Appellate Division Addresses Custody and Parenting Time Related Sanctions and the Intrastate Relocation Standard in New Decision

Appellate Division Addresses Custody and Parenting Time Related Sanctions and the Intrastate Relocation Standard in New Decision

In a significant new decision, A.J. v. R.J., ___ N.J. Super. ___ (App. Div. 2019), the Appellate Division addressed both sanctions for violations of custody/parenting time Orders and confirmed that the interstate relocation standard established in Bisbing v. Bisbing must be applied to both interstate and intrastate relocation applications. Background The case stems from Plaintiff,…

Navigating the FD Docket: Court Forms and Procedures for Parents Who Were Never Married

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…

What is the “Penalty Rule” and How Does it Apply in Family Court Matters? The Appellate Division Weighs in.

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…

Pascale v. Pascale

Pascale v. Pascale

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…

Don't stick your head in the sand

Don’t stick your head in the sand

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 In the recent unpublished Appellate Division…