Emerald Sheay

Divorce, Animal & Dog Law, Employment Law
New Jersey

Badges

Q&AResponsive Law

Biography

Emerald concentrates her practice in defense matters and animal law-related litigation. Emerald currently sits as a member of the Animal Law Committee for the New Jersey Bar Association, and is a contributing attorney for the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

Practice Areas

Divorce: Collaborative Law, Contested Divorce, Property Division, Same Sex Divorce, Spousal Support & Alimony, Uncontested Divorce

Animal & Dog Law

Employment Law: Employee Benefits, Employment Contracts, Employment Discrimination

Additional Practice Area

General Litigation

Fees

Credit Cards Accepted

Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice

New Jersey: New Jersey Courts

Languages

English: Spoken, Written

Education

Seton Hall University School of Law: J.D.; 2020

Rowan University: B.A.; 2017

Awards

Student Scholarship - New Jersey: American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers; 2020

Professional Associations

New Jersey State Bar Association: Member; Current; Activities: Animal Law Committee.

Transformative Leadership in Disruptive Times Program: Advisory Board Member; Current

NJ LEEP Program: Attorney Mentor; Current

Animal Legal Defense Fund: Pro Bono Attorney; 2021 - Current

Publications

Articles & Publications

Empathy Sparks Innovation: NJ Law Journal; February 16, 2022

Back N.J. bill that lets pets have lawyers in cruelty cases: Star Ledger; December 6, 2021

People Who Hurt Animals Don't Stop with Animals: The Use of Cross-Checking Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse Registries in New Jersey to Protect the Vulnerable: Animal Law 26, no. 2 (2020): 445-474; 2020

Grieving during a time with COVID-19 has “turned into a nightmare”: Star-Ledger Guest Columnist; April 15, 2020

Legal Answers

2 Questions Answered

Q. my fiances mother fostered our dogs without consent and is withholding their whereabouts information, is this illegal?: February 8, 2022; A: I'm sorry to hear you are experiencing this. As animals are still considered "property", this appears to be theft of your dogs by your fiancé's mother. But, typically disputes over pets are treated as a "civil" dispute, however, which is why the police do not want to get involved. As the police suggested, you can file a complaint in court asking for the return of your dogs. You should check the rules in your state on where to bring this claim - sometimes it is tricky to find where to file. Once you have obtained a court order stating the dogs must be returned to you, you can contact the police for their assistance.

Q. My spouse has a no contact order against me. Can I send my in-laws a gift for their wedding?: December 10, 2021; A: Generally this would not violate a restraining Order, but you should very carefully review the terms of the no contact Order. While this action may not typically violate a restraining Order, it may not be prudent to reach out to her family while this restraint is in place.