jQuery.validator.setDefaults({
    errorClass: 'validationError',
    errorPlacement: function(error, element) {
        $(element).parents("td").next().html(error);
    },
    success: function(label,element) {
        label.parents("td").prev('td').attr('class','');
        label.addClass('validationSuccess').html('');
    },
    highlight: function(element, errorClass) {
        $(element).addClass(errorClass);
        $(element).parents('.radio').children('label').attr('class','radioValidationError');
    }
});

jQuery.validator.addMethod("phone", function(phone_number, element) {

    phone_number = phone_number.replace(/\s+/g, "");
    return this.optional(element) || phone_number.length > 9 &&
    phone_number.match(/^(1-?)?(\([2-9]\d{2}\)|[2-9]\d{2})-?[2-9]\d{2}-?\d{4}$/);
}, "Please specify a valid phone number (709-555-1234)");

jQuery.validator.addMethod("postalCode", function(postalCode, element) {
    $(element).attr('value',postalCode.toUpperCase());
    return this.optional(element) || postalCode.length > 5 &&
    postalCode.match(/^([a-z]\d)([a-z]\s\d)([a-z]\d)$/i);
}, "Please specify a valid postal Code");