Rule 5:5-4. Motions in Family Actions

(a) Motions Motions in family actions shall be governed by R. 1:6-2(b) except that, in exercising its discretion as to the mode and scheduling of disposition of motions, the court shall ordinarily grant requests for oral argument on substantive and non-routine discovery motions and ordinarily deny requests for oral argument on calendar and routine discovery motions. When a motion is brought for enforcement or modification of a prior order or judgment, a copy of the order or judgment sought to be enforced or modified shall be appended to the pleading filed in support of the motion. When a motion or cross-motion is brought for the entry or modification of an order or judgment for alimony or child support based on changed circumstances, the pleading filed in support of the motion shall have appended to it a copy of the prior case information statement or statements filed before entry of the order or judgment sought to be modified and a copy of a current case information statement. The pleading filed in opposition to entry of such an order shall have appended to it a copy of all prior case information statements. If the party seeking the alimony or child support relief has demonstrated a prima facie showing of a substantial change of circumstances, then the court will order the other party to file a copy of a current case information statement.

(b) Page Limits Unless the court otherwise permits for good cause shown and except for the certification required by R. 4:42-9(b) (affidavit of service), all certifications in support of a motion shall not exceed a total of fifteen pages. All certifications in opposition to a motion or in support of a cross-motion or both shall not exceed a total of twenty-five pages. All reply certifications to opposing pleadings shall not exceed a total of ten pages.

(c) Time for Service and Filing A notice of motion shall be served and filed, together with supporting affidavits and briefs, when necessary, not later than 24 days before the time specified for the return date. For example, a motion must be served and filed on the Tuesday for a motion date falling on a Friday 24 days later. Any opposing affidavits, cross-motions or objections shall be served and filed not later than 15 days before the return date. For example, a response must be served and filed on a Thursday for a motion date falling on a Friday 15 days later. Answers or responses to any opposing affidavits and cross-motions shall be served and filed not later than 8 days before the return date. For example, such papers would have to be served and filed on a Thursday for a motion date falling on the Friday of the following week. If service is made by mail, 3 days shall be added to the above time periods. Two copies of all motions, cross-motions, certifications, and briefs shall be served.

(d) Advance Notice Every motion shall include the following language: "NOTICE TO LITIGANTS: IF YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO THIS MOTION YOU MUST DO SO IN WRITING. This written response shall be by affidavit or certification. (Affidavits and certifications are documents filed with the court. In either document the person signing it swears to its truth and acknowledges that they are aware that they can be punished for not filing a true statement with the court. Affidavits are notarized and certifications are not.) If you would also like to submit your own separate requests in a motion to the judge you can do so by filing a cross-motion. Your response and/or cross-motion may ask for oral argument. That means you can ask to appear before the court to explain your position. However, you must submit a written response even if you request oral argument. Any papers you send to the court must be sent to the opposing side, either to the attorney if the opposing party is represented by one, or to the other party if they represent themselves. Two copies of all motions, cross-motions, certifications, and briefs shall be sent to the opposing side. "The response and/or cross-motion must be submitted to the court by a certain date. All motions must be filed on the Tuesday 24 days before the return date. A response and/or cross motion must be filed fifteen days (Thursday) before the return date. Answers or responses to any opposing affidavits and cross-motions shall be served and filed not later than eight days (Thursday) before the return date. No other response is permitted without permission of the court. If you mail in your papers you must add three days to the above time periods. "Responses to motion papers sent to the court are to be sent to the following address: ______________. Call the Family Division Manager's office (_______) if you have any questions on how to file a motion, cross-motion or any response papers. Please note that the Family Division Manager's office cannot give you legal advice." (e) Tentative Decisions. In any Family Part motion scheduled for oral argument pursuant to this rule, the motion judge prior to the motion date may tentatively decide the matter on the basis of the motion papers, posting the tentative decision and making it available to the parties. After such tentative decision has been made, unless either party renews the request for oral argument, that request shall be deemed withdrawn and the tentative decision shall become final and shall be set forth in an appropriate order. If, however, either party renews the request for oral argument, the motion shall be argued as scheduled. This tentative motion decision process shall be subject to the general supervision of the Family Presiding Judge of the vicinage.

(f) Orders on Family Part Motions Absent good cause to the contrary, a written order shall be entered at the conclusion of each motion hearing.

(g) Exhibits Exhibits attached to certifications shall not be counted in determining compliance with the page limits contained in this Rule. Certified statements not previously filed with the court shall be included in page limit calculation. All exhibits shall be differentiated from the text of a certification or affidavit by the use of labeled dividers before each exhibit or some other means. Where labeled dividers are used, they shall extend beyond the 8-1/2 inch by 11 inch size of the paper.