New Jersey open durational alimony attorney

Open durational alimony is the form of support New Jersey legislation introduced in 2014 to replace permanent alimony. The change was more than terminology: the framework governing duration, modification and termination was revised, and material written before the reform describes categories that no longer apply in the same way. Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C. handles these disputes. Call (888) 437-7747.

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Not the Same as Permanent Alimony

Open durational support has no fixed end date, which leads people to treat it as the old permanent alimony under a new name. It is not. The reform revised how duration relates to the length of the marriage, and it addressed modification and termination in terms the previous framework did not. Advice or articles predating the change are describing a system that was replaced.

Which Form Applies

New Jersey provides open durational, limited duration, rehabilitative and reimbursement alimony, and they are not interchangeable. Rehabilitative support is directed at a defined period of training or workforce re-entry. Reimbursement support addresses contributions toward a spouse’s education or training. Which is available turns substantially on the length of the marriage and on what the supported spouse realistically needs, and pleading the wrong one wastes the argument.

Modification, Retirement and Cohabitation

Support may be modified on changed circumstances, and the reform addressed retirement and cohabitation specifically, providing a framework for each rather than leaving them to general principles. Where support was fixed by an agreement, that agreement’s own terms affect what can be revisited and on what basis. These provisions deserve attention at drafting rather than at the point an application becomes necessary.

Where the Case Is Heard

Matrimonial actions proceed in the Family Part of the Chancery Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey, in the county where venue lies. Venue generally follows residence, so where the parties live in different counties there may be a choice, and it can affect scheduling and the judge assigned. Early applications are decided in that court and frequently shape the negotiation that follows.

Discovery Is Where These Cases Are Decided

Financial disclosure is compulsory. Each side produces a sworn statement of assets and liabilities and exchanges tax returns with all schedules, statements for every account, entity records, and the documents behind any claim that property is exempt from distribution. Complete production on a first request is the exception. The remedy is a motion, and a pattern of partial disclosure shapes how a court views the party well beyond the discovery dispute.

Experts and What They Establish

A valuation appraiser establishes what an interest is worth and defends the method used. A forensic accountant traces exempt property through years of transactions, reconstructs cash flow where records are thin, and tests whether reported income supports the household’s documented spending. Neither report is evidence until its author testifies, and an analysis built on records the other side never produced is exposed on cross-examination.

Settlement Posture

The productive window opens once appraisals and forensic work have been exchanged, because only then can both sides see a realistic range, and it closes as trial preparation costs approach the amount genuinely in dispute. Trial remains right where a valuation gap cannot be bridged or where a party will not produce records. That decision deserves a written estimate of cost and realistic gain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is permanent alimony still available in New Jersey?

No. The 2014 legislation replaced permanent alimony with open durational alimony and revised the surrounding framework. Sources predating the reform describe categories that no longer apply in the same form.

Does equitable distribution mean an equal split?

No. New Jersey weighs statutory factors rather than applying a fixed division. An equal result is common in a long marriage but it is a conclusion rather than a starting rule.

What if my spouse controls the records?

Financial disclosure is compulsory and discovery reaches banks, brokerages, employers and entities. Incomplete production is addressed by motion, and a pattern of it affects how the court views that party.

How long will this take?

It depends on the volume of discovery, on whether appraisals or forensic work are required, and on the county’s calendar. Matters resolved after the expert work is exchanged conclude sooner than those tried.

Will our agreement control?

A validly executed agreement controls what it covers. Disputes commonly concern disclosure at signing, the circumstances of execution, and assets acquired afterwards.

What should I bring to the first meeting?

Recent tax returns with all schedules, statements for every account, any premarital or postnuptial agreement, entity documents for any business interest, and a short written timeline.

About Mr. Sris

Mr. Sris, Owner and Founder of Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C., has practiced since 1997. He is a former prosecutor, and that experience shapes how he builds a documentary record and reads the other side’s file. He is admitted in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, and New York. His background at George Mason University in accounting and information systems applies to complex financial cases, which is where a contested matrimonial matter usually turns. Mr. Sris and the firm’s Of Counsel attorneys handle New Jersey matters together, with the division of work set at the start of the engagement.

Speak With Mr. Sris

Request a consultation. Reach our location at (888) 437-7747. Bring tax returns, statements for every account, any agreement signed before or during the marriage, entity documents for any business interest, and a short written timeline. That material lets the first conversation move past intake and into the questions that decide the case.

Last updated: August 25, 2026

This page provides general information about New Jersey family law and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Case results depend on a variety of factors unique to each case. Results may vary.

Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C., principal office: 4008 Williamsburg Court, Fairfax, VA 22032. By appointment. Call (888) 437-7747 to schedule.

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