When a couple divorces, the lower-earning spouse may ask the court to develop an alimony order. This order requires the higher-paying spouse to provide financial support to the lower-earning spouse for a defined period of time in order to avoid the receiving spouse from being financially ruined by the divorce. An appropriate payment amount and length of time to make the payments is calculated using the length of the couple’s marriage, the length of time the lower-earning spouse spent out of the workforce or working a part-time job in order to devote him or herself to the couple’s home and children, each partner’s assets and current income, and each partner’s financial needs following the divorce. When the paying partner experiences a change in his or her income, he or she may seek a modification to his or her alimony order…Read More
Going through a divorce and facing the prospect of no longer seeing your child every day can be heartbreaking. Hearing that your child does not want to spend time with you during your court-ordered parenting time can be even more devastating. When New Jersey courts develop child custody agreements, they do so with the intention of meeting all of the child’s needs. One of the child’s most critical needs is a consistent relationship with both of his or her parents. But what if the child does not want to have a relationship with one of his or her parents? Can the court force a relationship? The answer is maybe. Why A Child Refuses To Visit A Parent Matters If your child is refusing to visit you because he or she is experiencing neglect or abuse from a member of your…Read More
There are a lot of reasons why you might want to leave the Garden State. Maybe you’ve been offered a great job opportunity elsewhere or you need to be closer to your extended family. Maybe you just want to relocate to a place where it’s cheaper to live. No matter what your reason for moving out of New Jersey, the most important thing you need to know as a parent with a child custody order is that you cannot simply pick up your child and leave the state. Your child needs to have a consistent relationship with both of his or her parents. Depending on where you go, this can be impossible with an interstate move. So what does this mean for you? Does it mean you’re stuck in New Jersey until your child turns eighteen? Not necessarily. Your Former…Read More
New Jersey is one of the twenty-three states that currently have medical marijuana programs in place. Research has shown that cannabis use can have a positive effect on individuals suffering from various debilitating conditions. Unlike a few other states, New Jersey has not legalized recreational marijuana use. This means that unless an individual is currently enrolled in the medical marijuana program and has a valid prescription for the plant or its derivatives, possession of marijuana is a criminal offense and can lead to penalties such as fines and jail time. To qualify for New Jersey’s medical marijuana program, an individual must be a resident of New Jersey. He or she must also meet the program’s physician-patient relationship requirements and be diagnosed with one of the qualifying conditions. Qualifying Conditions If an individual has been diagnosed with one of the following…Read More
Actions That Can Violate Your Child Parenting Plan Or Order In nearly all cases, it is in a child’s best interest to have regular contact with both of his or her parents. Ideally, this is achieved through joint custody agreements, where each parent has an equal share of childcare duties and time with their son or daughter. But this type of arrangement is not possible for every family. Sometimes, only one parent is awarded custody of the child. When that happens, the other parent is awarded parenting time unless there is an outstanding reason why he or she should not spend time with the child, such as a history of domestic violence or criminal actions committed against children. Parenting time orders come with instructions for the parent. These instructions are usually about when the parent may spend time with the…Read More
Summer never seems long enough in New Jersey. One minute, you’re stepping onto the beach for the first time and the next, you’re in a department store picking out notebooks and pens for the upcoming year. Adjusting from a summertime schedule to the academic year can be a difficult transition, especially when you and your child have a new custody or parenting time schedule in place. Child custody schedules are developed with your child’s academic and personal well-being in mind. Staying on track at school is much easier for your child when you and your former spouse are kept up to date and in agreement about all academic issues. To make the transition from summer to the new school year easy for every member of your family, keep the following points in mind: Set Uniform Rules Talk to your former…Read More
In New Jersey and the rest of the country, illegal drugs are categorized into groups known as schedules. The drugs in each schedule are grouped according to three shared characteristics: The drug’s accepted medical use The potential harm that the drug poses to its users The drug’s level of addictiveness Illegal drugs are known as controlled dangerous substances. It is illegal to possess a controlled dangerous substance without a valid prescription for it. If you are charged with the possession of one of these substances, you can face significant penalties. The penalties that you face depend on the schedule of the drug you are accused of possessing. Penalties For Possession Of A Schedule I, II, III, Or IV Substance If you are charged with the possession of any amount one of the substances listed as a Schedule I, II, III,…Read More
In New Jersey, the state agency charged with protecting children from abuse and household harm is known as the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP). Many individuals still refer to it by its old name, DYFS (Division of Youth and Family Services). No matter what you call it, it is important that you understand what the DCPP does and how its involvement with you and your family can affect your child custody and parenting time rights. If you are contacted or investigated by the DCPP, do not brush it off. Being involved with the DCPP is a big deal and can affect your rights and relationship with your child for years to come. Discuss your involvement with the DCPP with your attorney to determine how it can affect your case. What The DCPP Does The Division of…Read More
As a New Jersey parent, you can be required to contribute toward your adult child’s higher education expenses. College is expensive and most young men and women are unable to meet these costs themselves. But the price difference between colleges can be extreme. In New Jersey, one year’s tuition at Rutgers University costs just under $11,000. One year at Fairleigh Dickinson University runs more than $37,000 and New Jersey’s most expensive university, Drew University, costs more than $44,000 in tuition per year for New Jersey residents. Although you can be on the hook for your child’s college costs, can you be required to pay for an expensive private education when there are public, cheaper alternatives available? This question came to light in 2014 with the Christina Ricci case, in which a 21-year-old college student sued her parents for her $16,000 Temple University…Read More
During summer vacation, the rules are relaxed a little. Children stay up later and might head off to camps and sports clinics and parents plan vacations to get some quality time with their families, away from the same old routine back home. But when you share custody with your former partner or have to keep up a parenting time schedule, it can be difficult to plan a fun getaway for yourself and your child. Going away or allotting time for your child to attend summer camp can often mean altering your custody or parenting time schedule. This is why it is so important that you maintain open communication with your former spouse. With some flexibility and willingness on both sides to compromise, you can give your child a summer full of fun and lifetime memories. Use the following tips to…Read More
