The Courts in New Jersey have a specific set of forms and procedures for unmarried parents who are going through child-related legal disputes such as custody, parenting time, child support, college contribution, medical expenses, extracurricular activities, and camp expenses. The cases are handled by the Family Division and are referred to as “non-dissolution” matters and…
Incredibly enough, Summer is winding down, the shore is behind us, it is starting to get cooler out (and darker), and parents and kids everywhere are scrambling to ready themselves for the new school year. Social media posts quickly turn from photos showing awesome trips, sleepaway camps, happy adults whose kids are at sleepaway camps…
When negotiating and addressing alimony buyouts in matrimonial settlement agreements, family law practitioners should consider several potential issues that may arise. This summary article is intended to provide guidance in determining whether a buyout is beneficial for your client depending on the facts and circumstances of the matter in which you are involved. In certain…
When entering into a settlement agreement, each party is often wary of whether the other party will comply with the agreement’s terms. As a result, oftentimes negotiated into an agreement is a provision providing that a party’s successful enforcement of the agreement against the other party “may” or “shall” result in an award of counsel…
Live-in caretakers can be considered household members under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act Some might argue that there is no relationship more vulnerable than the relationship a parent has with the person who cares for his/her children regularly. I would agree, for a lot of reasons. But when we are hiring people to care…
Most family law practitioners have heard the speech many times from judges, usually at an initial Case Management Conference. You know the one: settle, settle, settle. If you don’t settle, some person in a black robe will have to decide important issues about your life and you will probably be unhappy with the result. The…
In E.S. v. H.A. were parents of a minor child. The parties separated in December 2008 following an contentious series of proceedings, including a domestic violence action. The parties’ marriage ultimately came to a conclusion by way of a consent judgment of divorce entered in September 2009. The only issues which remained open at the…
It is sometimes said that ignorance is bliss. On occasion, it can be easier to stick our heads in the sand and ignore our surroundings rather than to acknowledge and face the inevitable. In the context of ignoring notices from the Court, this is not the best legal strategy. In the recent unpublished Appellate Division…
The length of a marriage, for purposes of alimony and equitable distribution, is often measured by utilizing the date of marriage and the date a Complaint for Divorce is filed. In some cases, parties choose to enter into a cut-off agreement rather than file a Complaint for Divorce. That will also serve as an end…
As attorneys that handle DCPP cases, by the time we get asked this question, often the door has already been opened both literally and legally. This is because when DCPP investigates, most parents comply because they do not know their rights, they think they have nothing to hide, they are worried that DCPP will take…