Matrimonial & Family Law
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02.26.2024
Client Advisories
Recent Legislative Changes Allow for Restraining Orders to Be Granted for Stalking and Cyber-Harassment, Even with the Victim Having No Family Relation to Defendant
In a deliberate move to widely expand victim protection in New Jersey, the state Legislature amended the Sexual Assault Survivor Protection Act of 2015. In order to highlight the significant changes, the Legislature renamed the act to the Victim’s Assistance and Survivor Protection Act (“VASPA”). VASPA is now codified and went into effect on January 1, 2024.The VASPA amendments now allow for an individual to pursue the entry of a restraining order if that person is subjected to stalking or cyber-harassment. Stalking is more specifically defined in the Act, but can be summarized to include incidents of repeatedly maintaining a visual or physical proximity to a person, either directly or indirectly by any action, method or device. Cyber-harassment is also more specifically defined in the Act, but can be summarized as conduct that occurs in an online capacity with the purpose to harass another.With this series of amendments, it is evident the Legislature understands the impact stalking and cyber-harassment has on its victims. This is further reflected in the jurisdictional parameters within the Act, including the Act’s handling of the location of both alleged victims and possible defendants across state lines. As such, the Legislature took this Act a step further by significantly limiting any jurisdictional issues as it relates to both alleged victims and possible defendants. More specifically, VASPA states in order for a New Jersey Court to have jurisdiction, only one of the following need be true:
01.27.2024
Speaking Engagements & Seminars
Hon. Marie E. Lihotz (Ret.) to Present at NJSBA’s 2024 Family Law Symposium
Hon. Marie E. Lihotz (Ret.) will serve as a speaker at the New Jersey State Bar Association’s 2024 Family Law Symposium in New Brunswick, NJ. Her panel information is as follows:
04.17.2023
In the News
Stephanie Zane Featured in the New Jersey Law Journal Article, "It's a Bad Time to Get Divorced in New Jersey: More Litigants Try ADR"
Stephanie Zane, Chair of Archer's Family Law Group, was recently interviewed by New Jersey Law Journal's Charles Toutant. The article, "It's a Bad Time to Get Divorced in New Jersey: More Litigants Try ADR," is centered around their conversation, which focused on the negative and positives of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mediation.