Children

“That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.” William Shakespeare, “Romeo and Juliet”. Courts in New Jersey have disagreed with the Great Bard for some time, however. Legal disputes over a child’s name are not uncommon, several even finding their way to the Supreme Court. Most often the fight has been over the child’s last name, but as you’ll see, first names are sometimes a source of disagreement. In 1995 the Supreme Court decided Gubernat v. Dermer, which involved a couple who was [...]

Although divorcing spouses go through a laundry list of emotions, it is the children who are most vulnerable in a divorce.  Regardless of their age, children are permanently affected by their parents’ divorce. Inexplicably many adults cannot place their children’s needs above their own.  And, as a consequence, the children often suffer.  Sometimes a parent ignores his children, spending more time and energy on a new relationship.  Children can feel neglected or unimportant, leading to a deterioration in the relationship with the absent parent. Parents sometimes introduce a new [...]