New Jersey Divorce Lawyers Collide with 21st Century Technology

Technology is supposed to make things easier, right?  Well, for New Jersey divorce lawyers, it is and it isn’t.  With a new wave of technology, lawyers navigate the whitewater of technology-based divorce in New Jersey.

So, what is a technology-based divorce? Ask Tiger Woods or Tony Parker.  Neither of their wives needed to see lipstick on their husband’s collar or smell perfume on their clothes.  They simply had to check their husband’s cell phone. Today, more and more spouses are citing technology—cell phones, Facebook, e-mail, etc.—as evidence in their divorce cases.

In fact, the social networking phenomenon, Facebook, is now being cited in 1 out of every 5 divorce cases.  New Jersey divorce lawyers are presented with incriminating photos, status updates, and other information posted on the site.  While it should come as no surprise, sites like Facebook can provide powerful evidence in a New Jersey divorce.

Naturally, as New Jersey divorce lawyers, we pay close attention to how these technologies impact courtroom rulings.  But, as human beings, we’re also curious how this technology is affecting society and our marriages.  A British study conducted in 2008 found that 80% of people boot up high-tech gadgets before going to sleep.  And of that 80%, 33% send and receive texts/e-mails while in bed. That can’t be good for intimacy.

So, we invite you, our readers, to share some your thoughts on technology and its impact on divorce in New Jersey.

Basic Information about a New Jersey Restraining Order

You may have experienced a bad relationship or divorce with your former partner.  A New Jersey restraining order is a reality and solution for those who feel their safety and personal space is threatened by another person.

A New Jersey restraining order is a civil order issued by a judge.  The order provides protection against the presence of unwanted parties such as a former spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, present or former household member, and other parties identified in the restraining order.

The precipitating events and reasons to seek a New Jersey restraining order vary, but most seek such an order because they feel threatened by another person.  Events of domestic violence often precede the need for a New Jersey restraining order.  In general, if a family member or other person attempts to harm you (with our without a weapon) or gives you reason to believe they are planning to harm you, then that person may have committed an act of domestic violence.

Domestic violence occurs in many forms.  People may seek a New Jersey restraining order as a derivative of the following actions: assault, terroristic threats, kidnapping, criminal mischief, false imprisonment, sexual assault, harassment, and stalking.

New Jersey temporary restraining orders can be granted by means of an emergency order when the courts are closed and can be facilitated by contacting local police or 911.  A final restraining order is granted once both parties are given the opportunity to tell their side of the story and the judge decides the temporary restraining order should be made permanent in order to protect the safety and well-being of the victim.

Obtaining a New Jersey restraining order can result in the following:

–          A no-contact provision that prohibits the abuser from communicating with the victim

–          An order that permits the abuser to remove limited items from a previously shared space in the company of a law officer

–          Emergency financial support from the abuser, including support for minors

–          Temporary sole possession of the home for the abused

Comparing Divorce in New Jersey to the Rest of the Country

Do 50% of marriages really end with a divorce in New Jersey?  For years now, that’s the statistic we’ve been fed: 50% of marriages end in divorce.  But doesn’t that seem a bit broad?  Is the outcome of your marriage really the same as flipping a coin? 50% seems like a cop-out.  It seems like a lack of thorough research. 50% seems like someone took the number of reported marriages and the number of reported divorces and did some simple division, which, by the way, is exactly what they did.

The 50% statistic in no way indicates divorce trends in the U.S. This statistic is derived from the total number of marriages and divorces over the past 30 years or so.  Isn’t it possible for divorce in New Jersey and in the rest of the country to have slowed down?

Furthermore, isn’t it possible for there to be less, or more, divorce in New Jersey than in, say, Wyoming?  While, yes, a marriage is still a marriage, it’s probably safe to assume life in Wyoming isn’t the same as life in New Jersey.  So, let’s take a look at some more accurate statistics.

The divorce rate per 1,000 married women sank to 16.4 in 2009 from 16.9 the year before and a far cry from 22.6 in 1980, according to an analysis of the data from the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia.

Let’s see where the rate for divorce in New Jersey falls.  Here is a list of the states with the lowest divorce rates per 1,000 people.

1.       Massachusetts                                  1.8

2.       District of Columbia                         2.1

3.       Pennsylvania                                    2.3

4.       Iowa                                                   2.5

5.       New York                                          2.5

6.       North Dakota                                    2.5

7.       South Carolina                                   2.6

8.       Illinois                                                 2.6

9.       Maryland                                            2.8

10.   Minnesota                                            2.8

11.   New Jersey                                          2.8