Luke and Karen have two young children. After discovering Luke was having an affair, Karen informed him that she would be filing for divorce and that he was to pack his bags and leave. Luke moved out, but specifically rented an apartment nearby so he could still be close to the kids. Once he was settled in, Luke called Karen and asked her if the children could spend the weekend with him. Karen told him in no uncertain terms that he was not worthy of seeing his children after what he did to her, and promptly hung up. Karen then refused to take any more of his calls or answer his texts.
Luke had no idea how to proceed or what his rights as a father were. He was aware that couples with children who divorce end up with a child custody order as part of their divorce decree. However, he and Karen were only separated, and it would be some time before their divorce even really began (Karen had yet to serve him with papers). What was he supposed to do in the meantime? Read more
5 Steps to Take Before Filing for Divorce
You’ve decided to get a divorce, so now what? Before filing any paperwork, it pays to take some time to get yourself organized and acquainted with the legal process you are about to embark on. As those who rushed into the divorce process may be able to tell you, there can be unintended consequences for not getting your “ducks in a row” before filing for a divorce.
As for which particular “ducks” you need to pay attention to, here are 5 important steps you won’t want to skip before filing for divorce: Read more
NJ Supreme Court Case Raises Important Questions About Alimony Awards for Stay-At-Home Spouses
The New Jersey Supreme Court yesterday began hearing arguments in the alimony dispute of Elizabeth Gnall v. James Gnall (Gnall v. Gnall). For anyone with questions concerning how and when permanent lifetime alimony is awarded, and whether stay-home-spouses should be expected to resume their career in the event of divorce, this is a case to pay attention because its outcome could change how future alimony awards are decided.
[Note: The NJ Supreme Court issued a decision in Gnall v. Gnall on July 29, 2015. For a summary of the Court’s findings, please see our update blog: NJ Supreme Court Case Addresses Questions About Alimony Awards for Stay-At-Home Spouses: Gnall v. Gnall (Part II).]
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Wife Forbids Contact With Children After Husband’s Affair
Luke and Karen have two young children. After discovering Luke was having an affair, Karen informed him that she would be filing for divorce and that he was to pack his bags and leave. Luke moved out, but specifically rented an apartment nearby so he could still be close to the kids. Once he was settled in, Luke called Karen and asked her if the children could spend the weekend with him. Karen told him in no uncertain terms that he was not worthy of seeing his children after what he did to her, and promptly hung up. Karen then refused to take any more of his calls or answer his texts.
Luke had no idea how to proceed or what his rights as a father were. He was aware that couples with children who divorce end up with a child custody order as part of their divorce decree. However, he and Karen were only separated, and it would be some time before their divorce even really began (Karen had yet to serve him with papers). What was he supposed to do in the meantime? Read more
What Is a Covenant Marriage?
Making headlines in wedding news this week are the nuptials of Jill Duggar, the second eldest daughter of TV’s famous 19 Kids and Counting Duggar clan, and her new husband, Derick Dillard. Their wedding — which recently aired on TLC — is all the buzz not just because of the Duggar’s reality TV celebrity, but because the two decided to enter into a different kind of marital agreement called a “covenant marriage.” Read more
Domestic Violence and Abuse in New Jersey: Where to Find the Help You Need
As we recently depicted in “Faces of Domestic Violence,” it is not always easy to identify domestic abuse, especially in its more subtle forms. This means that often, people in the grip of this problem delay seeking help until a situation has become overwhelming or dangerous. Without professional help, signs of abuse rarely disappear and frequently worsen over time. In this post, we are urging you to take action at the first sign of a problem.
What kind of help should you seek and where? Read more
Controversial Bad Judge Show A Case of Bad Judgment?
Have you watched the new NBC show, Bad Judge? The series, starring veteran TV actress Kate Walsh, has recently come under fire for its depiction of a female judge who engages in — to put it lightly — highly unethical behavior, both on and off the bench. Read more
Positive Co-Parenting Over Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate family and all that we’re thankful for, and for divorced families, the day is no different! Usually, the only ingredients needed to bring joy — not stress — to the table during the holiday season is a little creativity and flexibility in co-parenting strategies. Ready to dig in? Here are 5 tips for a more relaxed, happy and child-centered Thanksgiving. Read more
Family Law Tuesday Divorce Q&A Round Up
Please join us for Family Law Tuesday, our live Q&A session held on our WLG Facebook page on the first Tuesday of every month. The next Family Law Tuesday is planned for November 4 from 8-9 pm. What kinds of questions do people ask? Here is a round up of Q&As from our October event. Read more
5 Inside Secrets Divorce Attorneys Don’t Want You To Know
The process of finding an attorney to represent you in your divorce can feel confusing and overwhelming. Is the lawyer charging a fair price? How do you know his or her style is the right fit? The attorney may seem friendly and attentive now, but what about down the road? Here are 5 inside secrets some divorce attorneys DON’T want you to know about hidden costs and strong-arm tactics to retain clients. Finding a good attorney becomes much easier when you know how to avoid these five common traps. Read more
In Aftermath of Ray Rice Assault, NJ Lawmakers Introduce 3 New Domestic Violence Bills
In her most recent post for the Huffington Post, WLG’s Bari Weinberger analyzed the outcome of the Ray Rice domestic violence case, calling for improvements to New Jersey domestic violence law.
Members of the New Jersey Legislature are now following suit by introducing three new domestic violence bills in direct response to Rice’s placement in a pre-trial intervention program, which if successfully completed, will wipe from his record any mention of charges stemming from Rice’s assault on his then-fiancée in an Atlantic City casino. Read more