Amy C. Goldstein Testifies Before Senate Judiciary Committee
Trenton, NJ – – On Monday, June 30, 2014, shareholder and Family Law Department Chair Amy C. Goldstein testified at a hearing on alimony reform before the New Jersey State Senate Judiciary Committee. Ms. Goldstein helped draft the legislation which has been approved by the Senate and the Assembly.
Ms. Goldstein addressed the questions and concerns that had been raised by the Committee throughout the session. In addition, she stated, “The important thing here is that you’re dealing with two competing philosophies…You’re dealing with the principle that every case and every issue in every case should be addressed on its own facts. And, it’s a great principle….but the problem with it is that it leads to wildly unpredictable results. That’s why the representatives of the Alimony Reform Group were saying that they wanted more predictability and they wanted firmer guidelines. Those were the two competing concerns that led to the ultimate bill.”
The bill represents an historic change in alimony law in the State of New Jersey in that it sets guidelines for some cases with respect to the duration of alimony and the ability for alimony payers to retire, and adds statutory factors for Courts to consider when making alimony determinations.
The bill is now on its way to the desk of Governor Chris Christie.