For many years this website has hosted the blog of the New Jersey Civil Justice Institute, formerly the New Jersey Lawsuit Reform Alliance, but it is time for a change. From now on all NJCJI content will only be posted on the NJCJI website: http://www.civiljusticenj.org/
We encourage you to check out our new website, and to subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter so you continue to be in the know about civil justice reform in New Jersey.
A selection of the need-to-know civil justice news for the week of April 26 - May 2.
Continue reading "Top News Clips for the Week of April 26 - May 2" »
Marcus, Alida, and Emily are hitting the road this summer in an effort to spread the word about the need for civil justice reform in New Jersey! If your organization would like a briefing on legal reform, or an update on pending court cases and legislation that would expand employer liability, please let us know. We would be happy to give a presentation tailored to meet your organization’s needs at one of your upcoming meetings. Contact a member of the NJCJI team today to schedule a briefing.
The New Jersey Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee on Expedited Civil Actions has released its recommendations for speeding the resolution of civil actions in state courts. The report recommends the court approve a mandatory pilot program for all Track 1 and Track 2 cases (which include property and contract disputes and insurance suits) that focuses on streamlining pre-trial procedures and limiting some in-court proceedings.
The New Jersey Civil Justice Institute is hosting a teleforum on the report with Supreme Court Committee member Russell Deyo, the retired Vice President and General Counsel of Johnson & Johnson. The call will be held on Wednesday, May 21 from 11:00 AM to noon.
If you are interested in joining the call, please email NJCJI’s Director of Public Affairs, Emily Kelchen, for the call-in information.
While this newsletter often focuses on NJCJI’s efforts in the legislature, we are also keenly attuned to what is going on in the court system. In fact, NJCJI is the only organization that systematically reviews every case taken up by the state’s Appellate Division courts and the New Jersey Supreme Court to determine what impact each case might have on the state’s civil justice system.
NJCJI can often provide or coordinate amicus curiae briefs in cases that have broader civil justice implications that the parties cannot fully brief. Amicus curiae is a Latin phrase literally translated as “friend of the court.” It is the name for a brief filed with the court by someone who is not a party to the case.
To date, NJCJI has assisted with or participated in more than a dozen separate cases at the appellate and supreme court levels. Click here to read more about NJCJI’s appellate work.
The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) has released a new white paper examining the evolution of state consumer protection acts, including the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.
Continue reading "ATRA White Paper Takes a Closer Look at State Consumer Protection Acts" »
Each day seems to bring additional news confirming what we already know: New Jersey needs to restart its economic engine. The state took a tremendous hit during the recession, and has yet to fully recover. The state’s unemployment rate remains high, and the budget gaps continues to widen as revenue collections miss their targets.
While the government does not and cannot create the jobs needed to buoy the economy in and of itself, it does have many tools at its disposal. Unfortunately, the government’s most oft-used implements, tax policy and government spending, are not producing the results the state so desperately needs. If New Jersey wants to completely and quickly escape the recession, legal reform must become part of the state’s economic development plan.
The New Jersey Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee on Expedited Civil Actions has released its recommendations for speeding the resolution of civil actions in state courts without sacrificing due process. The report recommends the court approve a mandatory pilot program for all Track 1 and Track 2 cases (which include property and contract disputes and insurance suits) that focuses on streamlining pre-trial procedures and limiting some in-court proceedings.
Continue reading "Mandatory Pilot Program Seeks to Shorten Civil Trials" »
On April 15th, the New Jersey Civil Justice Council hosted the first in a new series of policy teleforums designed to give NJCJI supporters an inside look at some of the most pressing policy issues and court cases in New Jersey.
David Kott, a partner at McCarter & English LLP and member of the NJCJI Board, was the featured speaker at the first teleforum. Kott gave call participants some background information on business litigation in New Jersey, and discussed the recommendations included in the New Jersey Supreme Court’s Working Group on Business Litigation’s recent report analyzing the needs of the state’s business community and proposed actions by the court system that could address those needs.
As a member of the working group, Kott was able to provide detailed information about the thought-process behind many of the report’s recommendations and also answered questions from call participants about the report. Of particular note was Kott’s view that the recommended expansion of the business litigation pilot program really gets at many of the stated goals of those who desire a separate business court. The processes will be somewhat separate from the general civil court system, while the administration of the system as a whole remains undivided.
On April 10, the New Jersey Supreme Court’s Working Group on Business Litigation released its report analyzing the needs of the state’s business community and proposed actions by the court system that could address those needs.
The New Jersey Civil Justice Institute will be holding a teleforum on the report with working group member David Kott, a partner at McCarter & English LLP and member of the NJCJI Board, on Tuesday, April 15th from 1:30-2:00 PM.
If you are interested in joining the call, please email NJCJI’s Director of Public Affairs, Emily Kelchen, for the call-in information.
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