Validation stopped working

Validation stopped working

Hi there -

the validation on my page has stopped working - the form is displayed as a modal - then submitted to a php page for the db entry part

Here is the javascript part

<script type='text/javascript' src='/ontime/js/jquery.validate.js'></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
function valid_address() {
    $("#addressValidateEng").validate({
        rules: {
            company: "required",
            contact: "required",
            tel: "required",
        },

        messages: {
            company: "X",
            contact: "X",
            tel: "X",
        },

        errorPlacement: function(error, element) {
            if ( element.is(":radio") )
                error.appendTo( element.parent().next().next() );
            else if ( element.is(":checkbox") )
                error.appendTo ( element.next() );
            else
                error.appendTo( element.parent().next() );
        },

        // specifying a submitHandler to prevent the default submit
      submitHandler: function(form) {
      form.submit();
        },

    });
}
</script>


And here is the form -

   <form id="addressValidateEng" action="/ontime/includes/addressEng.inc.php" method="post" >
   <input type="hidden" name="recordId" value="<?php echo $recordId;?>" />
      <div style="float:left;width:330px;">
         <div style="float:left; padding-top:4px; margin-right:10px; width:100px;">company*:</div>
         <div style="float:left"><input type="text" name="company" id="company" style="width: 180px;float:left;display:inline;" class="adresse-input"  value="<?php echo $records[0]->getField('company') ?>" /></div> <br clear ="all"/>

         <div style="float:left; padding-top:4px; margin-right:10px; width:100px;">contact*:</div>
         <div style="float:left"><input type="text" name="contact" id="contact" style="width: 180px;float:left;display:inline;" class="adresse-input" value="<?php echo $records[0]->getField('contact') ?>" /></div> <br clear ="all"/>

         <div style="float:left; padding-top:4px; margin-right:10px; width:100px;">Tel*:</div>
         <div style="float:left"><input type="text" name="tel" id="tel" style="width: 180px;float:left;display:inline;" class="adresse-input" value="<?php echo $records[0]->getField('Tel') ?>" /></div> <br clear ="all"/>
      </div>
         <a class="button modalAdrEdit" href="#" onclick="valid_address()"><span>Modify Address</span></a>
      <br clear="all" />
   </form>


The form submits, and updates the originating page - but no validation takes place

Any help greatly appreciated -

Glorifindal