PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

The alimony reform debate reaches New Jersey

A slow, steady ripple of change is impacting alimony laws across the country and the debate has reached New Jersey.

2014-03-08
March 08, 2014 (Press-News.org) A slow, steady ripple of change is impacting alimony laws across the country and the debate has reached New Jersey. Also called spousal maintenance or spousal support, the payment of support by one ex-spouse to the other after divorce or separation has been a traditional part of family law.

Modern trends

Certain aspects of traditional alimony are being challenged because of changing times: the economics of job loss and underemployment; the rise in female employment and earnings; the increase in cohabitation by intimate partners; and a growing expectation that after divorce, an ex-spouse should become self-supporting.

The main issues

The main reforms are the elimination of permanent, lifelong alimony; the establishment of alimony guidelines; and the recognition that it is not fair for an ex-spouse to continue to pay when the receiving ex-spouse is supported by a new cohabitating partner.

The most far-reaching reforms in alimony laws have been in Massachusetts.

The New Jersey outlook

The alimony debate in the Garden State has two main camps. On the one hand are many family lawyers who believe judicial discretion, not guidelines, should determine alimony awards based on unique family circumstances.

On the other hand are reform groups that agree with the national reformers, pointing to examples in which paying spouses have become destitute because of inflexible alimony orders.

Several proposed alimony bills are before the New Jersey legislature, with each camp promoting one.

A bill like Massachusetts reform

One bill very similar to the massive Massachusetts overhaul is being promoted by some New Jersey reform groups with the same agenda as the national reformers.

This proposal would tie the length of an alimony award of limited duration closely to the length of the marriage. In a marriage of more than 20 years, the award could be "indefinite," but would terminate when the payor spouse reaches Social Security retirement age, unless the recipient could show the court "clear and convincing evidence" of a "material change in circumstances" that constitutes "good cause" for extending the award.

Many of the provisions in this bill relating to guidelines allow a judge to enter an alimony order outside of the guidelines if he or she articulates a legal basis for doing so in writing.

The middle ground

The second main bill wades more cautiously into the call for change in alimony and is supported by the New Jersey Bar Association. It changes "permanent alimony" to "alimony of indefinite term," sets up standards for when alimony can be modified or terminated by retirement of the payor, and outlines considerations for modification when the recipient cohabitates.

The blue ribbon study commission proposal

In the New Jersey Assembly, a joint resolution to create a special 11-member, year-long commission to study alimony in the state with an eye toward possible reform has been approved by that body's judiciary committee. If the resolution were enacted, the commission would study New Jersey alimony data and trends; compare other states' alimony laws and data; and report its findings and recommendations to the governor and legislature, including proposed legislation if the group feels it would be appropriate.

Some who support the commission proposal feel it would be prudent to take time to carefully review the situation before making changes to New Jersey's alimony laws.

While the lawmakers sort out where alimony is headed in New Jersey, people will still need to resolve the issue, case by case. Those facing divorce or dissolution of a civil union should speak with an experienced New Jersey alimony attorney who can provide counsel and legal representation.

Article provided by Law Offices of Gary J. Natale, P.C.
Visit us at www.natalelaw.com


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

DWI charges possible in Texas even if under the legal limit

2014-03-08
Although it may surprise many Texas motorists, a driver does not actually have to have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above the legal limit in order to be charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI) in Texas. Indeed, while a driver is automatically considered "intoxicated" under Texas law if he or she has a BAC of at least 0.08 percent, DWI charges are also possible if a driver does not have the "normal use of mental or physical faculties" due to alcohol consumption - regardless of BAC levels. In fact, police have been known to charge drivers ...

Is mediation right for your Texas divorce or family law dispute?

2014-03-08
The courtroom can be a daunting place for people unfamiliar with the legal system. Having a judge - who doesn't know you or your family and is guided solely by testimony and facts presented to him or her - make life-changing decisions that will significantly impact your family can be both stressful and dissatisfying. While judges are guided by the laws of the state of Texas, they make determinations based on the facts of a case, not the nuances present in every family dynamic. Many people feel helpless in that situation, and are anxious that a stranger has complete control ...

Reported outbreaks of measles in Massachusetts

2014-03-08
Measles is a highly contagious disease. The illness can be so dangerous that many societies around the world encourage vaccinations against the disease. In the United States, measles vaccinations started over 50 years ago. The intention was to protect residents from the dangers of measles. However, since measles vaccinations have been introduced and regularly implemented, reports of outbreaks -- even among vaccinated persons -- began to surface. Atypical measles For example, in the 1960s, some children developed an especially egregious version of measles called atypical ...

Lynch, Traub, Keefe & Errante, P.C., Adds Two New Associates to Staff

2014-03-08
Lynch, Traub, Keefe & Errante, P.C., is pleased to announce that it has hired two new associate attorneys. The addition of Daniel P. Scholfield and Rosalie D. Morgan will enable the law firm to continue offering superior litigation services to its clients. Daniel P. Scholfield will focus his practice on civil litigation, litigation and appeals, criminal defense and personal injury. He graduated magna cum laude in 2009 from Saint Anselm College with a Bachelor of Arts in politics and then attended Quinnipiac University School of Law. As a law student, Mr. Scholfield ...

