R.M. v. G.S.

── R.M. v. G.S. ── Court: New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division Date: May 21, 2026 Category: General RECORD IMPOUNDED NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE APPELLATE DIVISION This opinion shall not "constitute precedent or be binding upon any court ." Although it is posted on the internet, this opinion is binding only on the parties in the case and its use in other cases is limited . R. 1:36-3. SUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEY APPELLATE DIVISION DOCKET NO. A-2513-24 R.M., Plaintiff-Respondent, v. G.S.,1 Defendant-Appellant. _________________________ Argued May 4, 2026 – Decided May 21, 2026 Before Judges Walcott-Henderson and Bergman. On appeal from the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, Family Part, Middlesex County, Docket No. FV-12-0010-93. Jeffrey A. Skiendziul argued the cause for appellant (The Tormey Law Firm LLC, attorneys; Travis J. Tormey, of counsel; Jeffrey A. Skiendziul, on the brief). 1 We refer to the parties using their initials to protect their privacy and ensure the confidentiality of these proceedings. R. 1:38-3(d)(9).  Jerry Eisdorfer argued the cause for respondent (Eisdorfer Eisdorfer & Eisdorfer, LLC, attorneys; Jeff Thakker, of counsel; Jerry Eisdorfer, on the brief). PER CURIAM Defendant G.S. appeals from a March 5, 2025 Family Part order denying his motion to vacate a final restraining order ("FRO") entered against him in 1992, pursuant to the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act ("PDVA"), N.J.S.A. 2C:25-17 to -35. Defendant primarily argues that the court erred in failing to consider the change in circumstances and the factors set forth in Carfagno v. Carfagno, 288 N.J. Super. 424, 435 (Ch. Div. 1995). We affirm. I. The following facts are substantially undisputed. Plaintiff and defendant were romantically involved from approximately 1990 to 1992, when plaintiff obtained a FRO against defendant, which was entered by a Middlesex County judge on July 9, 1992. Because the facts underlying the entry of the 1992 FRO are germane to this appeal, we provide a brief recitation here. Plaintiff relocated to Vermont in August 1991 to attend college, leaving defendant, who resided with her family in New Jersey. Defendant was serving in the United States military at the time. According to plaintiff, defendant's harassing conduct escalated after she went to A-2513-24 2 college, at which point, he began engaging in harassing phone calls and becoming increasingly controlling, physically abusive, and obsessively jealous . When she objected, defendant would become angry, yell at her, and grab her arm, and his conduct only increased after she ended the relationship during the 1991 Christmas holiday. Defendant also appeared intoxicated at her dormitory, threw rocks at the windows, banged on her dorm room door, and followed her around campus for several days. Defendant sent her letters stating that he would "never give up," would make it "his mission in life" to get her back, and would "come at [her with] full force" because he had "nothing to lose." Defendant also attempted to enroll as a student at the same college plaintiff attended and even attempted to move into the same dorm where plaintiff lived. Defendant's efforts were thwarted when plaintiff obtained a restraining order in Vermont, which prompted the college to rescind defendant's acceptance. Eventually, plaintiff transferred to another college out of fear th