When is a deal a deal? This isn’t such an easy question to answer in Family Court. Well over 95% of all divorce cases settle eventually. Trials are the exception, by far. With thousands of cases settling every year, then, what is that magic moment when a settlement is binding and enforceable?Read more
“I don’t need an attorney for this divorce. We agree on everything so it’s easy, right?” Wrong! This is one of the most important transactions in your life. Why would you risk proceeding without legal counsel? While spending money on a lawyer is the last thing most people would like to do (perhaps maybe we beatRead more
What to do when parents with joint legal custody disagree on a course of medical treatment for a child? A recent decision this week out of Ocean County Family Court lends some guidance by expanding the role Judge’s may play in such decisions. Read more
The N.J. Child Support Guidelines were not designed to deal with true shared parenting situations, and there is no simple answer to the question of how (or if) to apply guidelines in this increasingly common situation. The New Jersey Court Rules create a presumption that the guidelines should be used unless there is a goodRead more
When that knock on your door turns out to be worker from the Department of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P), formerly D.Y.F.S., a parent can find himself or herself dropped into a maze of bureaucratic entanglements with lasting consequences. So, what’s the deal?Read more
In a case decided in the last few days called Smith v. Millville Rescue Squad, the New Jersey Supreme Court decided that employers are not permitted to “retaliate” against their employees in the workplace because they are separated or contemplating divorce, even if the breakup is contentious.Read more
In a decision just a few days ago, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that where a divorce agreement requires the termination of alimony due to an ex-spouse’s cohabitation, that termination will be enforced even if that cohabitation is temporary. In this specific case, the majority upheld a property settlement agreement that mandated the outrightRead more
