ameriken
11-18-14, 03:26 PM
New Jersey daughter sues her divorced parents for college tuition -- and wins
on November 14, 2014 at 12:49 PM, updated November 14, 2014 at 1:24 PM
http://imgick.syracuse.com/home/syr-media/width620/img/news/photo/2014/11/14/16339368-mmmain.png
Neither Michael Ricci nor Maura McGarvey have seen their daughter outside of a courtroom in two years, but a New Jersey judge ruled this week that the divorced couple must now pay thousands toward her college tuition at an out-of-state school.
Caitlyn Ricci, 21, filed a lawsuit against her parents in 2013, shortly after she moved out of her mother's house, 6 ABC Action News (http://6abc.com/education/young-nj-woman-sues-estranged-parents-for-college-tuition/392148/) reports. That October, a judge ordered her parents to help her pay for college tuition at Gloucester County College, a public New Jersey school, as long as Caitlyn applied for possible loans and scholarships.
The parents said Caitlyn didn't follow through on her part, so they never paid. Over the summer, Caitlyn transferred to Temple University, an out-of-state school in Philadelphia, Philly.com (http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20141114_Tuition_lawsuit_pits_daughter_vs__Mom_and _Dad.html) reports.
When she brought the case back to court in 2014, the tuition bills increased substantially because of Caitlyn's new school. Caitlyn's lawyer told Philly.com that the annual tuition bill totals $26,000. On Thursday, a judge ordered the parents to pay $16,000 a year toward that tuition.
The judge cited Newburgh v. Arrigo, a landmark state Supreme Court case that ruled divorced parents are responsible for providing for their child's college education, according to NJ.com (http://www.nj.com/camden/index.ssf/2014/11/divorced_nj_parents_ordered_to_pay_for_daughters_c ollege_tuition.html).
The parents expressed their shock at the ruling to 6 ABC.
"What child does this? It's insane," Maura McGarvey, Caitlyn's mother, said.
"She comes from two loving families and she was given what she wanted when she was growing up," Michael Ricci, her father, said.
But Caitlyn's paternal grandparents, who are paying for the student's lawyer fees, disagree.
"How would you have a relationship with your parents if they don't want to contribute to college?" Angela Ricci, Caityln's grandmother, told 6 ABC.
Caitlyn's parents describe their daughter as a typical rebellious teen. "Instead of following our rules, she decided she is going to leave her mother's house, where she was living, and move in with her grandparents," Michael said.
While the divorced parents say Caitlyn voluntarily left her mother's house, Angela Ricci said Maura McGarvey threw Caitlyn out.
The parents told ABC 6 they are appealing the ruling and won't pay any of the out-of-state tuition at Temple University. This semester's bill for Temple was due Wednesday. Since Caitlyn's parents refused to pay, the bill is now overdue, Philly.com reports.
This case resembles that of Rachel Canning (http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/03/teen_sues_parents_for_tuition_expenses_was_she_kic ked_out_or_did_she_move_out.html), who made headlines earlier this year when sued her parents for child support and college tuition after moving out of her house. Canning later asked a judge to dismiss the suit (http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/03/teen_sues_parents_for_tuition_expenses_was_she_kic ked_out_or_did_she_move_out.html) and she moved back in with her parents.
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/11/student_sues_parents_college_tuition_caitlyn_ricci .html
on November 14, 2014 at 12:49 PM, updated November 14, 2014 at 1:24 PM
http://imgick.syracuse.com/home/syr-media/width620/img/news/photo/2014/11/14/16339368-mmmain.png
Neither Michael Ricci nor Maura McGarvey have seen their daughter outside of a courtroom in two years, but a New Jersey judge ruled this week that the divorced couple must now pay thousands toward her college tuition at an out-of-state school.
Caitlyn Ricci, 21, filed a lawsuit against her parents in 2013, shortly after she moved out of her mother's house, 6 ABC Action News (http://6abc.com/education/young-nj-woman-sues-estranged-parents-for-college-tuition/392148/) reports. That October, a judge ordered her parents to help her pay for college tuition at Gloucester County College, a public New Jersey school, as long as Caitlyn applied for possible loans and scholarships.
The parents said Caitlyn didn't follow through on her part, so they never paid. Over the summer, Caitlyn transferred to Temple University, an out-of-state school in Philadelphia, Philly.com (http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20141114_Tuition_lawsuit_pits_daughter_vs__Mom_and _Dad.html) reports.
When she brought the case back to court in 2014, the tuition bills increased substantially because of Caitlyn's new school. Caitlyn's lawyer told Philly.com that the annual tuition bill totals $26,000. On Thursday, a judge ordered the parents to pay $16,000 a year toward that tuition.
The judge cited Newburgh v. Arrigo, a landmark state Supreme Court case that ruled divorced parents are responsible for providing for their child's college education, according to NJ.com (http://www.nj.com/camden/index.ssf/2014/11/divorced_nj_parents_ordered_to_pay_for_daughters_c ollege_tuition.html).
The parents expressed their shock at the ruling to 6 ABC.
"What child does this? It's insane," Maura McGarvey, Caitlyn's mother, said.
"She comes from two loving families and she was given what she wanted when she was growing up," Michael Ricci, her father, said.
But Caitlyn's paternal grandparents, who are paying for the student's lawyer fees, disagree.
"How would you have a relationship with your parents if they don't want to contribute to college?" Angela Ricci, Caityln's grandmother, told 6 ABC.
Caitlyn's parents describe their daughter as a typical rebellious teen. "Instead of following our rules, she decided she is going to leave her mother's house, where she was living, and move in with her grandparents," Michael said.
While the divorced parents say Caitlyn voluntarily left her mother's house, Angela Ricci said Maura McGarvey threw Caitlyn out.
The parents told ABC 6 they are appealing the ruling and won't pay any of the out-of-state tuition at Temple University. This semester's bill for Temple was due Wednesday. Since Caitlyn's parents refused to pay, the bill is now overdue, Philly.com reports.
This case resembles that of Rachel Canning (http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/03/teen_sues_parents_for_tuition_expenses_was_she_kic ked_out_or_did_she_move_out.html), who made headlines earlier this year when sued her parents for child support and college tuition after moving out of her house. Canning later asked a judge to dismiss the suit (http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/03/teen_sues_parents_for_tuition_expenses_was_she_kic ked_out_or_did_she_move_out.html) and she moved back in with her parents.
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/11/student_sues_parents_college_tuition_caitlyn_ricci .html