Following a trial, the judge entered a final restraining order in favor
of plaintiff J.S., based on findings that the parties were in a dating
relationship and defendant J.F. made threatens and otherwise harassed
plaintiff. The John - the respondent - argued on appeal that since the plaintiff was a dancer in a club he frequented and he was paying for her company, their relationship did not constitute a "dating relationship" within the meaning of the domestic violence statute. Rather, it was a "professional" relationship.
I'm sure the judge was impressed [NOT] when his text messages were introduced into evidence:
"You better find somebody that loves you, because nobody wants to help you as much as I want to hurt your life."
"Tell your boyfriend to come over, I got lots of guns at my house."
"If you go to court, you get deported not me[;] [i]n America you are just another . . . immigrant whore, loser[;] you should go back to Brazil."
What was HE thinking? You can read this NJ decision for a pretty good definition of a "dating relationship."
J.S. v. J.F., ___N.J. Super.___(App. Div. 2009); 2009 WL 4673870; New Jersey App. Div., December 10, 2009.
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