The wife chose to not have an attorney. She then signed the New Jersey divorce agreement. When she subsequently tried to have the agreement set aside, this was denied by the New Jersey divorce judge. That decision is now affirmed on appeal. Loscalzo v. Loscazo, New Jersey App. Div. , April 20, 2016
How valid is an alleged oral agreement supposedly reached during a New Jersey mediation involving family members? This case demonstrates the wisdom of Yogi Berra’s sage advice that a verbal contract is not worth the paper it’s [not] written on. W.L.Rife, Inc. v. Barto, New Jersey App. Div., September 10, 2015
The hand-written divorce settlement agreement was not binding and therefore unenforceable. In particular, the ex-husband was not represented by an attorney. Fitzgerald v. Fitzgerald, New Jersey App. Div., July 8, 2015
She contended their 10 year relationship was a "union", but her claim was thrown out of court because the oral agreement violated the applicable New Jersey Statute of Frauds [N.J.S.A. 25:1-5(h)]]. The trial court's dismissal was affirmed on appeal. Cooper v. Beatty, New Jersey App. Div., February 11, 2015
The ex-wife's attempt to vacate the New Jersey divorce judgment and to set aside the New Jersey divorce agreement, on the ground that she was allegedly mentally impaired at the time, was rejected by the New Jersey divorce judge. That decision is now affirmed on appeal. Dillman v. Dillman, New Jersey App. Div., May 16, 2014
This case illustrates the mistakes that can occur when New Jersey divorcing couples prepare their own documents and voluntarily skip being represented by legal counsel. Garofalo f/k/a Kutch v. Kutch, New Jersey App. Div., December 23, 2013
These New Jersey divorcing parties not only consistently refused to agree on numerous issues but they also persisted in interrupting the divorce judge and in ignoring him. Schwartz v. Sussman, New Jersey App. Div., August 23, 2013
Effective immediately, any New Jersey settlement agreement allegedly reached in mediation must be in writing and signed by the parties, in order to be enforceable. Willingboro Mall, LTD. v. 240/242 Franklin Avenue, L.L.C., ____ N.J.___(2013); New Jersey Supreme Court, August 7, 2013
Oksana Grigorieva says she was sabotaged by her lawyers in her matrimonial settlement with Mel Gibson and wound up with a bad agreement. In documents she just filed with the court [without a lawyer], Oksana accuses her lawyers of negligently advising her to sign off on a bad deal. According to Oksana's lawsuit, the bad deal she signed forbids her from pursuing any future legal action against Mel regarding their child without jeopardizing her financial settlement. That agreement called for Mel to pay Oksana $750,000 up front, plus a residence for Oksana and their daughter Lucia, until Lucia turns 18. Huffington Post, January 11, 2013
Jamie McCourt is unhappy with the deal she cut with her ex-husband Frank and is asking the court for a do-over. She claims she was duped over the valuation of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the baseball team she and her husband used to own. As part of her divorce settlement with Frank, Jamie agreed to a $131 million payment, which she received after the team was sold. McCourt v. McCourt, January 7, 2013