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Jacobs Berger, LLC Divorce. From Distressed to De-Stressed.

Divorce ~ Child Custody & Parenting Time Issues~ Equitable Distribution ~Alimony ~Child Support & College Expenses ~ Emancipation~ Relocation/Removal Actions~ Premarital Agreements~ Marital Settlement Agreements~ Domestic Violence~ Third Party Rights~ Complex Parentage Issues ~ Alternative Dispute Resolution~ Appeals~ Guardian ad Litem/Law Guardian Services

We love seeing our team members get their moment in the spotlight!We’re proud to share that five Jacobs Berger attorneys...
10/16/2026

We love seeing our team members get their moment in the spotlight!

We’re proud to share that five Jacobs Berger attorneys have been selected to the 2027 New Jersey Super Lawyers list:

⭐ Sarah J. Jacobs, Esq.
⭐ Jamie N. Berger, Esq.
⭐ Angela M. Scafuri, Esq.
⭐ Holly M. Friedland, Esq.
⭐ Amanda P. Johnston, Esq.

A special shout-out to Sarah, who also received recognition in the Top 50 Women New Jersey Super Lawyers and the Top 100 New Jersey Super Lawyers, and to Amanda, who joins the Super Lawyers list for the first time after previously being recognized on the New Jersey Rising Stars list.

We’d also like to congratulate our other colleagues in the legal community who received this recognition. We know the level of dedication you bring to your work, and we’re proud to be in your company!

……

No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. A description of the selection process methodology for the awards referenced is available at SuperLawyers.com.

Domestic violence doesn't look like just one thing. It includes emotional, physical, sexual, and financial abuse.And jus...
10/15/2026

Domestic violence doesn't look like just one thing. It includes emotional, physical, sexual, and financial abuse.

And just like its forms vary, so too do the people it impacts. That makes it hard to spot, even when it’s happening to those closest to us. It can even be hard to spot it in one’s own life.

Swipe through for a closer look at some of the groups that domestic violence impacts.

The idea of arguing over a spoon or Beanie Babies might sound unnecessarily dramatic to lots of people, but in the world...
10/14/2026

The idea of arguing over a spoon or Beanie Babies might sound unnecessarily dramatic to lots of people, but in the world of divorce, it's not as unusual as it sounds.

It's also unnecessarily expensive, as JB’s Sarah Jacobs and Jamie Berger discuss on a recent episode of How Not To Suck at Divorce How Not To Suck at Divorce with Morgan Stogsdill and Andrea Rappaport.

When possessions become tied to memories, fear, or a need for control, their price tags can quickly become irrelevant. The legal fees, however, remain very real.

As Jamie puts it, “Principle has a price tag.”

Listen for a candid conversation about deciding what’s worth fighting for. 🎧

Today we recognize Indigenous Peoples Day.This photo is from the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation’s annual pow wow a...
10/12/2026

Today we recognize Indigenous Peoples Day.

This photo is from the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation’s annual pow wow at the Salem County Fairgrounds in Pilesgrove Township.

The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape are one of three tribal nations the State of New Jersey recognizes. The others are the Ramapough Lenape Nation in Mahwah and the Powhatan Renape Nation in Burlington County.

That state recognition has meaningful legal consequences. It can help establish eligibility for federal and state benefits, services, and grants available to state-recognized tribes, including certain health, education, housing, and workforce-development programs.

In 2011, however, a staff member of the New Jersey Commission on American Indian Affairs reportedly told the U.S. Government Accountability Office that New Jersey did not recognize any American Indian tribes. That statement conflicted with the State’s prior recognition and put the nations’ access to programs and protections at risk.

The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation sued, and in 2018 New Jersey settled the case, affirming that it had officially recognized the Nation since 1982. In 2019, the State entered similar settlements affirming the recognition of the Ramapough Lenape Nation and Powhatan Renape Nation since 1980.

Indigenous Peoples Day is a reminder that recognition is more than symbolic. It’s a matter of legal standing, access, and tribal nations' ability to protect their communities, culture, and future.

Today is World Mental Health Day.The observance began in 1992 with a modest goal: get people talking about mental health...
10/10/2026

Today is World Mental Health Day.

The observance began in 1992 with a modest goal: get people talking about mental health out loud.

Three decades later, the conversation around mental health is in a different place. Nearly 9 in 10 U.S. adults now say having a mental health disorder is nothing to be ashamed of, and 81% say they feel comfortable talking about their own mental health with friends.

Yet there can be a long walk between talking about mental health and actually getting help for it. 84% of adults still say the term "mental illness" carries a stigma, and cost and finding a provider remain significant obstacles.

If you're going through a divorce or custody dispute, that walk can feel even longer. Research links divorce and separation to higher rates of anxiety and depression. And at the same time, you're being asked to make some of the biggest financial and parenting decisions of your life.

If you're feeling overwhelmed or struggling, you're not alone, and you have options for support. Taking care of your mental health now can help you think more clearly, make better decisions for your family and move into your next chapter on steadier ground.

Here in New Jersey, a few places to start:.

