HAWTHORNE PASSAIC COUNTY NEW JERSEY DIVORCE MEDIATION LAWYER

It was appropriate to increase child support retroactively to August 2005, creating $8000 in arrears. The original child support order was calculated using the shared parenting guidelines, anticipating the father would exercise overnight parenting time with the parties' son. However, he never availed himself of this time, causing the mother to move for the increased support. The contention that defendant's malicious interference with his exercise of parenting rights resulted in Parental Alienation Syndrome was rejected. Defendant never filed a motion seeking visitation, never once went to his son's sports events, never once sent him a Christmas or birthday card, and never gave him a Christmas present during the entire period. While the judge did note each side probably bore some responsibility for the rupture of the relationship between father and son, the blame for the 18-month lapse lay with plaintiff because he made little effort to see his son, or show him that he still cared.     Coles v. Pinn-Wilson, New Jersey App. Div., March 31, 2008