New Jersey Family Law Blog

Anyone in New Jersey who experiences marital problems might consider ending the marriage. However, divorce is final, and it might be wise to avoid rushing into such a drastic step. Sometimes, a marriage can be saved by dealing with underlying issues that could repair relationships. However, if both parties agree that divorce is the only option, they might as well work together to make the best of a process that is known to be traumatic.

The stressors could be limited if both parties maintain mutual respect. If they can remain civil toward each other, they could minimize unnecessary trauma to themselves and the children. Sharing a common vision or goal when it comes to property division and child-related issues could go a long way to keep divorce proceedings without contention. Couples are also advised not to rush into a litigated divorce that will allow a judge to make decisions that could have avoidable financial and mental consequences.

Suicide among men jumps dramatically if the man is divorced, studies show

Unmarried men account for 62 percent of male suicides, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. A 2004 study found that divorced men are eight time more likely to commit suicide than divorced women.

Statistics show that grandparents in New Jersey and other states take care of as many as one in every ten children. This could be a significant challenge to grandparents who have not taken steps to formalize their statuses as care providers. Several legal options are available, including adoption and petitioning the court for child custody or guardianship. The latter is said to give the grandparents the legal rights they need to care for the child without going through the adoption process.

Guardianship is only awarded when it is in the best interests of the child, and although it does not typically terminate parental rights, court-ordered guardianship can prevent the parents from taking back the child without going to court. Depending on the circumstances, the court might award parental visitation rights, and, in many cases, the court holds parents responsible for financial support to be paid to the grandparents who are the appointed guardians. However, if the parents are incarcerated or if a child was removed due to substance abuse, the parents might not have the means to pay child support.

More and more people nationwide, including in New Jersey, choose not to marry. A significant percentage of children are born out of wedlock, and while many couples parent those children in the same way that married parents would do, there are cases in which there are absent fathers. If a child is born and the birth certificate indicates no father, the mother might have questions about her legal child custody rights.

Does the fact that there is no father indicated give the mother sole custody of the child? Does she have to apply for legal custody rights as the single parent? What will happen if the father chooses to claim custody rights in the future? While the child custody laws vary from state to state, all the courts base their decisions about these matters on the best interests of the child.