Judge Michael Guadagno

Seatbelt Law is Intended to Protect Public Health and Safety and Can be Used as a Predicate for Conviction of a Serious Crime

State v. Lenihan, 427 N.J. Super. 499 (App. Div. 2012). Would it not seem "obvious" that N.J.S.A. 39:3-76.2f, New Jersey's "seatbelt law," is intended to protect the public health and...

A New Batch: Five More Appeals for the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court announced that it has granted review in five more appeals. On of those matters is before the Court on leave to appeal. In the others, the Court granted certification....

Three Days, Three Published Appellate Division Decisions on Suppression Motions in Criminal Cases

Each of the last three days saw the Appellate Division issue one published opinion in a criminal appeal. Here are summaries of those rulings:...

The Last Seven Days

The last seven days, an especially busy period for me, featured one Supreme Court opinion and two published Appellate Division decisions. Here are summaries of those rulings:...

No Ethics Violation in Attorney Purchasing Another Attorney's Name as a Keyword for Internet Searches, the Supreme Court Says, With a Caveat

In re Opinion No. 735 of the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics, ___ N.J. ___ (2025). [Disclosure: I represented an amicus curiae in this appeal]. As Justice Noriega said in his opinion for a 5-1 majority (Justice Pierre-Louis did not participate), this appeal "presents the narrow question of whether it is permissible under the Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC) for an attorney or law firm to purchase a competing attorney's or law firm's name as a keyword." The Court found it permissible, with a caveat. Justice Fasciale dissented....