New Jersey Lawyer Blog
Alimony Modification in New Jersey
Suppose that for the past three years you have been receiving a certain amount per week in alimony. Next suppose that your ex-husband loses the job he held for twelve years. Further assume that he accepts a lower-paying job.
Now imagine that you are the one who has been making the payments. You lost a job that you held for years and after a difficult search, you are offered a job that pays a lot less than you had been earning. You might feel as though you are in a no-win situation. If you accept the lower-paying job, you may be criticized for not trying harder to get a job more comparable to your previous one. On the other hand, if you refuse that job and do not get another offer of employment in a timely manner, you might be admonished for not accepting the first opportunity.
The Appellate Division of the New Jersey Supreme Court recently heard a dispute over a $2,500,000 post-divorce bonus. The couple, Bernice Aucoin-Thieme and Michael Thieme, had only been married for about 15 months at the time their 
On September 15, 2016, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt separated. Jolie filed for 
Until 2007 most divorce complaints were based on separation or extreme cruelty. The separation claim required the couple to live apart for 18 months before filing for divorce. The extreme cruelty complaint required the claimant to accuse the other spouse of specific acts of cruelty.
We have a mobile society, and after separation or divorce, it is not uncommon for one of the spouses to move out of state. If either of them later decides to file for divorce or to request a modification in a divorce, then residing in two different states—or even different countries—makes it a little more complicated.
A report issued in March 2016 by the CDC’s National Center for Health Resources describes the results of a study conducted to determine trends in Americans’ attitudes towards social changes from 2002 to 2013. Data was based on the National Survey of Family Growth for 2002, 2006–2010, and 2011–2013; for some of the questions there was no data available from the 2002 survey.
On May 25, 2016, Amber Heard filed for divorce from Johnny Depp, her husband of fifteen months. She named “irreconcilable differences” as grounds for divorce. Heard also asked for temporary spousal support, but that request was denied.
Once alimony is determined by the Court, changing it requires a change in circumstances. One circumstance that is often cited as a reason to reduce or eliminate alimony is cohabitation. The New Jersey Alimony Reform Act, which became law in 2014, clarified the definition of “cohabitation.” A few recent cases have brought this issue into the limelight.
On June 19, 2016, Father’s Day will be celebrated by fathers throughout New Jersey. Most divorce agreements state that Father’s Day will be included in the father’s parenting time. For many divorced dads, however, this will be a bittersweet day. As much as they enjoy spending the day with their children, they are saddened that their time together is limited.