I've recently read many posts from Facebook friends about their love of their pets - and also about horrible examples of animal cruelty. My family has always included dogs and I'm reminded of the 2013 "Patrick's Law," which increased the penalties for animal abuse....
Year: 2015
Bullying Laws and Private Schools
In 2011, after media coverage of a string of teen suicides across the country and a report that New Jersey's school bullying rates were higher than the national average, the State passed the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act, which reformed its prior-and notably...
Big Change in Divorce Law – A Warning for Spouses Paying Support
For parties involved in a divorce with child support at issue, the process has just become simpler. A Family Court Judge in Ocean County recently ruled on how the "effective date for the retroactive establishment of an initial child support obligation" should be...
Companion Animals for the Disabled – When & Where
Individuals with disabilities may use service animals and emotional support animals for a variety of reasons. A person requiring either a service animal or an emotional support animal has certain rights under federal and state law. The first step to getting this...
Cohabitation and Alimony How to Deal with a Sneaky Ex-Spouse
For many people engaged in a bitter divorce, paying alimony may seem like salt in a fresh wound. While alimony was created to allow a financially-dependent spouse to maintain the same standard of living as before the marriage's dissolution for a period of time - some...
Attention Judges – Domestic Violence Defendants Have Rights
A New Jersey trial court judge violated a defendant's right to due process in a recent domestic violence case.Two people dated on and off from June 2012 to June 2014. In June 2014, the defendant sent the victim "six or seven ranting text messages" that called her...
Federal Contractors Now Must Offer Paid Sick Leave A Slippery Slope For Employers?
Last month, President Obama issued an Executive Order that continued the recent trend toward providing more employee-friendly regulations. The Order's key feature is that it requires all federal contractors to allow employees at least 7 days of paid sick leave...
How the Ashley Madison Hack Effects the Workplace
It's easy to see the family and marital consequences of the recent Ashley Madison hack, which outed the names of those registered for the adulterous dating site. Workplace consequences, however, are a murkier area. While what happens in the home doesn't cross over to...
A Win for a Cop – and Common Sense
In State v. Hathaway, the New Jersey Supreme Court, reversed the Appellate Court and ruled that the police in this case did not violate the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution and Article I, Paragraph 7 of the New Jersey Constitution by doing a...
Condominium Homeowner Associations Responsible for Dangerous Sidewalks
In a recent case called Qian v. Toll Brothers, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that condominium homeowners' associations are responsible for the upkeep of all sidewalks on and adjacent to their property. Before this decision, homeowners' associations were immune...