APPELLATE DIVISION REVERSES CONVICTION OF VIOLATION OF RESTRAINING ORDER AFTER DEFENDANT THREATENS ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE OVER CO-PARENTING APPLICATION “OUR FAMILY WIZARD”

January 2, 2024

State v. R.L. DOCKET NO. A-0631-22 Decided December 29, 2023 Submitted by New Jersey Family Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. In a recent unpublished decision, the Appellate Division of New Jersey reversed a conviction for contempt of a restraining order after finding that defendant’s communications in the co-parenting application “Our Family Wizard” (OFW) were deemed to be not…

Final Restraining Orders: A Trial Court Must Make Specific Findings for Domestic Violence Matters

April 21, 2021

S.T.T. v. M.T.M. Docket No. A-0730-19 Decided April 19, 2021 Submitted by New Jersey Domestic Violence Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. In a recent unpublished decision the Appellate Division of New Jersey reversed a trial court entry of a Final Restraining Order (FRO) after the trial judge did not believe defendant when he left a prior court hearing…

If My Boyfriend Threatens to Distribute Naked Pictures of Me, Is That Harassment?

June 21, 2018

Submitted by New Jersey Criminal Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. My boyfriend or husband has sexually explicit naked photographs and videos of me on his cell phone and he is threatening to disseminate the videos and pictures he possesses. I already have a restraining order against him for other stuff, can I get one about this issue…

What you need to know if you’re charged with domestic violence and a restraining order in New Jersey

January 13, 2018

14-2-5643 L.M.W. v. A.P. , N.J. Super. App. Div. January 12, 2018 Have you been charged with domestic violence? Have you been criminally charged with harassment under NJSA 2C:33-4(c)? Did the court enter a final restraining order based on texts you sent your wife or girlfriend? Submitted by New Jersey Domestic Violence Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. In this…

If the judge said the plaintiff did not satisfy the New Jersey domestic violence act evidentiary burdens, then how can she impose the restraining order against me anyway?

January 3, 2018

MC vs. GT Submitted by New Jersey Domestic Violence Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. If the court makes a ruling that the evidence has failed to prove a violation of the act, and the parties are not credible, the court then cannot impose the restraints authorized by law regardless of the evidence. In this New Jersey Appellate…

Family Court Finds Emotional Abuse Equally Harmful as Physical Abuse

November 19, 2015

Submitted by New Jersey Domestic Violence Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark. Words can hurt. It is a reality understood by most people but an empty statement if the courts are not willing to protect New Jersey’s citizens from verbal abuse. In J.C. v. B.S. the Chancery Division of Ocean County did just that back on September 14,…