Notice – Family – Report and Recommendations of the Judiciary Special Committee on the Non-Dissolution (FD) Docket – Publication for Comment – Comments requested by November 21, 2022

FAMILY - REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE JUDICIARY SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON THE NON-DISSOLUTION DOCKET - PUBLICATION FOR COMMENT

The Supreme Court invites written comments on the attached Report and Recommendations of the Judiciary Special Committee on the Non-Dissolution Docket.

In its 2021 Action Plan for Ensuring Equal Justice, the Court committed to critically reexamine the Family Non-Dissolution docket. This docket type involves cases concerning family relationships and responsibilities where there is no divorce filed. Reliefs sought in this docket include custody, visitation, parenting time, support (including Separate Maintenance) and paternity determinations. To conduct that reexamination, the Judiciary established a Special Committee comprised of key stakeholders - including representatives of the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services, Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey, New Jersey State Bar Association, Legal Services of New Jersey, Partners for Women and Justice, and Volunteer Lawyers for Justice, as well as private attorneys, community members, judges, and court staff. In furtherance of its charge, the Special Committee examined ways to enhance safeguards in Family Non-Dissolution (FD) matters in order to ensure equity and procedural fairness consistent with similarly situated cases in the Family Matrimonial (FM) docket.

Starting from the premise that children, not their parents, are at the center of FD matters, the Special Committee strategized ways to address potential systemic disparities. As set out in the attached report, the Special Committee presents 13 recommendations to reform and improve the NonDissolution docket for the benefit of children and families. Those recommendations include proposed amendments to Court Rules, revised court forms, refined and improved processes, and new informational materials.

Please send any comments on the Report and Recommendations of the Judiciary Special Committee on the Non-Dissolution Docket in writing by Friday, November 21, 2022 to:

Glenn A. Grant
Administrative Director of the Courts
Comments on Report of the Judiciary Special Committee on the Non-Dissolution Docket
Hughes Justice Complex,
P.O. Box 037 Trenton, NJ 08625-0037

Comments may also be submitted via email at the following address: Comments.Mailbox@njcourts.gov

The Supreme Court will not consider comments submitted anonymously. Thus, those submitting comments by mail should include their name and address, and those submitting comments by email should include their name and email address. Comments are subject to disclosure upon receipt.