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What the New Child Custody Bill Means for Your Practice | Mar. 5

  • 1.  What the New Child Custody Bill Means for Your Practice | Mar. 5

    Posted 2 hours ago
    Join leading an experienced panel for a clear, comprehensive breakdown of how this new law changes custody litigation, negotiation, and judicial expectations. Click here to learn more!

    What the New Child Custody Bill Means for Your Practice

    Date: Mar 5, 2026 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

    Location: Online

    Member Price: $143.00

    Non-Member Price: $179.00

    Section Price: $134.00

    Event Code: I024726A

    Areas of Law: Family

    Earn up to 2.4 credits! (More Information)

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    Faculty

    Moderator

    Cheryl E. Connors, Esq.
    Tonneman & Connors, LLC, Little Silver

    Presenters

    Hon. Gary Potters, J.S.C.
    Hudson County Superior Court
    Hon. Marcella Matos Wilson, J.S.C., Essex
    Superior Court of New Jersey
    Rita M. Aquilio, Esq.
    Lawrence Law, Watchung
    Robert A. Epstein, Esq.
    Manzi Epstein Lomurro & DeCataldo, LLC, West Orange
    Jeffrey Fiorello, Esq.
    Cohn Lifland Pearlman Herrmann Knopf LLP, Saddle Brook
    Christine Fitzgerald, Esq.
    SeidenFreed, LLC, Cranford
    Dr. Danielle Forshee, PsyD., LCSW
    Dr. Danielle Forshee, LLC, Red Bank
    Cassie Murphy, Esq.
    Law Offices of Paone, Zaleski & Murphy, Red Bank
    Jenna Shapiro, Esq.
    Szaferman, Lakind, Blumstein & Blader, P.C., Lawrenceville

    On Jan. 20, former Gov. Phil Murphy signed S4510, which went into immediate effect. This sweeping new law redefines the public policy of New Jersey with regard to child custody disputes and will have a tremendous impact on your practice and your clients. The most notable change is that the law imposes certain restrictions on the court's authority to order reunification therapy for the child, requires the court to give more weight to the child's preferences in determining custody, and requires the court to weigh the findings and recommendations of the child's mental health professional.

    Join our distinguished panel of experienced judges, attorneys and a respected psychologist and social worker for a comprehensive analysis of our new custody statute and its impact on custody matters moving forward.

    Topics include:

    • Legislative history  
    • Public policy shift
      - Three-year review
      - Parens patriae responsibility of the court
    • Best interest factors modification
    • Child's preference
      - Impact on judicial interviews
      - Role of GALs and attorneys representing children
    • Therapy and reunification
    • Domestic violence and Kayden's Law
    • Retroactivity
    • Constitutional issues
    • Arguments to raise in your litigated cases
    • Approaches in ADR

    CLE Credits
    NJ CLE: NJ CLE information: This program has been approved by the Board on Continuing Legal Education of the Supreme Court of New Jersey for 2.4 hours of total CLE credit (Full Credits Available: NJ General: 2.4).
    NY CLE: NY Professional Practice Transitional: 2.0
    PA CLE: PA Substantive Credit: 2.0
    New: No PACLE fee is required for this program. To earn PA CLE credits, a valid PA Bar ID number must be entered into the CLE form provided after attending the program.

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    Justin Gumpel
    Membership Marketing &
    Engagement Specialist
    New Jersey State Bar Association
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