New Jersey Divorce Checklist: Every Document You Need to File

The Initial Filing Packet

Before you file — whether through JEDS, in person, or by mail — you need every document in your initial packet assembled and ready. Missing one form can cause the clerk to return the filing.

Here is what goes in the packet:

1. Divorce Complaint. The primary pleading that identifies both parties, states the grounds for divorce, and requests the relief you are seeking (property division, custody, support). The initial packet includes the Divorce Complaint; follow the current New Jersey Judiciary materials for its required contents.

2. Summons (Form CN 10792). The official court form that notifies your spouse a divorce action has been filed. It tells the defendant they have 35 days to respond.

3. Confidential Litigant Information Sheet (Form CN 10486). Required under N.J.S.A. 2A:17-56.60. This form collects Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, employer addresses, and other personal identifiers for both parties. If children are involved, it includes their names, dates of birth, and health insurance details. This form is strictly confidential — it is never shared with the opposing party or made part of the public record.

4. CDR Alternatives Certification (Form CN 10889). Under Court Rule 5:4-2(h), you certify that you have read Form CN 10888 (which describes mediation, arbitration, and other dispute resolution alternatives). This is a one-page acknowledgment, but it is mandatory.

5. Certification of Insurance Coverage. Lists all health, life, automobile, and property insurance policies held by both spouses and any covered children, as required by Court Rule 5:4-2(f).

6. Certification of Verification and Non-Collusion. A sworn statement that the allegations in your complaint are true and that the action is not filed in collusion with the defendant.

Due Within 20 Days of the Answer

7. Family Part Case Information Statement (Form CN 10482). This is the court's comprehensive financial disclosure form. It is required whenever custody, child support, alimony, or property division are at issue. Both sides must complete and exchange it within 20 days of the defendant filing an answer or appearance.

The CIS requires detailed income, asset, and liability information backed by documentation. You must attach your most recent federal and state tax returns, W-2s, 1099s, and three consecutive recent pay stubs.

Documents to Have Ready (Not Filed Initially)

These are not part of the initial filing packet, but you will need them during the case:

• Property Settlement Agreement (PSA): if the divorce is uncontested, this is the written agreement covering all terms. Both sides sign and notarize it.
• Proof of service: Acknowledgment of Service (Form 08), sheriff's Return of Service, or a private server's Affidavit of Service — filed after you serve your spouse.
• Fee waiver application: Form 04 and Form A, if you qualify for indigency-based fee relief. These must be filed at the same time as the complaint.

The Redaction Requirement

Before uploading anything, redact personal identifiers from documents intended for the public court record under Court Rule 1:38-7. Black out full Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, financial account numbers, credit card numbers, and insurance policy numbers on those documents — keeping only the last three digits where needed. Provide required identifiers on the Confidential Litigant Information Sheet (CN 10486), not in public filings, and keep unredacted copies of public documents in your personal records.

If you submit unredacted bank statements or tax returns through JEDS, the clerk may reject the filing. This is one of the most common pro se mistakes.

Keeping It Organized

The filing checklist is not complicated, but it is unforgiving. One missing form or one unredacted document sends you back to the starting line. The New Jersey Divorce Filing Process Guide includes a pre-flight checklist and JEDS upload guide that maps each document to its file label, so you verify completeness before you hit submit.

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