New Jersey Family Law

MORRISTOWN MORRIS COUNTY DIVORCE BUSINESS VALUATION ATTORNEY

The parties acquired various liquor stores during the New Jersey marriage. Although the New Jersey divorce judge erred by denying a credit for store inventories, the following rulings are affirmed : (1) valuation of the ex-husband's interest in the Hackensack store, (2) distribution to the ex-husband of half of the proceeds from sale of the Randolph store without imposing income tax liability on him, (3) distribution of the sale proceeds on property the ex-husband purchased during the marriage, (4) the finding that the ex-wife violated litigant's rights, and (5) the awards to the ex-husband of attorney's fees and a credit for the equitable distribution of the Hackensack store. Maybaum v. Maybaum, New Jersey App. Div., July 2, 2007

HOBOKEN NEW JERSEY HUDSON COUNTY DIVORCE MEDIATION

In this action to terminate the parental rights of the mother to her daughter, the Division of Youth and Family Services failed to meet its burden of establishing by clear and convincing evidence the four prongs of N.J.S.A. 30:4C-15.1a. The gravamen of the trial court's decision to terminate the mother's parental rights was that the daughter was threatened by the continuing relationship between the mother and the father, who had been convicted of child endangerment in connection with the death of his and the mother's son from Shaken Baby Syndrome. However, that threat was based on speculation rather than clear and convincing evidence.    N.J. Div. of Youth and Family Svcs. v. G.L..; I/M/O Guardianship of M.J.C., a Minor, ___ N.J. ___ (2007); New Jersey Supreme Court, June 29, 2007

SADDLE RIVER NEW JERSEY BERGEN COUNTY DIVORCE MEDIATION

An energy magnate's estranged wife was awarded $184 million in what appears to be one of the biggest divorce verdicts in history. Citing irreconcilable differences, Maya Polsky, a 55-year-old art gallery owner, filed for divorce from her husband, Michael Polsky, in 2003. The couple married in 1975 in Kiev, Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union. They arrived in the United States in 1976 with 4 suitcases and $500 in cash.  The husband later launched the company that eventually sold in 2000 for about $450 million. The president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers said he wasn't aware of a bigger divorce award in the United States.  June 26, 2007

WEST PATERSON PASSAIC COUNTY NEW JERSEY CHILD RELOCATION MEDIATOR

Within 6 months of the New Jersey judgment of divorce, the ex-wife sought to remove the minor children to Pennsylvania and to sell the former marital home. The New Jersey divorce judge denied the applications, holding she failed to prove the move was in the children's best interest, and failed to establish sufficient reasons to modify the joint custodial arrangement. The judge also found that the ex-wife's application to sell the marital home was unfair to the ex-husband, in that it made as much sense for her to move out, and for him to move in, as any other arrangement. These decisions are affirmed.   Specian v. Specian, New Jersey App. Div., June 26, 2007

SOUTH ORANGE NEW JERSEY ESSEX COUNTY DIVORCE ARBITRATION LAWYER

An agreement to arbitrate, executed by two sophisticated parties, each represented by counsel, was binding, particularly in precluding judicial review beyond the trial-court level.    Van Duren v. Rzasa-Ormes, ___ N.J. Super. ___ (App. Div. 2007); New Jersey App. Div. June 25, 2007