Deciding the fate of the family pet in a divorce is a little more complicated than deciding who gets Great Aunt Sara’s heirloom trinkets, yet most states consider pets as mere property. New Jersey, however, is one state that recognizes the uniqueness of pets and the sentimental value we attach…
Divorce not only separates the nuclear family – father, mother, child – but it can have ramifications for the extended family as well. The grandparent/grandchild relationship is one that can often suffer from the dissolution of a marriage. Since the 1970s, a number of states have passed laws recognizing grandparents’…
A New Jersey statute designed to protect the rights of non-custodial parents and their children and maintain their relationship may have unfairly affected the rights of custodial parents, but case law is changing to address this inequity. This situation came to light recently in the case of Morgan v. Morgan,…
When actress Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry called it quits last April, reports claimed the split was amicable. The couple was even seen enjoying outings together with their young daughter. Now, however, the two are involved in a bitter custody battle. With each flinging accusations aimed at proving the other…
It used to be couples embroiled in divorce battles would hire private investigators to collect evidence against each other. In this digital era, however, more people are relying on electronic means to snag their spouses in compromising situations. The ramifications of this are unclear. In Rochester Hills, MI, a man…
Social Security insurance provides survivor benefits for dependent children of deceased workers to help compensate for the loss of financial support. Dependent children are defined as unmarried and under age 18 (19 if still full-time high school students). But are children conceived after the death of a parent eligible for…
As 2010 was drawing to a close, New Jersey lawmakers were busy adopting bills to improve the rights of victims of violent crimes including victims of domestic violence. The first bill, which was signed into law last month by Gov. Chris Christie, extended the time-frame under which victims of violent…
Efforts by the 21 sheriffs’ departments throughout New Jersey resulted in the arrest of some 953 people on charges of failure to pay child support. Those arrested owed over $14 million in combined child support payments. As of December 10, the State had collected about $233,000 or that amount as…
A new bill being considered by New Jersey lawmakers would ensure that seniors residing in assisted living facilities would keep their housing even after their money ran out and they qualified for Medicaid. (1) The bill would require companies that operate assisted living facilities within the State to set up…
A New Jersey apartment complex was hit with a $7.4 million judgment and an Old Bridge teenager was put under house arrest in two separate incidents involving underage drinking. A jury found the Excelsior Apartments in Hackensack culpable in a hit-and-run accident, which left a New Jersey cardiologist seriously injured…