Las Vegas Contested Divorce Lawyer

Are you looking for a contested divorce lawyer in Las Vegas, NV?

At Rosenblum Allen Family & Divorce Lawyers, we are contested divorce lawyers recognized by Super Lawyers for results across Las Vegas and the surrounding region.

If your spouse won’t agree on property, custody, or support, a judge in Las Vegas will settle those issues after hearing evidence from both sides. A Las Vegas, NV contested divorce lawyer from our firm treats that hearing as the destination from day one, so nothing gets conceded in the months before it.

Our founder, Molly S. Rosenblum, has litigated divorces in Clark County since 2002. Our attorneys carry more than 70 years of combined family law experience into contested cases. We represent spouses on both sides of the caption: the one who filed and the one who was served. Reach out to book a consultation.

Contested Divorce Lawyer Las Vegas, NV

A contested divorce attorney in Las Vegas, NV represents one spouse when the other won’t agree to terms. The disagreement might be over a single issue or every issue. Either way, the case moves through discovery, temporary orders, and an evidentiary hearing or trial instead of ending with a signed settlement. What separates contested work from the rest of family law is the volume of evidence. Financial records, valuations, custody evaluations, and witness testimony all have to be gathered, then presented in a form a judge will accept.

Clark County District Court took in 53,073 family cases in fiscal year 2025, according to the Nevada Judiciary’s annual report. The same report notes that roughly 70 percent of contested family law cases in the county involve two self-represented parties. A Las Vegas contested divorce attorney therefore often faces a spouse with no lawyer at all, or one who has hired an aggressive one. Each calls for a different approach, and we prepare for both.

Types of Contested Divorce Cases We Handle in Las Vegas

Contested divorces in Las Vegas rarely involve just one dispute. A fight over the house usually comes with a fight over the mortgage, and a custody dispute usually changes support. These are the issues that most often end up in front of a judge.

• Property division. Real estate, retirement accounts, vehicles, and debt all have to be classified as community or separate before they can be divided. We trace the money, obtain valuations, and argue for the split the evidence supports.
• Child custody. When parents can’t agree on legal custody, physical custody, or a parenting schedule, the court may order a custody evaluation. We prepare clients for that process and build the record on the child’s best interest.
• Spousal support. The amount and duration of support are often the last issues to settle. We present the income, expense, and earning-capacity evidence that decides both, including when a spouse is underemployed by choice.
• High-asset divorce. Multiple properties, investment accounts, trusts, and deferred compensation require forensic accounting and careful discovery. We coordinate the professionals and keep the case on a trial track.
• Business ownership. A closely held business raises three questions: what it’s worth, how much of it is community property, and who keeps it. We work with valuation professionals and litigate each question.
• Temporary protective orders. Domestic violence allegations inside a divorce change custody, residence, and the tone of every hearing. We represent spouses who need protection and spouses defending against an order sought as a tactic.
• Military divorce. Military pensions, deployment schedules, and residency questions add a layer of federal rules to a Nevada case. We handle those issues alongside the custody and property disputes.
• Appeals. A decree that rests on a legal error can be challenged. We evaluate whether an appeal is worth pursuing and handle the briefing when it is.

Why Choose Rosenblum Allen Family & Divorce Lawyers as my Contested Divorce Lawyer in Las Vegas, NV?

Raised in Las Vegas, Practicing in Its Courtrooms Since 2002

Molly S. Rosenblum grew up in Las Vegas from the age of two and graduated from Valley High School. She earned her business degree from the University of Nevada, Reno before returning to practice family law here. She is a member of the Nevada Trial Lawyers Association and was recognized by Super Lawyers in 2025. It’s important to have an experienced family law lawyer in Las Vegas, NV on your side, and her in-depth knowledge makes a difference.

Verdicts, Fee Awards, and Day-of-Trial Settlements

Our contested divorce results include:

• A prenuptial agreement set aside for Andrea C., followed by a recovery of more than $1 million in a settlement reached the day of trial.
• A directed verdict granted for Brittany M., a domestic violence survivor, ending the case before the other side finished presenting its evidence.
• An attorney’s fee award of more than $100,000 for Ben N. in a divorce involving five businesses, a contested prenuptial agreement, and protective orders.

