NJ Appellate Law Blog

A Filed Rate Doctrine Anniversary

On this date in 2004, the Supreme Court decided Smith v. SBC Communications, Inc., 178 N.J. 265 (2004). The case was a putative Consumer Fraud Act ("CFA") and breach of contract class action against Southern New England Telephone Company ("SNET") and BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. Plaintiff alleged that defendants falsely advertised that prepaid calling cards purchased at BJ's would yield substantially more calling time than plaintiff actually received....

Appellate Division Oral Argument of the Week: Is a Court Order Requiring a Party to Produce All Electronically Stored Information Responsive to Discovery Requests, Without Allowing the Party to Revie

On Wednesday, January 22, a panel of Part E will hear oral argument in Atlantic ER Physicians Team Pediatrics Associates, P.A. v. UnitedHealth Group, Inc. The issue is one involving discovery of electronically stored information ("ESI"). In the 21st century, ESI has become a fixture in complex litigation, and sometimes in non-complex cases as well....

Last Week in the Appellate Division

Today is Election Day, and courts are closed. That offers the opportunity to catch up with the Appellate Division, which issued three published opinions last week. Here are summaries of...

A New Required Certification for Appellate Briefs

The Supreme Court's September 4, 2024 Order providing for the posting online of most Appellate Division and Supreme Court briefs in argued cases, discussed here, has led to an interim...

A Rare Appellate Division Published Opinion After a Grant of Reconsideration

State v. Morgan, ___ N.J. Super. ___ (App. Div. 2024). As discussed here, the Appellate Division issued a published opinion in this case. As a reminder, that ruling addressed "a...

Returning From the Break- Supreme Court Opinions

While this blog was on an early August break, the Supreme Court was busy, issuing five opinions. Here are summaries: Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Comm'n v. George Harms Construction...

Returning From the Break- Appellate Division Opinions

During this blog's early August break, the Appellate Division issued three published opinions. Here are summaries: T.B. v. I.W., ___ N.J. Super. ___ (App. Div. 2024). This was an appeal...

The Past Week in the Appellate Division

Since last Friday, one week ago, the Appellate Division issued three published opinions (not counting its opinion in the Verizon case that the Supreme Court decided yesterday, in which the...

Class Action Waivers Are Enforceable Even Without Accompanying Mandatory Arbitration Clauses

Pace v. Hamilton Cove, 258 N.J. 82 (2024). Class action waivers and mandatory arbitration provisions often appear together in consumer contracts. They are among the tools sellers use to restrict...

A 3-3 Supreme Court Split Affirms the Appellate Division in Hyman v. Rosenblum Yeshiva of New Jersey

Hyman v. Rosenblum Yeshiva of New Jersey, 258 N.J. 208 (2024). As discussed here, in an opinion reported at 474 N.J. Super. 561 (App. Div. 2023), the Appellate Division affirmed...

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"A Child in Common"- Jurisdiction for Protective Orders Under the Victim's Assistance and Survivor Protection Act or the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act

C.J.S. v. A.S., 2025 N.J. Super LEXIS _______ (App. Div. Nov. 18, 2025). [Disclosure: I represented the successful plaintiff in this appeal.] The Victim's Assistance and Survivor Protection Act, N.J.S.A. 2C:14-13 to -21 ("VASPA"), was enacted to protect against, among other things, cyber-harassment. Only someone "who is not eligible for a restraining order as a ‘victim of domestic violence' as defined by . . . [the Protection of Domestic Violence Act , N.J.S.A. 2C:25:17-35 ("PDVA"]" may invoke VASPA protection....

Appellate Division Oral Argument of the (Upcoming) Week: A $55 Million Tort Verdict

On Tuesday, November 18, judges on Part D will hear oral argument in Rider v. Jersey City Transfer, Inc. The case arose out of an auto accident in Maryland, in which plaintiff, after striking one vehicle with her own car and getting out of the car, was hit by a tractor-trailer owned by defendant. Plaintiff suffered grisly injuries, sued, and obtained a judgment of over $59 million once the $55 million jury verdict was molded. Defendants appealed....

Liability of a General Contractor for Injuries to a Subcontractor's Employee: The Supreme Court Will Decide the Applicable Standard

The Supreme Court announced that it has granted certification in Campoverde v. NY-NJ Link Developer, LLC. The question presented, as phrased by the Supreme Court Clerk's office, is "What is the applicable standard under New Jersey law for determining whether a general contractor owes a duty to a subcontractor's employees for the purpose of determining liability for the injuries sustained by a subcontractor's employee?"...

Proposed New Supreme Court Briefing Procedures

The Supreme Court issued a Notice, available here, that proposes to revolutionize the process for briefing in the Supreme Court. If adopted, the new procedures would require substantial revisions to Rule 2:12, which currently governs Supreme Court briefing....