Month: June 2021

Virtual? In-person? Hybrid? What happens when parents cannot agree?

As the country continues to struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, parents with shared custody are faced with difficult choices regarding how their children should attend school. Below is some insight and answers from a child custody attorney as to how best to deal with the decision.

Does my custody stipulation or custody order control who gets to make the decision?

Legal custody is defined in some states as “the right to make major decisions on behalf of the child, including, but not limited to, medical, religious and educational decisions.” While not specifically defined, in the wake of the global pandemic, parents, attorneys and judges alike seem to acknowledge that the decision regarding a child’s means of school attendance, ie. in-person or remote, during a global pandemic constitutes a “major” decision. Thus, when turning to your custody stipulation/order for guidance regarding this situation, it is the legal custody provision you want to review.

For a parent who has been awarded sole legal custody, which is rare, the decision regarding means of attendance may be made by the sole legal custodian. For parents who have been awarded shared legal custody, the decision should be made jointly, as each parent is entitled to participate in the decision-making.

What if the parents cannot agree?

As with other custody disputes, if the parties are unable to agree regarding the child(ren)’s means of school attendance, the matter can be submitted to the Court and the Court will decide. Parties who are unable to agree should seek judicial intervention as soon as possible to achieve a judicial determination prior to school deadlines and to avoid significant disruption to the children’s education.

As with any other custody determination, the Court will decide whether remote or in-person school attendance serves the best interests of the children.

Keep in mind that an issue of means of school attendance is a legal custody issue, which does not change a physical custody schedule. Therefore a Court will not order modification of the physical custody schedule simply to address the issue of the child’s means of school attendance.

If you believe certain adjustments must be made to your shared custody schedule to facilitate the child’s means of school attendance and you seek to modify your physical custody schedule, you will need to file a petition for modification for the court to consider a request for changes to the current physical custody schedule. Contact a child custody lawyer today to discuss your options.

Domestic violence in New Jersey can include anything from serious physical violence to harassment as it is defined under the statute. When there is an allegation of domestic abuse in New Jersey, a victim can seek the protection of the Court. This is done by applying for a temporary restraining order. You can consult with a family law attorney for support with the process.

When there is an emergency need for protection, temporary restraining orders are often entered on what’s referred to as an ex parte basis. This means that the person seeking protection tells the Judge why they need a restraining order and the Judge, without hearing from the other side or reviewing evidence, decides whether to issue a temporary restraining order.

The judge has issued the temporary restraining order. What happens next?

Once a temporary restraining order is issued, it has to be served on (or handed to) the party who has been named as the defendant. Temporary Restraining Orders typically prohibit the other party from having any contact, direct or indirect, with the person protected by the order. If there are firearms those will have to be surrendered to the local police. And if the parties are living with one another, the temporary order may require the other party to leave the home.

What happens to the children?

Where children are involved, the temporary order may also affect parenting rights and the defendant may temporarily lose parenting time. Because these prohibitions are put in place without giving the other side an opportunity to respond, courts are required to conduct a hearing shortly after the entry of the temporary restraining order (usually within a week to 10 days).

I heard of Final Restraining Orders in New Jersey. What are they?

A final restraining order in New Jersey lasts until it is vacated by the Court, which means that there is no clear end date for a final restraining order . For the party seeking a final restraining order the threshold questions are two-fold:

1. Was an act of domestic violence committed?
2. Is there an ongoing need for protection?

If the answer to both these questions is yes, then a final restraining order is granted. If the answer to either question is no, then the temporary order is vacated.

What happens to Domestic Violence offenders in New Jersey?

New Jersey maintains a central registry of domestic violence offenders so once a final order is entered, the party found to have committed an act of domestic violence will be registered. This can have a negative impact on their ability to continue working and can prevent the person from being hired for certain types of jobs.

Will a restraining order show up on a background check in New Jersey?

On a routine background check in New Jersey, a restraining order will not show up because it is treated as a civil (non-criminal) matter. If a more thorough or extensive background check is run, there is a possibility the order will be found.

Is there anything more amicable than a temporary restraining order?

