DISCLAIMER The comments on this blog are the opinions of the blogger based on personal experience as a defendant in a divorce case. Please note that the information here does not constitute legal advice. I am not a lawyer. It is strongly recommended that you hire a family law attorney, licensed to practice in your state, to represent you and to help guide you through the complicated process of divorce.
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Some Family Division Office webpages offer more information
on the Parents' Education Programs held in their counties.
on the Parents' Education Programs held in their counties.
Find information on your Family Division Office webpage.
MORE INFORMATION
A New Jersey state law, known as the Parents' Education Act, mandates that divorcing parents attend a Parents' Education Program.
As of the date of this post, the extra fee for the program is $25. Remember, it must be paid as part of your filing fee.
After I filed my paperwork and paid the fee, the courts mailed a notification telling me the date, time, and location for the program. The meeting I attended was held in a courtroom for two to three hours on a weeknight.
Divorcing parents do not need to attend a Parents' Education Program together. At the meeting I attended, each one of the parents was present without the other parent. In this way, all of us were free to ask questions openly, and the meeting wasn't interrupted by arguments between parents.
The Parents' Education Program may sound like a waste of time, but it's very informative, especially on legal issues such as custody and visitation.
Based on my impression, many of us parents walked into the courtroom annoyed to be there, but we left appreciative for what we'd learned.
As a pro se litigant, I was especially grateful for the opportunity to ask more questions and receive feedback from officers of the court.
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