New Jersey woman sues estranged parents for college tuition

Should parents be required to pay for their children's college education? It's a court battle being waged behind the doors of the Camden County Hall of Justice.

Caitlyn Ricci, 21, is suing her biological parents.

"What child does this? It's insane," said Ricci's mother, Maura McGarvey.

"She comes from two loving families, and she was given what she wanted when she was growing up," said her father, Michael Ricci.

The fight for money to pay for out-of-state tuition at Temple University has turned into a down-right dirty war of words.

"Caitlyn is a spoiled brat and that was the nicest thing any of them have ever said about Caitlyn," said Caitlyn's attorney, Andrew Rochester.

Caitlyn's parents were young loves. Their marriage only lasted two-and-a-half years, but the two say they amicably parented to give their daughter the best life they could.

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," said Michael Ricci.

And that's where the trouble started.

"Caitlyn did not voluntarily leave the home. She was thrown out by her mother," said Rochester.

And the relationship crumbled.

"She hasn't contacted with of us on Mother's Day or Father's Day or on our birthdays," said Michael Ricci.

"I think she just wants money. She wants us to pay for her education. She feels this is owed to her," McGarvey said.

Caitlyn turned to attorney Andrew Rochester to represent her in the lawsuit. He spoke with us on Caitlyn's behalf.

"Caitlyn really is a good girl. She is the nicest, sweetest girl. All she wants is to go to college," said Rochester.

And he paints a very different picture of the family's dynamic.

"They questioned her morality. They accused her of awful, awful things," said Rochester.

Caitlyn's parents joined together and filed a motion to emancipate their estranged adult daughter, but on the Friday before Mother's Day, McGarvey says the court papers arrived - she was suing them.

"Did I ever expect my daughter to sue me? No, of course not. It's heart breaking," McGarvey said.

A judge turned to a New Jersey legal precedent known as "Newburgh" that says divorced parents may be required to contribute to their children's education, no matter their age.

The judge ruled in Caitlyn's case, ordering her parents to pay $16,000 this year.

"The law in New Jersey is so clear. It is cut and dry. The law says parents are supposed to contribute to their children's post-secondary expenses," said Rochester.

Maura and Michael say they were willing to pay for her education in state, in New Jersey, if she followed rules and lived at home.

"It is just unbelievable. I don't think there is any person there is not one adult or parent who can imagine that this can happen to them," said Maura.

However Caitlyn, who they say won't reply to their messages, applied to Temple University out of state and the only time they have seen her in the last two years is in a courtroom.

"I spend a lot of time looking at her, looking over trying to get eye contact and she won't look. All you want to do is grab her and shake her and look at her and tell her you love her and tell her we can work this out," McGarvey said.

This semester's bill for Temple was due Wednesday.

Caitlyn's parents say they aren't paying a dime until their daughter re-establishes a relationship with them, and they plan to appeal the judge's decision.

It's interesting to note that her paternal grandparents, who she is living with, were the ones who hired her attorney to sue their own son.