Articles & Publications

Family & Divorce Mediation Articles by Anju D. Jessani

◊ Collaborative Mediation: A Hybrid Solution for Complex and/or Higher Conflict Mediation Cases: In the ongoing discussion of mediation versus collaborative law, what is becoming more apparent is the need for a hybrid approach for certain cases that borrows from the best of both processes to meet the needs of complex and/or higher conflict mediation cases...

◊ New Jersey’s “Irreconcilable Differences” Divorce Grounds – Facilitating the Pathway to a More Peaceful Divorce Process: On January 22, 2007, Governor Corzine signed the “Irreconcilable Difference” divorce bill...

◊ Six Steps to Getting Divorced in New Jersey After Mediation: You have gone through the mediation process, and now have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). In this article, I have provided information regarding the next steps in the divorce process, after mediation...

◊ New Jersey Uniform Mediation Act, and What it Means to Divorcing Couples:  In November 2004, New Jersey passed the Uniform Mediation Act.  The purpose of this article is to provide a simplified explanation of the new law to the public, and especially to divorcing clients...

◊ Deconstructing the Divorce Mediation Process - One Practitioner's Approach: My objective in this article is to deconstruct and thereby demystify what happens behind closed doors during the divorce mediation process, step-by-step...

◊ Starter Marriages - Top Ten Differences in Divorce Mediation: Pamela Paul defines a "starter marriage" as one "that is a childless union between people under 35 lasting less than five years." In this article, I explore ways divorce mediation may be different for starter marriage clients...

◊ Choosing a Matrimonial Attorney - A Mediator's Perspective: Whether you choose to mediate or litigate, in all likelihood, you will still require the services of an attorney.  Based on the collective wisdom of colleagues, here are some areas you may want to focus...

◊ 401(k) and Other Defined Contribution Plans in Divorce Mediation: I provide an overview of how defined contribution plans work.  I also discuss how mediators can better assist their clients address the issue of asset allocation when one of the parties will be receiving a percentage of the other party's defined contribution account...

◊ Documenting Marital Lifestyle - In Light of the Crews Decision: This article provides an outline of issues to be addressed when documenting marital lifestyle, for cases involving alimony...

◊ 10 Common Mistakes and Oversights in Divorce Agreements (Related to the Children): Here's my list of top ten mistakes and oversights related to the children... (this is an earlier version of my much longer article, published in the American Journal of Family Law)...

◊ Why Can't I Visit Little Red Riding Hood? (Grandparents):  The purpose of this article is to examine grandparents' rights in the state of New Jersey, and to also discuss the use of mediation in grandparent visitation disputes...

◊ What Does Equitable Distribution Mean?: New Jersey law directs the Court to consider sixteen factors in determining what is an equitable, fair and just division of assets...

◊ Mediation and Prenuptial Agreements:  I review the benefits to going through the mediation process prior to marriage, New Jersey's statutory citation on prenuptial agreements, and the possible need for a prenuptial agreement...

◊ Applying the "New" New Jersey Child Support Guidelines: An overview on how to use the guidelines and some general pointers.  You will find an explanation of both sole and shared parenting worksheets...

◊ Overview of the Psychology of Money: Both within the context of relationships and marriage, and in the context of the process of divorce...

◊ Check Your Credit: One task I recommend that all divorcing couples do early in the divorce process is to check their credit reports to ensure that there are no surprise debts or credit lines...

◊ FAQ's About Divorce Mediation: What is family & divorce mediation, what is the role of the mediator, what are the advantages of mediation, am I a good candidate for mediation, what role do lawyers play in mediation, how much does mediation cost...

◊ The House-What Happens in Divorce-Don't Ignore the Tax Consequences: Many people getting divorced make significant financial mistakes in dealing with the house, that can prove expensive (this is an earlier version of my much longer article, published in the National Public Accountant)...