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

Looking Back on the Evolution of the Federal Appellate Courts

Though Independence Day is not the anniversary of the United States Constitution, it is still a good day to look back on the origin and history of the federal appellate...

It's Now "Justice Patterson"

Yesterday, by a 36-0 vote, the Senate rightly confirmed Anne Patterson as a Justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey. She will assume the seat now held by Justice Rivera-Soto when...

On June 20, Assemblymen Gary Chiusano (R-24th Dist.) and John Wisniewski (D-19th Dist.) introduced Assembly Bill 4135. That legislation would make appealable to the Appellate Division as of right, instead of on an...

The Supreme Court Discusses, for the First Time, Two Exceptions to the Open Public Records Act

Kovalcik v. Somerset County Prosecutor's Office, 206 N.J. 581 (2011). The Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 to -13 ("OPRA"), makes "government records," as broadly defined in OPRA, generally accessible. However, the right of access...

Improper Remarks in Trial Summation Warranted New Trial on Damages Only

Risko v. Thompson Muller Automotive Group, Inc., 206 N.J. 506 (2011). This case came to the Supreme Court because of improper remarks made by plaintiff's counsel in his trial summation....

A Tutorial on Claims for Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress and an Insurer's Duty to Defend

Abouzaid v. Mansard Gardens Associates, LLC, 207 N.J. 67 (2011). The holding of this decision, a unanimous opinion written by Justice Long, is fairly straightforward: an insurer has a duty to defend...

Judge Stern Retires

Last night, I attended the retirement dinner for Judge Stern, who turned 70 last week. Among the over 300 attendees were current and former Supreme Court Justices, sitting and retired...

Bad Faith Claims Under Rova Farms Can Get a Jury Trial

Wood v. New Jersey Manufacturers Ins. Co., 206 N.J. 562 (2011). The question of what claims are triable to a jury has vexed the courts for many years, in various...

Supreme Court Will Review McGovern v. Rutgers Open Public Meetings Act Ruling

The Supreme Court has granted certification in this case, which addresses important issues under the Open Public Meetings Act, N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 to -21. The Appellate Division's decision that will be...

Judge Wefing Replaces Judge Stern on the Supreme Court

Today, Judge Stern reached the mandatory retirement age of 70. Accordingly, Chief Justice Rabner appointed Judge Wefing, the Presiding Judge of the Appellate Division, to the seat that Judge Stern...

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A Municipal Court Administrator is Employed by the Township, Not the Administrative Office of the Courts

Palmisano v. State of New Jersey Administrative Office of the Courts, ___ N.J. Super. ___ (App. Div. 2025). The opening paragraph of Judge Marczyk's opinion for the Appellate Division well encapsulates what the appeal was about and what the result was. "Plaintiff Lindsay Palmisano appeals from the trial court's April 1, 2024 order dismissing her complaint with prejudice against defendant State of New Jersey Administrative Office of the Courts and Municipal Division (AOC) pursuant to Rule 4:6-2(e). The primary issue on appeal is whether plaintiff, a municipal court administrator, is an employee of the AOC, thereby allowing her to assert a claim against the AOC under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD), N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 to -49. Based on our review of the record and the applicable legal principles, we conclude plaintiff was employed by Vernon Township (Township), not the AOC, and, therefore, we affirm."...

Supreme Court to Take Up Two Published Appellate Division Opinions

The Supreme Court announced that it has granted review in two new appeals. One is before the Court on leave to appeal. The Court granted certification in the other matter....

South Seaside Park Can Detach Itself From Berkeley Township

Whiteman v. Township Council of Berkeley Township, ___ N.J. ___ (2025). South Seaside Park is a small (490 year-round residents) barrier island community that has been annexed to the Township of Berkeley ("the Township"). South Seaside Park sought to deannex itself from the Township and to be annexed instead to the Borough of Seaside Park. South Seaside Park followed a statutory petitioning procedure in doing so. The Township refused consent. South Seaside Park went to court and won a ruling from the Law Division that rejected the Township's refusal. The Appellate Division affirmed. Yesterday, in a unanimous opinion by Justice Patterson, the Supreme Court affirmed as well....

Megan's Law "Not Likely to Pose a Threat to the Safety of Others" Extends to Non-Sexual as Well as Sexual Re-Offenses

In re Registrant S.O., ___ N.J. Super. ___ (App. Div. 2025). This appeal presented a pure legal issue relating to the "public safety prongs" contained in the termination provisions of Megan's Law, N.J.S.A. 2C:7-2(f), and the Community Supervision for Life statute ("CSL"), N.J.S.A. 2C:43-6.4(c). Judge Vanek crystallized that "novel" issue as "whether, on a registrant's application to terminate Megan's Law and CSL obligations, the phrase ‘not likely to pose a threat to the safety of others' should be broadly interpreted with the trial court considering threats to safety from subsequent non-sexual and sexual offenses or whether the inquiry should be limited to the threat of sexual re-offense only." The panel held that the broader view was the correct one....