining order hearings, for plaintiffs and defendants, often drive custody, housing, and finances at the same time.

What to Do When a Family Court Case Is Coming to Freehold

Family cases arising in Monmouth County are heard in the Family Division of the Superior Court at the Monmouth County Courthouse in Freehold. Whether you are the one filing or the one being served, the first weeks matter. Start by gathering financial documents before anyone has a reason to hide or reorganize them: tax returns, pay stubs, business financials, bank and brokerage statements, retirement account statements, mortgage and loan records, and anything showing the standard of living during the marriage. If you own a business, add profit and loss statements and records of your own compensation. A judge deciding support or property division can only work with what is proved.

If children are involved, write down the real routine: who handles school, medical appointments, meals, and activities, and who is available when. Keep communication with the other parent civil and in writing where possible, because messages become exhibits. Avoid moving out, changing the schedule, or posting about the case on social media without advice first, since early choices tend to become the baseline a court later treats as normal.

If safety is a concern, the timeline is much shorter. A temporary restraining order sets a hearing date within ten days, and a final restraining order, if granted, does not expire. Restraining orders fall under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, and the plaintiff must prove the case by a preponderance of the evidence. When a restraining order is entered, firearms must be surrendered and any Firearms Purchaser Identification Card is revoked. Violating a restraining order can be prosecuted separately as contempt. Survivors may also be eligible for help through the Victims of Crime Compensation Office, which can assist with medical costs, counseling, lost wages, and relocation. A claim must be filed within five years of the crime, and the crime must have been reported to police within nine months, or the filing of a restraining order, though the office can extend the filing deadline for good cause. Eligibility does not depend on the offender being convicted or even prosecuted.

The most common mistake is treating the first order as temporary and unimportant. Pendente lite support, a temporary parenting schedule, or a restraining order can shape the rest of the case. Consult a Freehold family law attorney before you sign anything or appear at a first hearing.

Changing Alimony and Support After Retirement, Job Loss, or Cohabitation

A divorce judgment is not always the end. Under the alimony statute, alimony can be modified or ended when the paying spouse actually or prospectively retires. For orders entered after the 2014 reform, there is a rebuttable presumption that alimony ends when the payor reaches full retirement age under federal law, which is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. Orders and written agreements that were already in place before the law took effect on September 10, 2014 are governed by a separate standard in the statute, so the date of your original agreement matters.

Cohabitation is another trigger: alimony may be suspended or terminated if the recipient is living with another person in a relationship that the law treats as a supportive one. Job loss is evaluated differently depending on how you earn a living. For an employee, the court looks at why the income dropped and, if the job was lost, at the documented efforts made to find replacement work. A self-employed payor seeking relief for an involuntary drop in income must submit an analysis of the economic and non-economic benefits received from the business compared with those at the time of the order. Courts may adjust the amount of a limited duration award, but they will not change its length except in unusual circumstances.

Child support follows its own rules. Unless a court order or approved agreement says otherwise, it ends by operation of law when a child dies, marries, enters military service, or reaches 19. That does not end obligations for college or other expenses the judgment specifically allocates, which is why precise language in the original agreement matters. In each of these situations the court generally wants proof of a substantial change in circumstances or clear noncompliance, and we help clients build that record with the right financial documentation.

Freehold Family Law Questions Answered

Where are Freehold divorce and custody cases heard?

They are heard in the Family Division of the Superior Court at the Monmouth County Courthouse in Freehold. That court handles divorce, custody, parenting time, support, and domestic violence matters arising in Monmouth County.

How did the 2026 custody law change what judges consider?

The amended statute makes child safety the threshold issue, removes the presumption favoring frequent and continuing contact with both parents, and expands the best-interest factors to fifteen. Judges in contested cases must also state detailed findings on the record.

Can a judge order my child into reunification therapy?

Only in narrow circumstances now. Courts may not order it unless there is generally accepted, scientifically valid evidence that it is safe and effective, and a judge cannot simply assume that a child’s reluctance to see a parent is alienation without looking into the reasons.

Is permanent alimony still available in New Jersey?

No. The 2014 reform eliminated permanent alimony, and the statute now uses the term open durational alimony. Limited duration, rehabilitative, and reimbursement forms of support also exist depending on the facts.

Will my alimony end when I retire?

It may. For orders entered after the 2014 amendments, there is a rebuttable presumption that alimony ends when the payor reaches full retirement age, which is 67 for people born in 1960 or later. Earlier retirement can be raised too, and older agreements are judged under a different standard.

Does moving in with a new partner affect alimony?

It can. Alimony may be suspended or terminated if the recipient is cohabiting with another person, and the question is fact specific, turning on the nature of the relationship and whether it provides economic support.

I am self-employed and my income dropped. Can I lower support?

You can ask, but the court will want more than tax returns. For alimony, a self-employed payor who claims an involuntary reduction in income must provide an analysis of the economic and non-economic benefits received from the business compared with the time the order was entered.

When does child support stop in New Jersey?

Unless a court order or approved agreement provides otherwise, it ends when the child dies, marries, enters military service, or turns 19. Orders involving college or other continuing obligations should be reviewed closely before assuming support has ended.

Do I need a prenuptial agreement if I own a business or expect an inheritance?

It is worth serious consideration. New Jersey requires a written agreement, full financial disclosure, and an opportunity for independent counsel. A well-built agreement can protect a company, family wealth, or an artist’s future royalties, and a postnuptial agreement can address changes after the wedding such as a new business or inheritance.

Does a restraining order affect my custody case?

Very often, yes. Under the amended custody statute safety is a threshold question, and an abusive parent cannot be given more custody to repair the relationship with the child. A temporary order also sets a hearing within ten days, so the issue reaches the court quickly.

Can a spouse recover costs from a domestic violence case?

The Prevention of Domestic Violence Act allows compensatory damages for losses directly caused by an act of domestic violence, and reasonable attorney fees can be recovered. Separately, the Victims of Crime Compensation Office may help eligible survivors with certain expenses.

Is mediation or collaborative divorce a realistic option?

For many families it is. Mr. Sanvenero is trained in mediation, arbitration, and collaborative divorce, and these routes can reduce cost and conflict when both spouses are willing to disclose finances honestly. They are less suitable where safety is at issue or where one side is hiding assets.

Serving Family Law Clients From Freehold Across Monmouth, Ocean, and Middlesex Counties

Our work for families centers on Freehold and the surrounding Monmouth County communities that send their cases to the Freehold courthouse. From Freehold itself we represent clients in Colts Neck, Holmdel, Middletown, Tinton Falls, and Shrewsbury, and toward the Navesink River and the shore, in Red Bank, Rumson, Long Branch, and Asbury Park. Parents and spouses across Monmouth County rely on the firm for divorce, custody, support, and post-judgment matters, whether the issue is a parenting schedule between two nearby school districts or the valuation of a business built over twenty years.

The firm also represents clients in Ocean County, including Toms River, and throughout Middlesex County, where family matters are heard in a different county’s Family Division. Our attorneys are admitted in New Jersey, New York, Florida, and the District of Columbia, which helps when a family has assets, a second home, or a parent in another state. Wherever you live, the right lawyer starts by learning what your family actually looks like.

Speak With a Freehold Family Law Attorney at Sanvenero & Cittadino

If you are weighing a divorce, responding to a custody petition, or asking a court to change an alimony or support order, a conversation with a Freehold family law attorney at Sanvenero & Cittadino, LLC can give you a clear picture of where you stand and what the court is likely to consider. Call the firm to schedule a consultation, bring your financial documents and any existing orders, and we will walk through your options in plain terms before you decide how to proceed.