Child Custody
“Will a NJ Trial Judge Allow our Child to Testify During a Child Custody and Parenting Time Hearing?”
The New Jersey Rules of Court grant trial judges discretion whether to have children testify at a hearing on child custody and parenting time. If that takes place, it won’t be held in open court but rather as an interview in the judge’s chambers. The judge would need to feel the testimony is relevant, it’s…
Read MoreWhat’s the Deal with NJ Child Custody, Parenting Time, and Vacation?
Vacation is a time for you to relax with your family. There are so many issues to resolve. When should you go? Can you take time off from work? Where should you go? Can you find things your kids and you want to do together? For many parents, another question comes to mind: will vacation…
Read MoreWhat is Reasonable Parenting Time in NJ?
Parenting time is an all-purpose label for when divorced or separated parents spend time with their kids. Whether it’s reasonable depends on the facts, yet it’s the best interests of children that reign supreme. The term “visitation” was used in the old NJ statutes. It described a parent’s status when they didn’t have legal custody…
Read MoreHow a Parent’s Mental Illness Can Impact NJ Child Custody Part II
In Part I, we discussed the impact of a parent’s mental illness on a dependent minor child, when a judge decides custody matters or the parents negotiate an out-of-court settlement. If a parent has been diagnosed with a mental illness or it’s under control with the help of medication, talk therapy, or both, then it…
Read MoreCaring for a Child? Become the Guardian Instead
Many grandparents, aunts, and uncles are caring for children who are not their own. These are often children of parents who are unwilling or unable to care for them. They may be substance abusers, seriously ill, incarcerated, mentally incapacitated, or in active military service outside of the country. If you are such a caregiver, it’s…
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