Filing for Custody? Make Sure You Picked the Right State!

state jurisdiction for child custodyLive out of state and questioning your need to return to New Jersey to have your custody matter heard? The New Jersey Appellate Division, in a recent, unpublished decision, tackled the somewhat confusing New Jersey Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA), which determines whether New Jersey or another state has jurisdiction to hear custody matters in its courts.  Read more

Alcoholism & Child Custody: Can Addicts Regain Custody Of Their Kids In New Jersey?

Child custody and alcohol addictionAre you an alcoholic with kids — or are you married or divorced from an alcoholic spouse? Here is how alcoholism affects child custody, and what an alcoholic parent can do to regain visitation rights. Read more

Alcohol Addiction & Child Custody: A Dangerous Cocktail

Is your spouse an alcoholic? When ruling on child custody, courts consider a parent’s use of drugs and alcohol. The reason why is fairly straightforward: preoccupation with obtaining drugs, and the impairment and aftereffects of being intoxicated, cause people to neglect their children’s physical and emotional needs. Using drugs clouds judgment and can put children in imminent danger. Read more

Why We Need a Domestic Violence Ad During the Super Bowl

NO_MORE___Super_Bowl_2016

On Sunday during the Super Bowl, the NO MORE campaign aired its now second annual spot aimed at domestic violence awareness and prevention. (Remember last year’s pizza delivery ad?) In this year’s public awareness ad, the non-profit used familiar speech bubbles to depict a text conversation between two female friends watching the Big Game. One of the friends gives off clues that she is trapped in an abusive relationship before her speech bubble suddenly goes blank. The message of the spot is clear: we need to keep talking about domestic violence because so often victims can not. Read more

Christie Signs Child Support Termination Bill

termination of child supportOn January 19, 2016, Governor Christie signed into law a bill that dramatically impacts child support termination presumptions and procedures in New Jersey. The bill, S-1046/A-2721, is substantially similar to the version passed by the Senate in July of 2015, with minor amendments adopted by the Assembly in December.  Read more

Court To Adoptive Parents: No Undoing Adoption Even In Troubling Circumstances

Questions about children and adoption?In a novel decision by the Cape May county Chancery Division, the court has ruled that adoptive parents are not able to “undo” the adoption of their child, who had begun acting violently to the family and to schoolmates, because they waited seven years to bring the application to the court. Read more

Documents to Bring to Your Attorney Consultation

divorce paperwork

Now that you’ve scheduled your attorney consultation, you may be wondering what to bring to your meeting to make the most of your time with your attorney. Read more

Alcohol And Divorce: Last Call On Your Marriage

alcohol and divorceA 2007 study by the Rand Organization found that alcoholics are more likely to get divorced than non-alcoholics. According to the research, alcohol is the primary cause of divorce in couples under thirty. The chaos caused by excessive drinking – legal trouble, job loss, financial woes, health issues – can make life with an active alcoholic feel unmanageable. As the problem drinker’s condition deteriorates, the spouse slips into perpetual crisis management mode as she struggles to maintain the family’s financial and psychological equilibrium. Are your marriage problems being fueled by alcohol addiction? Read more

How to Prepare for a Contested Divorce: 4 Key Steps

help for contested divorce issuesYou or your spouse has filed for divorce. In an ideal world, the two of you would be able to sit down and work out all of your issues together, without having a contentious divorce. However, that is not the case for many divorcing couples and you may find yourself in what is called a “contested” divorce. Perhaps you cannot agree upon a custody arrangement or how to divide your marital assets. If you find yourself about to engage in a contested divorce action, it is critical to begin to prepare for the divorce as soon as possible. Read more