Close

MEETING OPTIONS DURING THE CORONAVIRUS: The Law Offices of Peter Van Aulen understands your concerns regarding the spread of the Coronavirus, and now offers different meeting options to our clients and those seeking legal representation. All meetings, including initial consultations, can be handled either through the phone, FaceTime, Zoom, or in person.

Emergency Motions

Why Use an Order to Show Cause NJ

A motion is a formal request made to a court. Motions are commonly made in almost every type of legal case, and they are used for numerous purposes. While the type of motion made will influence how quickly it is handled, a typical motion made to a court in a New Jersey family law case may take a couple of weeks to be handled by a judge. There are several situations in family law cases where time is of the utmost importance, and allowing a couple of weeks to pass by just will not do. In those cases, an Emergency Motion, also called an Order to Show Cause, may be appropriate.

Time Frame of Emergency Motions or Orders to Show Cause NJ

Emergency Motions are so-called because they are extremely time-sensitive and need to be handled right away. Emergency Motions take a matter of days, not weeks, to be decided, with many emergency motions being addressed by a judge on the same day that they are received.

Reasons an Emergency Motion May be Used

Given the expeditious nature of Emergency Motions, and the immediate attention they receive by a judge, the types of issues that may be addressed by this type of motion is quite limited. Just as a person would not use an Emergency Department at a hospital to address a paper cut, a party to a family law case cannot use an Emergency Motion to handle a minor, non-time-sensitive legal matter.

In order to use an Emergency Motion or Order to Show Cause NJ, the issue raised must be one that will cause immediate and irreparable harm if not addressed right away. In other words, the issue must be one that needs to be resolved immediately or else it cannot be fixed.

Emergency Motion or Order to Show Cause in Child Custody Cases A common example of the use of an Order to Show Cause in a child custody case occurs when a parent intends to kidnap or remove the child from the state or country. In those cases, the parent needs a judge to act right away to ensure that the child is not improperly removed. Another child custody example occurs when a child is in dangerous living conditions. Quick judicial action will allow the child to be removed from the dangerous conditions and avoid potential harm.

In order to address the issue at hand, a judge may grant temporary custody of the child to the parent who makes the Emergency Motion. Temporary custody will only last a short time, usually around a week or so, or until the parents can be present in court for a hearing on the matter.

Emergency Motion or Order to Show Cause in Divorce Cases

In a divorce case, an Emergency Motion or Order to Show Cause may be used when a spouse is planning to move a large sum of joint money to an account that the other spouse does not have access to. In addressed quickly, a judge can stop the transfer from happening in the first place, whereas the judge may not be able to force the return of the money once the transfer is made.

If you are involved in a family law case in New Jersey and have a time-sensitive legal issue that will cause harm if not addressed quickly, an Order to Show Cause may be appropriate in your case. Call the Law Offices of Peter Van Aulen for a consultation to discuss whether this action is appropriate in your case.


Client Reviews
★★★★★
Peter has integrity, and values his relationships with his clients beyond his financial relationship with them. For me to say this about any lawyer is really saying something. He is compassionate, straightforward and knowledgeable. I would easily recommend him to anybody. Lewie W.
★★★★★
Peter Van Aulen handled my case with great diligence and integrity. He is also a compassionate individual who realizes what a difficult time divorce can be emotionally. Peter works hard and doesn't take any shortcuts in preparing for a case… I highly recommend Mr. Van Aulen and his staff. Chuck Solomon
★★★★★
Peter is an exceptionally great attorney. He handled my child custody case and was able to ease any of my concerns with honest answers. He always took the time to explain the pros/cons and was always available to answer any questions that I had… I would highly recommend this attorney to anyone who is looking for one. Jessica Cruz
★★★★★
Peter Van Aulen is a very compassionate, honest and straightforward person. He was there for me at my lowest point with a genuine concern not only for my situation, but for me and my child's well being above all… He is fair and he is strong and when push comes to shove he is there for you. Cathy Dodge
★★★★★
Our cousin used Peter's law office to help with a sticky custody situation. He was extremely responsive, very nice and most importantly did an awesome job with the court! He is awesome. Lawrence Polsky
Contact Us