No kids, no house, nothing to fight about
Good fit for self-serve
This is the case self-serve was built for. If this page describes you, the whole process is transcription plus patience.
Some marriages end with nothing to divide and nothing to decide: two incomes, a rented apartment, separate accounts, no children. New Jersey still requires the full formal process — but for this couple, the process is genuinely just paperwork.
What your packet still contains
The court doesn't shrink the stack because your life is simple. You still file a complaint on irreconcilable differences, the insurance certification, the confidential information sheets, the CDR certification, and — yes — a settlement agreement, even when it mostly says each keeps their own. A written mutual release is what prevents a claim appearing years later; 'we had nothing to split' is not a defense on file anywhere unless you put it there.
The realistic timeline
- Preparation: a few evenings of answering questions and reviewing documents.
- Signatures: both spouses, with the agreement notarized.
- Filing through JEDS: an hour, $300 plus $175 if the responding spouse files an Appearance.
- The court: typically two to four months to a judgment on the papers under Directive #01-25, no hearing in most complete cases.
The two mistakes simple cases make
- Skipping beneficiary changes — divorce does not remove an ex from your 401(k), life insurance, or bank beneficiary designations. Simple-case couples skip this constantly because 'we had nothing.' You had those.
- Rushing the six-month math — the differences must have existed six months when you FILE. Filing in month five bounces an otherwise perfect packet.
Clear Parting Docs is not a law firm and this page is general legal information, not legal advice about your situation. For advice you can rely on, talk to a New Jersey attorney — any one you choose.
Quick answers
How fast can a simple uncontested divorce go in NJ?
Preparation can take days; after filing, two to four months to judgment is typical, with most complete uncontested packets decided on the papers without a hearing under Directive #01-25.
Do we need a settlement agreement if we have no assets?
You should have one anyway — a short agreement with mutual releases is what prevents property or support claims from surfacing later. 'We had nothing' isn't on file unless you file it.
Can we file together as a couple?
New Jersey divorce starts with one spouse filing a complaint and the other responding — there's no joint petition — but in a cooperative case the response is a signed acknowledgment and an appearance, and the process functions like a joint effort.
See what the finished packet looks like.
Every court document, built from your answers, ready to review and file.