NJ Appellate Law Blog – NJ Appellate Lawyer Bruce D. Greenberg blogs about Appeals and Appellate Law Practice

The Supreme Court Confirms That Municipalities Can be Subjected to Sanctions for Frivolous Litigation

Borough of Englewood Cliffs v. Trautner, ___ N.J. ___ (2025). This appeal presented the question of whether municipalities can be liable to pay sanctions for frivolous litigation, under the Frivolous Litigation Statute, N.J.S.A. 2A:15-59.1 ("the FLS"). In a 5-0 opinion written by Justice Fasciale (Chief Justice Rabner and Justice Hoffman did not participate), the Court affirmed, as modified, the decision of the Appellate Division that upheld the Law Division's imposition of FLS sanctions against the Borough....

Court-Appointed Attorney and Temporary Guardian in "Alleged Incapacitated Person" Case Under Rule 4:86 Have No Right to Fees Against Office of Adult Protective Services

In the Matter of A.D., an Alleged Incapacitated Person, ___ N.J. ___ (2024). This case was an appeal from a decision of the Appellate Division, discussed here, that the Office...

Can a Municipality be Sanctioned Under the Frivolous Litigation Statute? The Supreme Court Will Decide

The Supreme Court announced that it has granted certification in Borough of Englewood Cliffs v. Trautner. The question presented, as phrased by the Supreme Court Clerk's office, is "Is a...

Appellate Division Oral Arguments of the Week: Three Attorneys' Fee Appeals

This week's oral argument of the week comprises appeals involving awards of attorneys' fees in three different cases. In two of the cases, appellants argue that fee awards should be...

Trial Counsel Not Ineffective Even Though He Was Paid by a Prosecution Witness, Defendant's Co-Parent and Girlfriend

State v. Kearney, 479 N.J. Super. 539 (App. Div. 2024). This appeal was from the denial of post-conviction relief. Defendant had been convicted of murder and other offenses. He raised...

Referral Fees and Another Affidavit of Merit Case Will be Before the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has announced that it has granted review in two new matters. One is on a familiar subject: affidavits of merit in professional liability cases. The other involves...

The Second Half of April

In the second half of April, the Supreme Court issued one published opinion and the Appellate Division delivered four such rulings. Here are summaries: C.R. v. M.T., 248 N.J. 428...

Five New Appeals for the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court announced that it has granted certification in five new cases. All of them are civil matters. Three of the cases involved published opinions of the Appellate Division...

The Civil Practice Committee Recommends One Appellate Rule Change

The Supreme Court Civil Practice Committee has issued its 2024 report, which addresses recommended changes to Court Rules as well as Rule change proposals not recommended. The report is available...

Relevant Statutes Bar Attempt to Compel Office of Adult Protective Services to Pay Fees of Court-Appointed Attorney and Temporary Guardian in Guardianship Case

In re A.D., 477 N.J. Super. 288 (App. Div. 2023). In this appeal, an attorney and a temporary guardian sought fees for their services. The Law Division had denied their...

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"Hot Fun in the Summertime": Appellate Division Summer Parts

In an Order available here, Chief Justice Rabner announced the lineup for the Appellate Division's summer Parts. As has been customary, the "summer" runs not between the meteorological start and end dates for summer, nor from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but from June 16 through September 7....

The Supreme Court Confirms That Municipalities Can be Subjected to Sanctions for Frivolous Litigation

The "Castle Doctrine"

State v. Bragg, ___ N.J. ___ (2025). A jury found defendant guilty of twelve charged counts, including attempted murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, terroristic threats, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, endangering, and two lesser-included offenses of harassment. Some of those charges involved the use of deadly force. Persons may not use deadly force if the can retreat with complete safety. But under the "castle doctrine," an exception to the general rule, a person "is not obliged to retreat from his dwelling, unless he was the initial aggressor." N.J.S.A. 2C:3-4(b)(2)(b)(i). That doctrine derives from the common law....

No Arbitrariness in Rejection of Public Construction Bid That Failed to Include a Properly Signed, Required Consent of Surety

In the Matter of Protest Filed by El Sol Contracting and Construction Corp., Contract T100.638, ___ N.J. ___ (2025). This public bidding case resulted in a 5-2 split at the Supreme Court, the first non-unanimous ruling of the current Term. Justice Hoffman wrote the majority opinion, while Justice Fasciale authored the dissent for himself and Justice Pierre-Louis....