South Jersey Law Blog

In forty-nine American states? Cats, dogs, and other household pets are treated no differently than property (“chattel” is the legal term) in the divorce process. They're no different or more special than a table, set of china or family automobile when the time comes to set custody schedules, cal...

Plenty of prospective clients here at DeMichele & DeMichele call our office to schedule an initial consultation and  want to know whether or not they have a case. What too few of them ask? How long he or she has to file a claim before it's too late for all intents and purposes. We refer to this...

Technology's ever-evolving impact on family law cases — particularly in the arena of divorce, child support and alimony — is always one of my favorite topics here at the DeMichele & DeMichele legal blog. This week, we got an interesting case out of Kansas on the controversial topic of sperm dono...

You may have seen this eyebrow-raising story over the last few days, but a North Pennsylvania couple made international news when the husband allegedly caught his wife in the act of adultery through the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle, more popularly known as a drone. The video has since gone...

The Burlington County Courthouse in Mt. Holly, NJ. Helping New Jersey parents resolve difficult child support and child custody disputes is at the heart of what we do here at DeMichele & DeMichele. Recently, D&D attorney Matt Rooney was successful in representing a single mother of three chi...

I've written in the past about how challenging it is for grandparents to secure custody, or even visitation rights, in family court. The process can prove daunting. That's because biological parents are presumed to have a constitutional right to have a say over how their children are raised; thi...

Figuring out child support can be a complicated affair, and there are many variables at play, but an Ocean County, New Jersey judge may have added one more to the mix. On Tuesday, Ocean County Superior Court Judge Lawrence Jones ruled that a parent could be compelled to pay extra child support ...

The actual assets you and your spouse own — homes, vehicles, bank account balances, retirement accounts, etc. — are subject to equitable distribution when you're undergoing a divorce in New Jersey. That's a different subject for a different divorce post. Today's inquiry: Does a pattern of reg...

Two South Jersey Court facilities are scheduled to be closed for security training. The New Jersey Court system will have two closures in October in South Jersey.  The first closure will be the Executive Campus Building in Cherry Hill. The building will be closed on Wednesday morning October 19, ...

You've been pulled over on one of New Jersey's many highways, byways or local roads. Then you hear the dreaded words: “Can you please step out of the car, Sir/Mam?” You may be under suspicion for driving while intoxicated (DWI). If you were pulled over, the officer believes he or she had prob...

What happens when the marriage ends but monies earned during the marriage arrive in your checking account or mailbox? The New Jersey Supreme Court is currently considering that question. Defendant Bernice Aucoin-Thieme wants New Jersey's top court to rule that equitable distribution is based on ...

Residents in one U.S. state now have a revolutionary new way to pay (and receive) child support. Georgia' Department of Human Services has reportedly launched a full-service mobile app — called GA DCSS —  specifically designed for making child support payments. The app also permits parents to “r...

When you and your children's other parent end up embroiled in a child support dispute, most parents expect to have their “day in court” after motion papers have been filed. For parents who aren't married and/or have never been married, there's typically an intermediary step before a judge gets in...

Antonio Cromartie Regular readers of our New Jersey legal blog will recall the story of  Antonio Cromartie, the former New York Jets cornerback who fathered 13 children and  paid $336,000 annually in child support. The latest? He recently  signed on with the Indianapolis Colts and a portion of C...

Updates from the Ongoing Ashley Madison Lawsuit For those unaware, AshleyMadison.com is a social networking site that, for a fee, facilitates extramarital affairs. The company previously advertised its services with racy billboards and campaign taglines such as: “Life is short. Have a...

One of the most serious consequences for DWI convicted drivers in New Jersey is the potential for loss of employment. Some employers might fire employees outright because the ability to drive is essential for the job. Transportation could become an issue regardless of the actual position's job d...

Vacations and Holidays Can Lead to Divorce. When you work at a busy divorce practice you meet many people who say I really want to get divorced but now is not the right time. The following expressions are almost commonplace in our office.. “If I can just get through the holidays…” “We shoul...

The short answer? No. Not in New Jersey. The unpublished (and therefore non-binding) Appellate Division decision in Zavaglia v. Bray is instructive. Long story short, a father appealed an order of the Mercer County Superior Court denying his application to reduce his child support obligation a...

Proponents of new legislation — passed by the New Jersey State Senate earlier in August — would permit many of New Jersey's suspended drivers to drive to work.  If the bill clears the Assembly and is signed into law by the governor, suspended drivers would be able to drive to-and-from work (onl...

Are you driving in New Jersey between August 19th and September 5th? According to the New Brunswick Patch, over 180 New Jersey jurisdictions are participating in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign through Labor Day Weekend. Here is the...

It's such a controversial and poorly understood issue that there is currently a bill before the New Jersey legislature, sponsored by a Cape May County-based State Senator, designed to improve driver education pertaining to traffic stops. Can you remain silent when a police officer pulls your ov...

Is Lump Sum Alimony Right for You? Things to consider when deciding on lump sum alimony.

Ocean County Judge: Attempting to Get Your Ex-Spouse Fired Could Result in a Restraining Order Against You! By Matt Rooney | DeMichele & DeMichele, P.C. Most non-lawyers associate physical acts with domestic violence. Victims know the truth can prove to be a lot more complicated. A recent unpu...

Charges in Glassboro Municipal Court Reduced Earlier this summer, our firm represented a client charged with two criminal offenses, Receiving Stolen Property N.J.S.A. 2C: 20-7A  and Criminal Mischief N.J.S.A. 2C: 17-3A (1). Our client was an undergraduate student at Rowan University who was facin...

We're always keeping an eye on developments at the state and federal levels in the event that a decision impacts our clients. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Voisine v. United States could have such an impact. Parties Stephen Voisine and William Armstrong challenged a federal law ...