In a case of first impression in New Jersey, the mother of a 16- year-old minor has been granted the right to legally change his first name from Veronica to Trevor. The court’s decision in the matter of Sacklow v. Betts was approved for publication on June 28, 2017 which gives it enhanced status in the legal community.

Because the case involves a minor child and his parents share legal custody – and disagree to some extent as to whether he should be permitted to change his name from Veronica to Trevor – the court exercised its role as parens patriae. In doing so, the court made its own findings of fact to determine to whether the name change is in Trevor’s best interests.…

Continue Reading Can a Transgender Minor Legally Change His or Her Name?

Divorce arbitration is an effective method of dispute resolution which has been recognized by the New Jersey Supreme Court as an alternative to conventional litigation. Given the severe backlog in the New Jersey court system and the difficulty obtaining consecutive hearing dates and receiving timely decisions, more divorcing parties are turning to arbitration to resolve their disputes. As a certified divorce arbitrator, I will describe what arbitration is (and isn’t) and explain how it functions.

First, it is important to distinguish arbitration from mediation. While mediation involves the assistance of a third party “neutral” to encourage and facilitate a resolution, arbitration is akin to litigation on an expedited basis. In other words, at the conclusion of an arbitration hearing the arbitrator renders a decision just as would a judge hearing the case.

Second…
Continue Reading Divorce Arbitration – How it Works and Why it’s Right

In a case of first impression entitled D.W. v. M.W., the Hon. Lawrence Jones, J.S.C. (Ocean County), has warned parents that their right to attend their child’s Little League games was in potential jeopardy due to “inappropriate public criticism and disparagement of coach decisions.”

The case, which has not concluded with a formal legal opinion, brings to attention a pattern of conduct referred to by Judge Jones as Little League Parent Syndrome. The “syndrome” goes beyond Little League and has in fact reared its head in a variety of children’s sporting events—sometimes with devastating results.…

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As some readers may know, our Social Security system permits a divorced person (once eligible for benefits in the normal course of events) to receive the greater of (a) the amount he/she would be entitled to in their own name or (b) 50% of their ex-spouse’ benefit provided that the parties had been married for at least ten years and the person has not remarried.

Although New Jersey law generally holds that the marital partnership terminates upon a filing for divorce, the parties remain legally married until the subsequent entry of a Judgment of Divorce.…

Continue Reading Ex-Spouse May be Able to Maximize Expected Social Security Benefits after Divorce

In the world of family law, overnight parenting time during the school week is often a difficult issue to resolve, as recently demonstrated in the case of M.C. v. P.C., which was decided by the Hon. Lawrence Jones, J.S.C. on November 28, 2016.
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Continue Reading Overnight Parenting Time and Homework

Two Department of Defense appropriations bills before the House and Senate will, if enacted, rewrite the law governing division of military pensions upon divorce by revoking the power granted to states to divide military pensions and cutting back the share which a former spouse will receive.

For example, assume that John Doe retires as a sergeant major (E-9) from the Army after thirty years of service. He and Jane Doe were divorced ten years ago. Since John and Jane were married for twenty years of service, under the current law Jane would receive 50% of 2/3 (20/30) of John’s actual retirement pay.…

Continue Reading Military Pensions and Divorce – A Radical Rewrite?