https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLTW1Fe-quI
In this short video, Bergen County attorney (in divorce, family, criminal, employment law) Eric J. Aretsky explains why it is a good idea to have an attorney represent you in your municipal court case.
George Zimmerman’s Wife Files For Divorce
Turbulence continues in the lives of George and Shellie Zimmerman. Although George Zimmerman has been acquitted of the murder of Trayvon Martin, the Zimmerman’s are still in the news. Shellie Zimmerman is now in the spot light. In August she was sentenced in perjury charges, she filed for a divorce, last week, and this week she called 911 for domestic violence.
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| Photo Credit Flickr |
On the heals of divorce fillings, Shellie Zimmerman made a call to 911, accusing her estranged husband, George Zimmerman, of threatening her with a gun and punching her father in the nose. She later changed her story and decided not to press charges. Prosecutors could still press charges based on the videos from the home, and the squad cars that responded to the call. You can read more about the 911 call in the Associated Press article dated September 9.
Click here for the full article.
Chances are we have not heard the last of the Zimmerman family.
According to an Associated Press articles on September 5, “George Zimmerman’s wife filed for divorce Thursday, less than two months after her husband was acquitted of murdering Trayvon Martin and a week after she pleaded guilty to perjury in his case.
Shellie Zimmerman made the decision because of “disappointment,” her attorney, Kelly Sims, wrote Thursday in a short email to The Associated Press. The 26-year-old Zimmerman told ABC’s “Good Morning America” last week that she was having serious doubts about remaining married.
The interview came just after she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor perjury charge for lying during a bail hearing following her husband’s arrest for the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in February 2012. Her husband, who was acquitted on second-degree murder and other charges in July, wasn’t in the Sanford, Fla., courtroom as she was sentenced to a year’s probation and 100 hours of community service – even though she supported him and lied about their finances.”
Click here for the full article.
If you are interesed in reading about George Zimmerman’s recent encounters with the police over speeding, click here.
Crazy About Your New Spouse, BUT You Want a Prenup!
In this day of multiple marriages, we are all entering into our nuptials with a lot more “history.” We may have substantial assets, large incomes, or one or both parties might have large outstanding debt. It may not be romantic, but many couples today are choosing to be 100% committed on everything but the finances.
Therefore, a common question people ask a divorce attorney in Bergen County such as Eric or Dolores Aretsky, is what things should be included in a prenuptial agreement? Your agreement should be tailored to your individual circumstances, but here are some things that should be covered:
You should quickly decide to work with a divorce attorney for your Bergen County divorce . You will need to get prepared to get the most out of your first appointment. Your attorney will probably want some documents that are specific to your particular case. Every situation will be somewhat different.
There are other documents, however, that a family law attorney will generally need to see in every divorce or child custody case. In general, its a good idea to bring the following to your first appointment with an attorney:
You’ve tried everything, but you really need to end your marriage. Or, you don’t really want the marriage to end, but your spouse has decided for both of you. Now that the decision has been made, you’d like to get it behind you as fast as possible.
As with most things having to do with law and courts and public servants, not to mention your spouse and his or her attorney, Many, many factors will contribute to either speeding things along or dragging things out for months or even years. The major factors are:
Is Your Ex Taking Advantage of You? Child Visitation Rights after Divorce in NJThe first place to secure visitation rights is during the negotiations leading up to your final divorce decree. If you are not going to have primary physical custody, then you are going to want to maximize the amount of time you can spend with your children.
Even if you are going to be the primary care provider, and the kids will be with you most of the time, getting a clear understanding of when your ex can visit is one of the most important parts of the process of your divorce
As Bergen County divorce lawyers, we want you to understand your rights when it comes to how the courts will determine custody.
If you are confused about the standard custody plan, listen up: Contrary to popular belief, there is no “standard” custody and visitation plan in Bergen County, or anywhere in New Jersey. Your arrangement will be based on your family. A number of factors will be considered. The court’s standard in child custody cases is “the best interests of the child”. In determining the best interests of the child, the court considers a number of factors including the home environments, the ages of the children, their relationship to each parent, the parents’ willingness to cooperate with one another, and other factors. A divorce lawyer will build a case for you based on your desires for custody and visitation, and what you feel is in the best interests of your children.The court will use the “best interest” factors to determine legal custody, physical custody, and visitation. Legal custody refers to who makes major decisions, and in New Jersey, this is commonly shared. Physical custody refers to the parent who the children live with most of the time. Visitation refers to the time spent with the parent who does not have physical custody.
As same-sex couples in New Jersey await the supreme court’s decision on same-sex marriage, it is still not legal for gay and lesbian couples to have the full range of legal benefits of marriage, but civil unions are recognized in the state of New Jersey, offering many of the protections of marriage.
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| Ed Murray / The Star-Ledger |
It is looking more like legal recognition of gay marriage may be in the cards for New Jersey, changing the game for family lawyers like ours in Bergen County who represent same sex couples.
Check out the full article:
“Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Trenton), the first openly gay member of the New Jersey Legislature, has introduced a bill that would ask the state’s voters next November to approve same-sex marriage. He was inspired by the success of similar referendums last month in Maine, Maryland and Washington, and the rapid shift of public opinion in the direction of marriage equality.
However, his idea was quickly smacked down by leaders of his own party, which controls the Legislature, and by New Jersey’s leading gay-rights activist, Steven Goldstein. They oppose it on principle, arguing that a basic civil right, marriage, shouldn’t be put to a public vote. They also cite the practical fear that right-wing organizations, with no presidential election on the ballot to occupy them, would flood the state’s airwaves with millions of dollars’ worth of divisive and even homophobic messages against the referendum.”
For legal help with civil unions, domestic partnerships, or other issues affecting same-sex couples in New Jersey, contact Aretsky & Aretsky by e-mail or call 201-445-5856
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