Chicago Family Court Judge Michael Bender Featured on Counterpoint TV

2014-03-08
On Tuesday, March 11, 2014 at 7:30PM (CST) the Honorable Judge Bender will join fathers' rights attorney Jeffery M. Leving on Chicago Counterpoint TV. Judge Bender, who recently retired from the bench, and Leving, an internationally renowned family law attorney, will discuss important considerations in complex child custody matters. Leving has dedicated over thirty years fighting to strengthen families and improve outcomes for children, especially those facing difficult circumstances. He and Judge Bender will provide experienced insight and guidance concerning how best ...

Terry Hay of New Zealand Graduated from UC Irvine 43 Years Ago

2014-03-08
Terry Hay of New Zealand has had considerable success in business, establishing two successful companies and guiding a third to ever-greater profitability. It's hard for him to believe that more than four decades have passed since he earned his Economics degree from the University of California at Irvine. UC-Irvine is one of ten schools in the University of California system. The UC system is recognized as the state's premier public school system, and the Irvine campus is one of its ten general campuses. Located in Orange County, UC Irvine is the fifth largest in the ...

Richard Obedian, M.D. To Mentor Young Surgeons

2014-03-08
Richard Obedian, M.D., is one of the to orthopedic surgeons in the State of New York. He is sought after as a presenter on medical topics, is widely published in medical journals, and practices at Island Spine and Sports in Hicksville, New York, where he serves as Director. But Richard Obedian, M.D., is at the stage of his career where he is prepared to start giving back. Like most successful professionals, Richard Obedian, M.D. says he could not have had the success he has had without a lot of help along the way. Richard Obedian, M.D. says several great coaches and ...

NASA Launches New Research, Seeks the Subtle in Parallel Ways

NASA Launches New Research, Seeks the Subtle in Parallel Ways
2014-03-08
On March 7, NASA announced the selection of 10 investigations for the study of identical twin astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly and, in doing so, launched human space life science research into a new era. Although NASA's Human Research Program has been researching the effects of spaceflight on the human body for decades, these 10 investigations will provide NASA with broader insight into the subtle effects and changes that may occur in spaceflight as compared to Earth-based environments. NASA and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) will jointly manage ...

Education 'protects' poor women from fattening effects of rising wealth

2014-03-08
Obesity levels among women in low- and middle-income countries tend to rise in line with wealth as they purchase more energy-dense foods, but a new UCL study suggests that more educated consumers make better food choices that mitigate this effect. The study showed that in middle-income countries, obesity levels among women with secondary or higher education are 14-19% lower than less-educated women of similar wealth. The research, published in PLOS ONE, looked at the relationships between obesity, education and wealth in over 250,000 people across four middle-income ...

Deer proliferation disrupts a forest's natural growth

2014-03-08
ITHACA, N.Y. – By literally looking below the surface and digging up the dirt, Cornell researchers have discovered that a burgeoning deer population forever alters the progression of a forest's natural future by creating environmental havoc in the soil and disrupting the soil's natural seed banks. The study, "Deer Browsing Delays Succession by Altering Aboveground Vegetation and Belowground Seed Banks," was published online March 7 in PLOS ONE. "Deer are slowing down forest succession or natural establishment. In fact, the deer are preventing forests from establishing," ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Tracking insect and bug health in a heartbeat from a digital camera

'Talking fish' not heard by conservation policies, SFU study warns

Thirty years of research shows increased resistance in fungi

Junk food ‘avoids advertising regulation’ with top level UK sports sponsorship

Banking on AI while committed to net zero is ‘magical thinking’, claims report on energy costs of big tech

Ancient river systems reveal Mars was wetter than we thought

Online toolkit to help parents of autistic children improve dental health

The psychological and neurological parallels between sports fandom and religious devotion

Agricultural liming in the US is a large CO2 sink, say researchers

Seaside more likely to make us nostalgic than green places, study finds

Psilocybin delays aging, extends lifespan, Emory study suggests

Buck Institute awarded DARPA contract to pioneer next-gen AI modeling platform

Orange is the new aphrodisiac—for guppies

Murals boost Cincinnati’s vitality, community development

Ad blockers may be showing users more problematic ads, NYU Tandon study finds

Verbal response time reveals hidden sleepiness in older adults

University of Maryland School of Medicine launches groundbreaking study on THC/CBD therapy for dementia-related agitation at end of life

Targeting stem-property and vasculogenic mimicry for sensitizing paclitaxel therapy of triple-negative breast cancer by biomimetic codelivery

SRSF7 promotes pulmonary fibrosis through regulating PKM alternative splicing in lung fibroblasts

Psychological stress-activated NR3C1/NUPR1 axis promotes ovarian tumor metastasis

An anti-complement homogeneous polysaccharide from Houttuynia cordata ameliorates acute pneumonia with H1N1 and MRSA coinfection through rectifying Treg/Th17 imbalance in the gut–lung axis and NLRP3 i

ALKBH3-regulated m1A of ALDOA potentiates glycolysis and doxorubicin resistance of triple negative breast cancer cells

A photodynamic nanohybrid system reverses hypoxia and augment anti-primary and metastatic tumor efficacy of immunotherapy

Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B Volume 15, Issue 6 Publishes

From injury to agony: Scientists discover brain pathway that turns pain into suffering

Molecular simulations show graphite ‘hijacks’ diamond formation through unexpected crystallization pathways

Scientific breakthrough uses cold atoms to unlock cosmic mysteries 

First-of-its-kind journal facilitates rapid publication of AI research

AI tool helps improve detection of cardiac amyloidosis

Loneliness predicts poor mental and physical health outcomes

[Press-News.org] The alimony reform debate reaches New Jersey
A slow, steady ripple of change is impacting alimony laws across the country and the debate has reached New Jersey.