How much does Pro bono divorce in New Jersey cost?

Answer 1

"Pro bono" is short for "pro bono publico" which means "for the public good" and is normally used to describe a lawyer who takes a case for free. There may be some lawyers in New Jersey who take a divorce case pro bono, but it would be very unusual. It wouldn't cost anything for the lawyer, but you may have to pay the filing fee and other costs.

I suspect you really meant "pro se" which means "by yourself' - in other words, without a lawyer. The filing fee is $250, plus another $25 for a Parent Education Program if you have children. If you can't afford the filing fee, you can request that the fee be waived; if the judge agrees that you can't afford the fee, you won't have to pay anything to file. You may have to pay the Sheriff's Office to serve the complaint, but if your spouse agrees you may be able to serve it by mail.

New Jersey has excellent online help for people doing their own divorce. A good example is the first related link below, which is where I found the filing fee information. This and many other NJ self-help resources are at the second related link.