For many children, extra-curricular activities are a trial-and-error means of discovering their interests and talents. New Jersey’s guidelines for child support recognize this and generally take into account the costs associated with such activities in the basic child support payments. What happens, however, when a child is gifted in a…
While they were married, actress Sherri Shepherd and her now estranged husband, Lamar Sally, entered into a surrogacy agreement with a Pennsylvania woman when they decided to start a family. Before that baby was born, however, the couple filed for divorce (he in California and she in New Jersey), and…
The New Jersey Alimony Reform Act of 2014 was supposed to have clarified certain matters that existed under the State’s previous alimony laws, including how courts define cohabitation, one of the conditions under which alimony can be terminated. One New Jersey man is now testing whether or not this has been…
When it comes to divorce, the question of spousal support may be one of the most contentious issues couples can face. Initially there can be two extreme reactions: the spouse who wants a clean break and asks for absolutely nothing from his or her former partner and the spouse who…
New Jersey once again is grappling with the issue of how far parents’ financial obligations toward their children should go, particularly in relation to paying for their higher education. At least one State lawmaker is looking at ways to keep such decisions within the family and out of the courtroom.…
Governor Chris Christie recently signed into law long-debated changes to the State’s alimony laws. The new laws represent the first significant changes to a system which, for years, has been criticized as being too harsh and outdated.(1) One of the major changes is the elimination of permanent or lifetime alimony. Under…
Earlier this month New Jersey law enforcement officials apprehended 760 parents who were delinquent on their child support payments, collecting about $130,996 of the $14,856,998 owed in back payments. In Warren County alone, 14 people, owing a combined $161,683, were arrested as part of this sweep and $240 in delinquent…
When alimony is awarded as part of a legal separation or divorce settlement, it becomes a legally binding agreement enforceable by the court. As such, the receiving spouse has recourse if and when the paying spouse fails to meet his or her payment obligation. Usually, this involves filing a petition…
The New Jersey Bar Association has joined the fight for alimony reform within the State. The problem, however, is that now two groups are fighting over whose proposed bill is better. For over two years now, a group known as NJ Alimony Reform has sought to eliminate permanent alimony in…
Couples who live together without the benefit of marriage cannot benefit from the protections of divorce and alimony laws should their relationship end. Instead, these couples can resolve their financial issues through a contractual arrangement referred to as “palimony.” (1) There are differences, however, between alimony and palimony that, if…