From S.L. v. D.D., decided yesterday by N.J. Appellate Division Judges Berdote, Byrne, and Jacobs:
D.D. ("Darryl" [a pseudonym]) appeals the June 19, 2023 final restraining order ("FRO") granted by the Family Part to S.L. ("Sydney") against him…. Sydney [had] presented two … occurrences she alleged were the predicate acts of harassment and stalking: a note Darryl left at [Sydney's current boyfriend] Teddy's house ("Beer Note") and a Facebook message Darryl had posted, presumably referring to Sydney as his "crumbum ex" ("Crumbum Post")…. [The judge] concluded the Beer Note and the Crumbum Post amounted to predicate acts of harassment and stalking and granted Sydney an FRO against Darryl….
Sydney testified she was returning from a vacation with Teddy on April 24, 2023, when she and Teddy found the Beer Note left at the house Teddy owned with his ex-girlfriend, R.T. ("Racquel"). The Beer Note was handwritten and said "Throw this away for me Bud! signed [Darryl]. Thanks for the warm beer and grill." Sydney testified neither she nor Teddy gave Darryl permission to enter Teddy's home. {Racquel appeared as a defense witness. She testified she invited Darryl into her home and sold him the grill when he left the Beer Note.} {[T]he … judge found Darryl "kn[ew] that [Teddy was] going to come into [his home] and [was] going to find [the Beer Note]," Darryl knew Teddy and Sydney would "know that he got into the house in some fashion," and Darryl left the Beer Note on purpose aware of the fact that Sydney was going to see it.} …
[T]he trial court also considered the Crumbum Post made by Darryl after the April 10, 2023 hearing, which states, in pertinent part, "[f]inally after months of courts and attorneys, [m]y crumbum cheating ex had to hand the ring back over. … Now it's for sale before I take it to my jeweler for consignment." … [T]he … judge disapproved of Darryl's use of social media to "badmouth [Sydney]" on a public post "[t]o the entire world" ….
