Short Hills

Divorce and Family Law Attorneys in Short Hills, New Jersey

Divorce can take an emotional, physical, monetary, legal, psychological and spiritual toll on you and your family. During this difficult and traumatic time, you need a New Jersey law firm who will work tirelessly for you and your children while tackling the pertinent issues of divorce such as custody, spousal support, child support and division of property. If you are considering a divorce or family law matter in Essex County, please call Helfand & Associates at (973) 428 0800 for a free consultation with one of our lawyers. We have extensive experience practicing family and matrimonial law in Essex County, New Jersey.

Law Practice Concentrating on Divorce and Family Law

Whether you are involved in an amicable divorce, an uncontested divorce or a complex, high net worth contested divorce that requires extensive litigation, the Essex County, New Jersey divorce and family law attorneys at Helfand & Associates will be there for you throughout the process. Our attorneys are highly skilled at settling matters through creative negotiations, mediation or alternative dispute resolution. However, if necessary, we stand ready to litigate on your behalf and we will be prepared and ready to fervently advocate for your rights and best interests in the Essex County, New Jersey Family Law Court system. We recognize that you and your spouse may be co-parenting your children for years to come and we take this into account while advocating in your behalf.

Your Matter is Unique and Requires Specialized Attention

We begin each case by first assessing your current situation and then we also take the time to understand your specific wants, needs and desires. Our communication with you is critical for us to be able to find creative and workable solutions that are right for you and your family. We take the time to listen to you and understand your values and goals. Extensive fact gathering is conducted because each detail is critical in order for our divorce and matrimonial attorneys to make thoughtful and proper recommendations regarding your matters. Our Essex County, New Jersey divorce and family law attorneys will stand by you throughout the entire case.

A Higher Level of Representation

If you are considering a divorce in the Essex County, New Jersey Family Court, the attorneys at Helfand & Associates have extensive experience practicing family and matrimonial law. Our law firm is on Route 10, only a few minutes from Routes 287 and 46 and less than ten minutes from the Livingston Circle. Contact us for your FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION and learn why our clients refer their most beloved friends and family members to our Essex County, New Jersey divorce and family law firm so we can help them with their legal family issues.

For Divorce, Family, Small Business and Legal Separation Concerns:

Divorce and Family Law

Bankruptcy/Debt

Criminal/Traffic/DWI

Workers Compensation

Guardianships/Probate Litigation

Demographics & Geography

Short Hills is an unincorporated area located within the township of Millburn, in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. It is a popular commuter town for residents who work in New York City. This affluent enclave features stately, older homes and newer construction.

History

Beginnings

Originally, the area that would become Short Hills was part of Springfield, New Jersey, and its eponymous hills are thought to have played a role in the movement of the Continental Army under George Washington during the Battle of Springfield. Short Hills began as a planned community, when Stewart Hartshorn (who became wealthy from developing, perfecting and manufacturing the self-acting shade roller) purchased 13 acres (53,000 m2) of land in Millburn Township, near the present Hobart Avenue, Parsonage Hill Road, and Chatham Road. Hartshorn’s purpose was to create “a harmonious community for people who appreciated nature,” and “where natural beauty would not be destroyed by real estate developments, and where people of congenial tastes could dwell together.” He later increased his land holdings to 56 acres (230,000 m2) for himself and 1,552 acres (6.28 km2) for the whole village, with each plot not owned by Hartshorn being no larger than 1/2 acre.

Hartshorn chose the name “Short Hills” because it reflected the topography of the region, and also because the local Lenape Native Americans used the same name to describe the region. One local resident suggested that he call his village “Hartshornville,” but he definitively refused.

Railroad and postal connections

Hartshorn situated his “ideal town” near enough to a railroad to allow for an easy commute to Hoboken and, from there, to New York City. Hence, his decision in 1879 to build, at his own expense, a railroad station along the original Morris and Essex Railroad line. He also persuaded the United States Post Office to open a station in his new railroad station in 1880, and in fact, the Post Office has always had a presence in Short Hills from that day and its own ZIP Code, 07078.

Buffer Zones

Presciently, Hartshorn deliberately preserved strips of land along the railroad right-of- way from any development west of Old Short Hills road. These strips separate Hobart Avenue to the north, and Chatham Road to the south, from the railway line. The only structure that has ever stood directly adjacent to the line is the railroad station. Mr. Hartshorn also established the Short Hills Park directly across Hobart Avenue from the station, which stands to this day. In 1944, his estate donated this park to Millburn Township, with the stipulation that it always remain open to the public.

Common Elements

After seventeen houses were erected, Hartshorn turned his attention to other “common elements.” These included a Music Hall, which remains today as the Short Hills Racquets Club. However, despite these efforts, Short Hills remains a relatively quiet place.

Later Events

Stewart Hartshorn died in 1937, at the age of 97. His daughter Cora survived him, wrote her own history of the hamlet, and helped establish the Arboretum that bears her name. In 1975, the Millburn-Short Hills Historical Society formed in conjunction with the American Bicentennial celebrations.

In 2001, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center opened in Short Hills.

In 2002, local residents planted a memorial tree on the grounds of the railroad station, to honor those of their neighbors who died in the attacks on September 11, 2001.

Present Day

The opening of the Kearny Connection, allowing the establishment of the first direct rail service to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan, has enhanced real-estate values immensely. Short Hills also has a business district along Chatham Road near the railroad station, which includes the post-office branch, a pharmacy, and several small specialty shops.

Short Hills is also home to many senior executives and controlling stockholders of some of the largest corporations in the United States and their families. The median family income is over $200,000.

Short Hills also has five K-5 elementary schools, all part of the Millburn Township Public Schools, the Deerfield Elementary School, Glenwood Elementary School, Hartshorn Elementary School, Wyoming Elementary School, and South Mountain Elementary School. Students move on to complete their education at the Millburn Middle School for grades 6–8 and Millburn High School for grades 9–12.

Millburn’s schools are often commended for their high standards. New Jersey Monthly Magazine rated Millburn High School best public high school in the state for 2008. The survey used various objective criteria including percentage of graduates going to college, number of students in accelerated courses and average SAT scores. In addition, the school has won the Blue Ribbon Award multiple times in the past. The principal is Dr. William Miron.

Though Short Hills has its own railroad station and post-office branch, it does not have an independent government. It remains today a part of the Township of Millburn, as it has been since its inception. Short Hills also has a small “downtown” area that is smaller than downtown Millburn.