Sometimes, for any number of reasons, parties will decide that rather than going to a trial in front of a Judge and seeking a final order, they would rather reach an agreement on their own to resolve the restraining order. In those instances, New Jersey allows for the parties to reach an agreement for Civil Restraints which may apply regardless of whether they are married or unmarried.'

In short, civil restraints are an alternative to a final restraining order. They must be entered into by agreement, because that the Court cannot impose civil restraints. In some situations, civil restraints can be a good, less restrictive, option to avoid a final restraining order.

How do you file for Civil Restraints in New Jersey?

An agreement for civil restraints cannot be entered under the domestic violence docket (the court record where the Restraining Orders are lodged). Therefore, there must be another docket to enter the record of the Civil Restraint agreement. Typically, this will occur under either the FM (divorce or dissolution) or FD (not related to a divorce or dissolution) docket. The key takeaway is in order to enter into Civil Restraints there must be a place to record the agreement. In those cases the domestic violence action is vacated.

What protection does a civil restraint agreement provide?

Civil Restraints can address many protections similar to a Final Restraining Order :

• Prohibit contact between the parties
• Allow one party to continue to have exclusive possession of the home
• Prevent either party from posting any disparaging or damaging comments online
• Address parenting time
• Add other agreed provisions to minimize conflict

What’s the difference between a civil restraint and a restraining order?

The primary distinction between Civil Restraints and Restraining Orders is in how they are enforced. When there is a restraining order in effect, whether temporary or final, a violation of the restraining order is treated as criminal contempt resulting in, among other things, jail time, fines and/ or probation.. Therefore, police can be called in the event of a violation.

Civil restraint violations, on the other hand, are, civil (non-criminal)in nature. The Court can enforce its’ order. The plaintiff can file a Motion for Contempt and Enforcement, but the civil remedies through the Court are limited and will likely not include incarceration. The decision between seeking a final restraining order or agreeing to civil restraints is an important one and often depends on many case specific factors. A family lawyer near you can help you determine which route to go.

Civil restraints might accomplish the desired protections and alleviate the uncertainty of a trial or the potential negative consequences of a final order. That said, there are situations and circumstances where civil restraints would be inappropriate or insufficient. Whether a person is the victim of domestic violence or accused of committing an act of domestic violence, one should consult with a family law attorney that understands New Jersey family law when contemplating resolving a case by litigating for a final restraining order or agreeing to civil restraints.

Talk to a Family Law Attorney

With any matter involving domestic abuse or violence, it pays to seek counsel from a knowledgeable family law attorney near you. Our family law practice is well established and supports clients in Doylestown and Norristown, PA. We also offer assistance to clients in Cherry Hill, NJ.

Our law practice can support you all types of issues relating to family law. Get in touch. We’re here to help.

Divorce is never easy, even more so if you have children involved. But if you’ve decided a divorce is the only way out, make sure you’re completely prepared.

Use this divorce checklist to ensure you’re taking the necessary steps to make the process as smooth as possible and reach the fairest outcome for everyone involved. If you have decided to proceed, talk with one of our family law attorneys. Here are some of the big items to check off your list:

Are you sure?

Have you taken every step possible to ensure a divorce is what you really want? Have you tried marriage counseling? Talked with friends? Talked with family? Once you begin the proceedings, it will be difficult to put things in reverse.

Even if you are certain, you might want to consider a collaborative divorce or a mediator where the two of you can work through the process as partners and not adversaries. With either option, a team of legal, financial, and childcare experts will work with you and your spouse to minimize the potential damage of a divorce proceeding.

Don’t go it alone. Find the right family law attorney.

Sure you can go online and attempt to handle the process yourself. But having someone by your side can make a big difference. At the very least, it will ensure nothing is left to chance. Take your time. Talk with friends, families, co-workers, and others who have filed for divorce. Get their recommendations on a family law attorney.

