CHATHAM MORRIS COUNTY NEW JERSEY DIVORCE LAWYER CHILD SUPPORT

Although the mother sought child support arrears and all support paid through Probation, with counsel fees, the New Jersey divorce judge did not err in granting the father's cross-motion to reduce child support due to a downturn in the economy and substantially diminished income from his ob/gyn practice. Given the changed circumstances, enforcement of the parties' New Jersey divorce agreement was no longer fair, especially as to the escalator clause and the daughter's college expenses. The judge did not err in determining the amount of income to be imputed to defendant and failing to consider the financial contributions of defendant's second wife. But the reverses on the award of only $5,000 in counsel fees : she incurred nearly $57,000. The judge did not address the counsel fee provision, and the matter is remanded for further consideration of the issue.     O'Connell v. Nataloni, New Jersey App. Div., March 20, 2008