NJ S4510

Establishes child safety and welfare as paramount in custody decisions, requiring courts to consider domestic violence, child abuse, and the safety of children and siblings when making custody determinations

Requires courts to consider the expressed preferences of children in contested custody cases, with judges required to place on the record justification for any custody arrangement that contradicts a child's stated preferences

Prohibits courts from ordering therapy unless there is scientifically valid proof of its safety, effectiveness, and therapeutic value, and requires consent of both parties before ordering reunification treatment for estranged parent-child relationships

Mandates that courts cannot presume a child's reluctance to interact with a parent was caused by the other parent, and prohibits granting increased custody to an offending party with a history of domestic violence or child abuse to address relationship issues

Appropriates $1 million ($500,000 to Administrative Office of the Courts and $500,000 to Rutgers Institute for Families) to fund a study on the law's impact on family reunification and custody resolution, due within three years of enactment