Divorcing A Narcissist: 5 Steps To Protect Yourself

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To a narcissist, divorce is more than a failure; it’s an ugly black mark across a carefully polished façade. Because a narcissist cannot tolerate anything less than perfection, his or her dysfunctional coping strategy is to place all the blame for the break-up at your feet. It doesn’t matter if your spouse was the one to initiate the divorce. Your mere existence is a reminder to the narcissist of having “failed,” and for that, you must be punished. Read more

Court Rules Pocket Dialed Phone Calls May Be Fair Game For Divorce Evidence

smartphone pocket dial divorce evidenceAlmost everyone has been on either the calling or receiving end of a pocket dial (aka “butt dial”), that annoying habit cell phones have of accidentally auto-dialing when placed in a back pocket. Getting divorced? Here’s extra motivation to keep your phone safe: if you accidentally pocket dial your spouse, he or she may be able to use information gleaned from listening in as evidence against you in your divorce case, according to a recent federal ruling. Read more

New Jersey Divorce Chronicles, Part 8: Who Gets the House?

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Subject No. 1: Sharon

In Part 6 of our ongoing case study, we saw that after Sharon took a hardline stance on child custody, Robert ended up with a temporary order for primary physical custody. In Part 7, we saw how Jason’s more conciliatory approach with Melissa not only resulted in a parenting time plan that was closer to what he wanted; it also avoided the expense of a hearing. Is Sharon going to continue her aggressive tactics for the rest of her case, or is she beginning to see that a change in approach might be in order? Read more

NJ Supreme Court Case Addresses Questions About Alimony Awards for Stay-At-Home Spouses: Gnall v. Gnall, Part II

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On July 29, 2015, the New Jersey Supreme Court decided the case of Gnall v. Gnall, an alimony case we first blogged about in November of 2014, following oral arguments. This case was decided under the New Jersey alimony statute as it existed prior to the recent reforms.  The Appellate Division reversed a trial court’s award of durational alimony to plaintiff Elizabeth Gnall and sent the case back for consideration of a permanent alimony award. Defendant James Gnall appealed to the Supreme Court, which reversed the Appellate Division’s judgment and instructed the trial court to instead make new findings of fact and re-determine the appropriate alimony award based on those new findings.
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Expert Q&A: Marital Reconciliation After An Affair

Has your marriage been rocked by infidelity? For many couples, the anger, hurt, and sense of betrayal that result from discovering a spouse’s cheating are often insurmountable. For other couples, however, saving the relationship can still be possible — if the couple is willing to fully engage in the process of healing emotional wounds.

Does attempting marital reconciliation make sense for you and your spouse? We asked Dr. Salvatore Benanti, therapist and founder of the The Center For Optimum Living in Kinnelon, NJ, for his expert take on what couples can expect from the reconciliation process. Read more

Spouse Cheated? 5 Tips For Overcoming Adultery

divorce is a healing processAdultery is often cited as the leading cause of divorce, but does cheating always need to spell the end of a marriage? Finding out your husband or wife has been unfaithful can be excruciatingly painful, but when both spouses are willing to do the work, it may be more possible than you think to move past adultery and reconcile your relationship. If your marriage is in danger of being shattered by infidelity, here are some ways you still may be able to pick up the pieces. Read more

5 Smartphone Apps to Make Divorce Less Stressful

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Let your smartphone or mobile device give you an assist in your divorce with these easy-to-use apps that help with everything from co-parenting to calculating asset splits. Read more

Will Drones Be The Next Tool Spouses Use To Spy?

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GPS tracker apps installed on smartphones, computer spyware, and hidden cameras. Is it time to add drones to the list of high tech surveillance tools spouses turn to in their attempts to confirm suspicions of marital wrongdoing? Read more

6 Ways Military Divorce Is Different From Civilian Divorce

Us military mother with her babyIf you and your spouse are getting divorced, and one or both of you is a member of the U.S. military, different legal rules and procedures can apply. How will your divorce be different from the experiences you’ve heard about from your non-military friends and family? Here are six key ways military divorce and civilian divorce are not the same. Read more

New Jersey Divorce Chronicles, Part 6: What about the Kids?

Children Omitted in DivorceIn part 4 and part 5 of our series, we looked at two different approaches to commencing a divorce case. One of our subjects, Sharon, took an aggressive approach. The other, Jason, started things off in a more conciliatory manner. In the next couple of installments, we’ll see how the initial tone and first steps impact the child custody aspects of these two cases. Today, we’ll look at how Sharon is faring. In the next installment, we’ll look at Jason’s situation. Read more