President Barack Obama has officially proclaimed Sept. 18 through Sept. 24, 2016 as Opioid Epidemic Awareness Week, a first ever awareness week to highlight prevention measures for the growing heroin and opioid crisis in the United States. According to White House officials, the week will be marked by Cabinet members and federal agencies coming together to educate the public about the epidemic that has spread to every corner of our nation, including New Jersey.
As a December 2015 article on NJ.com reported, “The statistics on New Jersey’s heroin crisis are staggering, and paint a picture of a crisis that spreads far beyond overdoses and deaths.” Since 2004, there have been 5,217 heroin-related deaths in New Jersey, and the heroin death rate in the state is more than three times the national average. And, there have been over 184,000 New Jerseyans admitted into treatment facilities for heroin or opioid abuse since 2010.
Many of those who are addicted are also parents. So what does this mean for child custody? Read more
Opioid Epidemic Awareness Week: How Can Addict Parents Get Help?
As a December 2015 article on NJ.com reported, “The statistics on New Jersey’s heroin crisis are staggering, and paint a picture of a crisis that spreads far beyond overdoses and deaths.” Since 2004, there have been 5,217 heroin-related deaths in New Jersey, and the heroin death rate in the state is more than three times the national average. And, there have been over 184,000 New Jerseyans admitted into treatment facilities for heroin or opioid abuse since 2010.
Many of those who are addicted are also parents. So what does this mean for child custody? Read more
Life After Divorce: Don’t Get Lonely, Get Out There!
Parenting Time After Addiction Recovery
Reconciling Your Marriage After Sex Addiction
Investigating Parent Addiction In Child Custody Disputes
In New Jersey, issues of custody and parenting time are evaluated by the courts looking at what is in the best interests of the child. If a parent brings an allegation of drug addiction to the court, this allegation is taken very seriously and the court will inquire as to the truth of the statement. To do this, judges can order certain evaluations, such as custody and parenting time evaluations or a risk assessment. Read more
3 Steps To Stepparent Custody
In child custody disputes, the courts will always put the best interests of children first in awarding parenting time and legal/physical custody. This usually means dividing a child’s time between their biological or adopted parents. But not always. What can happen when it’s a stepparent who is pursuing custody? Here is the story of one stepfather who gained custody of his stepdaughter and the steps he took to get it. Read more
Will You Make Any of These Mistakes in Your Divorce?
With so much at stake in divorce, tensions can ride high and errors can be easy to make. Are you about to make a misstep? Here are our top 5 divorce mistakes to avoid: Read more
My Spouse Won’t Agree To A Divorce! Can I still Get One?
You may be done with your marriage, and you may have decided that your next logical step is moving on, finding peace and filing for divorce. But, what happens when your spouse disagrees with your plans? In New Jersey, can you still obtain a divorce even when your spouse clearly communicates that he or she does not want one? Read more
Sexting: Is It Cheating Or Not?
Everyone remembers that famous saying about not being able to define pornography, but knowing it when you see it. The moral of that saying is that pornography, like cheating can be wholly subjective. And when it comes to “sexting,” what one spouse believes to be nothing more flirtatious texting with a coworker or friend, the other spouse may view as full-blown cheating, even if physical intimacy was never involved. For an example of the moral murkiness sexting presents, all we need to do is look at the latest scandal involving a certain former NYC mayoral candidate and his front page-worthy texting scandal that has resulted in the demise of his marriage.
If sexting as cheating is subjective in everyday life, what about sexting in the legal sense: Is sexting considered adultery, which is a ground for divorce? Read more
4 Steps For Increasing Your Financial Literacy Before Divorce
IRAs, 401Ks, CDs, annuities, money market vs. checking accounts, and more… How financially literate are you? In today’s sea of options for places to invest and hold income and assets earned by a couple throughout their marriage, the prospect of divorce can add even more layers of confusion and anxiety for a spouse unfamiliar with these basic financial terms and concepts. How do you know you’re getting your fair share when you’re not quite sure where your money is or how these accounts work? If you are contemplating divorce, here’s how to give your financial savvy a boost. Read more