🟢 NJ Mental Health Cares: 1-866-202-4357, the state's behavioral health information and referral line, available 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Staff can help you find a provider.
🟢 NJ 211: Dial 211 for free referrals to mental health and human services, 24 hours a day.
🟢 Morris County Crisis Screening Center at Saint Clare's, Denville: 1-973-625-0280, available 24 hours a day.
🟢 Atlantic Health System Crisis Hotline, Morristown: 973-540-0100, available 24 hours a day.
🟢 988 Su***de and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, available 24 hours a day.

You have a restraining order in place, and it’s given you peace of mind that the abuse or harassment is coming to an end...
10/07/2026

You have a restraining order in place, and it’s given you peace of mind that the abuse or harassment is coming to an end.

Then your phone lights up with a text from the person it’s against.

It can feel scary, but in New Jersey, you have options if this happens. Once a temporary or final restraining order is in effect, violating it can result in a criminal contempt charge. That is separate from the conduct that led to the restraining order case in the first place.

Regardless of whether you have a temporary or final restraining order in place, save whatever you have documenting the violation and report it to the police immediately. When an officer finds probable cause that a domestic violence restraining order was violated, New Jersey law requires the officer to arrest the alleged violator.

You should also inform your attorney as soon as a violation happens, even if it seems minor to you. What looks like a single text may be part of a pattern worth bringing to the court's attention.

Beyond those steps, the impact of the violation on family law matters depends in part on where you are in the process.

🟣 If you have a temporary restraining order and your final hearing has not happened yet, the contact may be relevant evidence at your final hearing and can influence court rulings for any potential or pending family law matters.

🟣 If you already have a final restraining order, the violation may support a request to modify or expand the restraints. Depending on the circumstances, it may also be relevant to custody or parenting time orders or agreements you have (or are putting) in place.

Remember, you don’t have to work through this alone. Your attorney can help you understand what a violation means for your case and access the resources you need to stay safe.

***

If you're in immediate danger, call 911. Once you're safe, your attorney can help you document what happened and figure out what to ask the court for.

🟣 JBWS (Morris County): 1-877-782-2873
🟣 New Jersey Statewide Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-572-SAFE (7233)

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.Forty-five years ago, a person in New Jersey who called the police about a ...
10/05/2026

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Forty-five years ago, a person in New Jersey who called the police about a spouse’s violence had no obvious path to protection. First responders often treated the call as a private matter.

But that changed in 1981 when the state passed its first Prevention of Domestic Violence Act. The act allowed victims to request protection from the court, and was followed by other legal developments, including stronger police response requirements and expanded court protections.

A decade later, however, the act was repealed and replaced by the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991. This version of the law created the restraining order process New Jersey still uses today: a temporary restraining order that can be issued the same day, followed by a hearing where a judge hears from both people before deciding on a final order.

Domestic violence laws in New Jersey have continued to evolve.

🟣 In 1991, it recognized that someone abused by a dating partner they never married or lived with needed protection too.
🟣 In 2016, it added cyber-harassment to the list of acts that can be domestic violence.
🟣 In 2024, coercive control was listed as a form of domestic violence.
🟣 Also in 2024, the Victim's Assistance and Survivor Protection Act (VASPA) extended protective orders to victims of stalking and cyber-harassment who don't have the relationship with the offender that a domestic violence restraining order requires.

We hope that, as these protections continue to expand, more people find the support they need to move toward safety.

If you or someone you know needs help, these resources are confidential and available 24 hours a day:

🟣 JBWS (Morris County): 1-877-782-2873
🟣 New Jersey Statewide Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-572-SAFE (7233)
🟣 National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

When you're uncertain of what's ahead, a steady, level-headed guide makes all the difference.That's what this client fou...
10/02/2026

When you're uncertain of what's ahead, a steady, level-headed guide makes all the difference.

That's what this client found in Sarah Jacobs.

"She is a calming voice of rational thought, and never rushed me when it took some extra time to explain things to me. I would call very upset, and she would help put my concerns at ease and keep me focused on what's really important." – KM

Thank you, Sarah, for the guidance and support you offer clients.

Frustration is a common feeling during a divorce, and it makes sense. On the long-used Holmes-Rahe stress scale, divorce...
10/01/2026

Frustration is a common feeling during a divorce, and it makes sense. On the long-used Holmes-Rahe stress scale, divorce ranks as the second-most stressful life event. (And, let's face it, there are lots of stressful life events.)

Part of what makes divorce so hard is how little of it is in your hands. When you can't set the timeline, frustration tends to fill in the blanks.

Swipe through for four ways to steady yourself when it hits, and save this post for a day you need it.

09/28/2026

Think of mediation as the Swiss Army knife of the divorce process: one approach that can handle (just about) any issue you bring to it.

Whether you're concerned about parenting time schedules, dividing retirement accounts, or even who keeps the family pet, you can bring it to the mediation table.

And because mediation isn't limited to the categories a court works within, there's room to get creative and build a resolution around what actually works for your situation, even on issues a courtroom might not reach.

In this video, JB's Jamie Berger explains what mediation can resolve and how to prepare for your first session by clarifying the issues and goals you want to bring in.

Watch the full video at the link in the comments.

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