NJ Same-Sex Couple’s Custody Battle with Sperm Donor Could Set Precedent

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A same-sex couple has challenged the parental rights of sperm donors in a court case that could change New Jersey law governing conception via artificial insemination. Read more

Paying NJ Child Support: How Much Is Too Much?

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If you and your former spouse will determine child support as part of your divorce, you may be wondering whether the amount awarded will be fair. How much is too much when it comes to NJ child support? Read more

Which NJ Child Custody Option Is Right For You?

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If you will need to determine child custody as part of your divorce, the number of child custody options available to New Jersey families may seem overwhelming. What exactly is the difference between joint, sole and shared custody? Should you ask for legal custody, physical custody, or both? What about visitation and parenting time?

In New Jersey, it’s the law that custody decisions must be made with the best interest of the child in mind. So what’s best for your child? Here are some factors to weigh in coming up with a custody plan that works for your family. Read more

Three Tips For Cutting Divorce Costs

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Not only can the end of a marriage be difficult emotionally, but if you are not careful, the process of divorce can also take a toll on your wallet. What can you do to keep divorce costs to a minimum? Here are three budget-friendly strategies to help you reach a settlement without breaking the bank. Read more

7 Steps to Successful Divorce Negotiations

business handshakeGetting a divorce often involves a great deal of negotiation, especially if you and your spouse have decided to mediate your divorce or use one of the other out-of-court divorce settlement methods available in New Jersey. New to negotiating? Here are seven divorce negotiation techniques to help you get what you really want from your divorce. Read more

Super Bowl Domestic Violence Commercial Wants To Get You Talking – And Listening

Has Super Bowl Sunday become a new kind of Domestic Violence Awareness Day? Since video of former Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice assaulting his then fiancée and now wife surfaced in the fall, much public debate and conversation has taken place around the NFL’s response when professional football players are charged with domestic violence. Since this fall’s public outcry, the NFL has moved forward with a stricter six-game sanction for any player’s first DV offense, and a lifetime ban for the player should further offenses occur.

The NFL also committed itself to domestic violence awareness and prevention, and to prove it, the organization has donated a block of air time during this Sunday’s Super Bowl to air a groundbreaking public service commercial from NO MORE, a public advocacy campaign aimed at stopping domestic violence. Read more

Child Custody Battles: When to Fight & When to Forgive?

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When child custody needs to be settled in a couple’s divorce, it’s all too easy for the issue of how much time a child spends with each parent to turn into a battleground. Are tensions running high in your child custody matter? Not sure whether you should keep fighting or be willing to negotiate? Here are some tips for how to step back, reassess, and move forward on the path to resolution that’s best for you and your family. Read more

Fathers’ Rights: NJ Dads File Class Action Suit Against Family Court Judges

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A group of New Jersey fathers claiming they received unfair and unconstitutional treatment in child custody court proceedings has now moved forward with a class action suit against five Family Part judges. The justices preside in Mercer, Burlington, Essex, and Hudson counties. Read more

Irreconcilable Differences Grounds for Dissolution of NJ Civil Unions, Court Rules

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When same-sex couples entered into civil unions in New Jersey make the decision to end their relationships, they have the same rights as divorcing married couples to file for their dissolution on the “no-fault” grounds of irreconcilable differences, a New Jersey trial judge ruled in an opinion released this week. Read more

U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Same-Sex Marriage Case

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In a move that is almost certain to be historic, the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday signaled that it is ready to take on the two-decade legal battle over same-sex marriage. The 12-justice panel agreed to hear cases from Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee, where state officials are defending laws that limit marriage to a man and a woman. The court will hear arguments in April; a decision is expected by the end of June.

The same-sex marriage debate is one that has ignited passion on both sides, and this latest development has led to many questions about what could change for couples across the nation, including how this could potentially affect gay and lesbian couples who married in New Jersey. To help clear up any potential confusion, here are some answers to questions we’re hearing people ask. Read more