What factors does the family court consider before it rules on any motion to relocate/removal?
The court will consider 12 factors before it makes a ruling on any motion to relocate/removal. In the majority of the cases, the court will set the case down for a plenary hearing. At the hearing, the court will analyze 12 factors to decide whether to permit the custodial parent to move of New Jersey with the children. The family court will consider the following factors: • The reasons the custodial parent wants to move; • The reasons the non-custodial parent wants the child to stay in New Jersey; • The past history of court and personal dealings between the parents; • The educational, health, and recreational resources available to the child in each state; • The resources to address any special needs or talents of the child in each state; • Whether a visitation and communication schedule can be developed that will allow the non-custodial parent to maintain a full and continuous relationship with the child; • The likelihood that the custodial parent will continue to foster the child’s