Keep in mind, you don’t have to hire the first family lawyer you talk with. It’s a good idea to meet with several divorce lawyers to find the right fit. It’s important that you feel 100% comfortable confident your family lawyer will be supportive and understanding. Equally important, you’ll want to make sure the family law attorney you select is an authority and has handled cases in the county where you are filing. In fact, the two of you will have to decide the venue to file for the divorce.

After working together with your family law attorney you decide it’s a bad fit, don’t hesitate to end your relationship and find another family lawyer. Do you approve your attorney’s negotiation (or litigation) style? Your divorce attorney needs to be a trusted advisor and advocate. The divorce process is already going to be difficult enough, you don’t want your family law attorney to create another obstacle for you.

Get organized.

There’s a lot of documentation that’s required. So, start assembling all the records you can even before meeting with a family lawyer. Here are just some of the records you should have ready and available:

1. Income-related documents including tax returns, pay stubs, financial statements, business expenses if either of you is self-employed, and any other information that helps establish both parties' income and earning capacity.
2. Real estate-related documents presenting joint or separately owned properties, property tax assessments, mortgage statements, and home equity loans.
3. Financial documents including bank statements, savings accounts, checking accounts, investments, pension funds, 401K plans, IRAs, mutual, and retirement funds. You should include life insurance policies for any family member including loans or cash balances against those policies.
4. Marital debt documents covering credit cards, loans, medical bills, and other debt held jointly or individually.
5. Vehicle documents including titles and registrations for any car, truck, boat, equipment or other vehicles. Make sure you have the outstanding balance owed for those vehicles as well as the current value.

It’s best to create a balance sheet (summary of assets and liabilities) to establish a clear overview; highlight pre-marital or gifted assets. Doing so will help save legal fees and establish your financial goals from the divorce proceedings.

Stop spending

You’ll want to avoid impulsive spending to make sure you have the finances to file for divorce. Moreover, after you file, a judge could put a hold on your finances to prevent you or your spouse from buying, selling or disposing of marital property. This action prevents either of you from draining funds simply to spite the other party. If there is anything you want to buy or sell, make sure you do it in advance of any divorce proceedings.

Make a plan for a place to stay

Are you going to move out? Is your spouse going to move out? If it’s you, where are you going to live? You could elect to remain under the same roof during the divorce process. Just make sure that will be a comfortable situation and not create any undue stress or worse. If you have children, you cannot take them with you without approval of your spouse or the court. (See below.)

If you elect to move out, make sure you have the financial wherewithal. Create a budget for yourself and stick to it. You’ll also want to make sure you continue to receive mail. Have your mail forwarded to your new address or set up a post office box. You may also want to make sure you take any personal items that have meaning … you might lose them or have them tied up for quite some time as the divorce plays out.

Be careful about relationships

In Pennsylvania, you can file for a no-fault or fault divorce. As such, a relationship outside of your marriage can be used to establish fault. Spending on the relationship can become a major point of contention during the divorce process. Even if you're already involved with someone, get advice about whether to avoid flaunting that relationship until your divorce is finalized.

What about the kids?

The news about your divorce will be shocking and painful enough for your children. So, make sure you have a solid plan in place to help them through the process. How are you going to break the news to them? The first issue you may face in court or negotiations will address their custody and child support.

Pennsylvania implanted new child custody laws a few years ago. You'll want to review those laws and their impact on your family lawyer. Barring extending circumstances, a judge will award shared legal and often shared physical custody. As a result, you’ll need to determine a schedule for where your children will live. That schedule can become complex if you elect to move to another state. Do your best to arrive at a plan in advance. It will make things easier for you during the divorce proceedings.

The more you've taken the time to address this checklist, the better prepared you'll be to handle the stress of your divorce. Equally important, you'll have the documentation and clarity you need to work effectively with your divorce lawyer.

It's not going to be easy. But you'll get through it. A divorce checklist isn't going to answer all of your questions. So if you are looking for a divorce lawyer near you, give us a call at 610-275-0700. We have law offices in Norristown in Montgomery County and Doylestown in Bucks County PA. We also have an office in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

One of the reasons, we became family lawyers is to help ease families through situations like this. You won't just be getting a family law attorney. You'll be getting a partner to help you through things.