Fee awards and directed verdicts don’t come from negotiation. They come from a record the judge found persuasive.

Understanding Contested Divorce Cases

What Are Important Aspects of a Contested Divorce Case?

The first hearing sets the tone. Temporary orders on who stays in the house, who pays which bills, and where the children live tend to shape the final decree. Judges are reluctant to disturb an arrangement that has been working for months. Getting the temporary orders right is worth as much effort as the trial itself.

Discovery is where contested divorces are won or lost. Bank statements, tax returns, business records, and text messages either support a spouse’s story or undercut it. A spouse who hides money or moves assets before filing usually leaves a paper trail, and finding it changes the property division.

Conduct during the case is evidence too. Spending, new relationships, social media posts, and how the children are handled at exchanges all find their way into the courtroom.

What Is The Contested Divorce Case Timeline?

Contested cases in Clark County move through a predictable sequence, though the pace depends on how many issues are disputed and how quickly discovery is completed.

1. One spouse files a complaint for divorce and serves the other.
2. The served spouse files an answer, and often a counterclaim, stating what they want the court to order.
3. Either side can request temporary orders on support, the residence, and custody while the case is pending.
4. Both spouses exchange financial disclosures, and the parties conduct discovery, which can include subpoenas, depositions, and professional evaluations.
5. The court typically holds a case management or settlement conference, and many contested cases resolve at this stage.
6. Issues that remain go to an evidentiary hearing or trial before a family court judge.
7. The judge enters a decree of divorce, and either side may seek reconsideration or appeal.

Grounds for Divorce and Property Division in Nevada

A contested divorce in Nevada is contested over outcomes, not over whether the marriage should end. Most of the disputes trace back to a handful of rules.

• Nevada is a no-fault state. A spouse doesn’t have to prove misconduct to obtain a divorce, and the reason the marriage failed generally doesn’t affect how property is divided.
• Nevada follows community property rules. Assets and debts acquired during the marriage are presumed to belong to both spouses, and the court starts from an equal division.
• Separate property, such as assets owned before the marriage or received by gift or inheritance, stays with the spouse who owns it if that spouse can prove it was kept separate.
• Spousal support is set by weighing how long the marriage lasted against what each spouse earns, could earn, and was accustomed to.
• Custody is decided on the child’s best interest, with no preference for either parent.

An uncontested divorce resolves all of these by agreement. A contested one puts each of them in front of a judge, which is why the evidence on every point has to be ready.

What Should You Bring to Your Contested Divorce Consultation?

Contested cases are document-driven, and the first meeting is more productive when we can see what the other side will also be looking at.

• Financial records. Three years of tax returns, recent pay stubs, and statements for every bank, retirement, and investment account you know of.
• Property paperwork. Deeds, mortgage statements, vehicle titles, and any appraisals.
• Business documents. Profit and loss statements, tax returns, and operating agreements if either spouse owns a business.
• Existing filings. Anything already filed in the case, including a complaint you were served with and any temporary orders.
• Communications. Texts and emails with your spouse about money, the children, or the divorce itself.

That first meeting ends with an honest assessment of which issues are worth contesting and which are better conceded to protect the ones that matter.

Las Vegas Family Court and Local Resources

Contested divorces filed in Las Vegas go to the Family Division of the Eighth Judicial District Court, where a judge, not a jury, decides every issue. Three public resources are worth knowing before the first hearing.

• The Clark County Clerk summarizes the Family Division’s services and how court records and self-help materials are accessed.
• The Clark County Assessor property search shows ownership and assessed value for any parcel in the county, which is often where a property division dispute begins.
• The Family Law Self-Help Center brochure explains the forms, classes, and Ask-A-Lawyer sessions available to people handling a Clark County divorce without counsel.

Reach Out to Rosenblum Allen Family & Divorce Lawyers to Schedule a Consultation

A contested divorce rewards the spouse who prepares earlier and more carefully. Our Las Vegas office takes new contested matters throughout the week, and consultations are scheduled around court calendars so the attorney handling your case is the one you meet. Contact us to sit down with a Las Vegas, NV contested divorce attorney and start building the record before your spouse does.