As a New Jersey divorce lawyer, I have seen a lot happen in the courtroom and around the courthouse. Sometimes the court is so civil and orderly, other times it feels like the Jerry Springer Show is being recorded live in the courtroom. This article focuses on the Hudson County neighborhood located at 595 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ.

Divorce Cases in Hudson County, New Jersey

While each county court must follow the New Jersey court rules, each county has its own approach. Today’s article focuses on the Hudson County Family Court.

The presiding judge for the family portion is Judge Maureen Sogluizzo. Judge Sogluizzo manages the family part and also handles a large number of marriage/divorce cases. The judge is impartial and does not tolerate parental alienation and she has great respect for people in the Armed Forces. Through her leadership, a very important program during divorce litigation is the expansion of the Advance Resolution Panel which gives people who have attorneys a great opportunity to resolve their cases without going through the expense and stress of a judgment.

Judge Daniel D’Alessandro

The next judge, Judge D’Alessandro, is a lifelong resident of Jersey City and Hudson County. He owned his own law office on Kennedy Blvd in Jersey City, NJ for many years before being appointed as a Superior Court judge in the Hudson neighborhood. Judge D’Alessandro is a very quiet judge who rarely raises his voice and is someone who takes his time making decisions. The judge focuses his schedule primarily on divorce, child custody and post-divorce motions.

Judge Maureen Mantineo

Judge Mantineo was the presiding judge of the family division until she went to work on civil cases for a brief period. The bank and the bar welcome her warmly. Judge Mantineo is someone who is focused, works very hard, and is easily liked and liked if he is sincere. Judge Mantineo values ​​the relationship between both mother and son and father and son despite the problems the parents may be having.

Quick Synopsis of the Timeline of Contested Divorces in New Jersey

• The divorce is filed and the opposing party is notified
• The opposing party files an answer or appearance
• A Case Management Conference is held in which the attorneys present the disputed issues to the judge and the amount of time they need to do what is called discovery.
• Discovery Begins: Each party has the right to request information from the other party based on the issues in dispute. Examples of requested or requested items are: bank statements, tax returns, retirement asset statements, debt statements, employment records, loan documents, and more.
• Once discovery is completed or nearing completion, the parties attend the Advance Ruling Panel (ESP) in the local Superior Court, where each party presents their positions to panelists who will render a non-binding opinion on the case and how it must be resolved.
• After the ESP, the parties appear before the Judge and explain if the matter is resolved and, if not, they must choose an economic mediator to try to resolve it there for the last time. A trial date may be given at this post-ESP conference.
• If the parties do not resolve all the issues, those that remain will be judged before the Judge to decide. Family Court trials are judge trials, not jury trials.
• Judgment is pronounced. The parties have 45 days to appeal.