The COVID-19 pandemic caused a great disruption of life in New Jersey, just as it did throughout the country and around the world. Lives were lost, sweeping health protocols were adopted, and social distancing became a new norm. As the pandemic brought vast changes to trade and economic life, it also brought significant changes to the New Jersey court system, including the family courts. Virtual meetings and hearings revised protocols for electronic case management, which allowed family law cases to proceed on a normal schedule.

In many ways, this virtual court system was not merely a reliable replacement for in-person hearings, but by many measures, actually a superior alternative. The convenience of conducting meetings over Zoom or other virtual platforms, and minimizing the number of in-person meetings and hearings benefited not only the health of the parties but also the speed and ease of resolving many matters. As the court system adjusts to the post-pandemic era, many of the advancements developed during this time should remain in place. Remote family court has made both clients’ lives and attorneys’ jobs easier, and remote court options should remain in place to ensure that those benefits are not lost.

Family Law Litigation and Virtual Hearings