The holiday season can be a real struggle for families, both in New Jersey and all across the country. In any normal year, the weighty expectations of a Hallmark holiday coupled with financial pressures, alcohol consumption, and break from routine can create a pressure cooker. Arguments and family breakdown most commonly happen in the holidays, and this year the coronavirus pandemic created a huge amount of additional stress. Families were confined together, school closures hampered childcare arrangements, family finances were straightened, and families have faced all these challenges in an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. Closures and delays also hit the family courts, making it harder than ever to resolve legal issues. With all this going on, it is going to be especially important for anyone going through family disputes over the holidays to take careful, practical steps to resolve issues that arise. See Part One of here

Domestic Incidents

Sadly, domestic incidents are more likely to happen when the family is cooped up together, drinking, and in times of stress. If you or a loved one are struggling with domestic violence issues over the holidays, there are resources in NJ you can turn to, including 24 hotlines, safe houses, counseling, and financial and housing support. There are legal recourses that can help families a great deal, including restraining orders and PFAs, which prohibit contact between abuser and victim. In troubled relationships, parties often trade accusations against each other, so if you yourself have been unfairly accused of domestic violence, it is crucial that you don't bury your head in the sand but get legal advice as quickly as possible.

Money and Custody Issues

COVID-19 has confined and isolated many Americans this year and caused a complex barrage of financial and logistical repercussions for the rest. For those who cannot meet their child support payments or the demands of their child arrangements, and who may have struggled to get a court date amidst disruption to the overburdened NJ courts, they have been left in turmoil. If unresolved, this can end up as a criminal issue. Wherever possible, it is best to try to reach an agreement as co-parents, but if that isn't possible, it is again important to secure good legal advice before the issue can escalate. With any luck, it could be possible to cooperatively amend parental agreements. If your former partner refuses to cooperate, or worse still, seems to be taking advantage of the chaos caused by COVID-19, then you may need to take legal action against them.

We Can Help

It is not uncommon for conflict to arise in the holiday season, and the coronavirus pandemic has not only created new issues for families but, in some cases, scuppered the means of resolving them. As a result, it's more important than ever to keep a cool head and get good legal advice to protect what matters most. Attorney Joseph D Lento cares passionately about defending family life and will fight tirelessly for the best outcome for you and your family. Contact us online or call 888-535-3686 today to schedule a consultation.