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

A Mitigating Factor in Sentencing, and the "Rescue Doctrine," Come Before the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court announced that it has granted certification in two more cases. The Court has accelerated and set a peremptory briefing schedule in one of those cases, State v....

Supreme Court of New Jersey Year in Review, 2020-2021

Last year, for the first time, this blog offered an analysis of the Supreme Court's activity in the just-ended Term. It's now time to do that for the 2020-2021 Term...

Two More Criminal Cases for the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court announced that it has granted certification in two more criminal cases. Both are homicides. In State v. Derry, which actually involves two consolidated cases, the question presented,...

The Supreme Court Will Reconsider Its 3-3 Decision in State v. Lodzinski, with Judge Fuentes Added as a Seventh Jurist

State v. Lodzinski, 248 N.J. 451 (2021). In an extraordinary development, the Supreme Court has granted defendant's motion for reconsideration in this long-running, closely-watched murder case. Since Chief Justice Rabner...

The Supreme Court Takes Up a Compassionate Release Case

The Supreme Court announced today that it has granted certification in State v. F.E.D. The question presented, as phrased by the Supreme Court Clerk's office, is "Was defendant eligible for...

Published Opinions From New Jersey's Appellate Courts This Week

Catching up with our appellate courts, here are summaries of the three published opinions (two by the Supreme Court and one by the Appellate Division, in addition to the COVID...

An Unsurprising Grant of Review by the Supreme Court

As discussed here, earlier this year, the Appellate Division affirmed in part and reversed in part the Law Division's dismissal of a case that challenged an ordinance of the City...

Four New Cases for the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court announced that it has granted certification in four new matters. Two of the cases are civil appeals and two are criminal matters. In East Bay Drywall, LLC...

This Week in the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court issued its first three opinions of the new Term this week. Here are summaries of those rulings: Bozzi v. City of Jersey City, ___ N.J. ___ (2021)....

The First Grants of Supreme Court Review of the New Term

The Supreme Court announced its first group of new cases for this Term. Of the three cases, each came to the Court by a different route. A-1-21, State v. Ramirez,...

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The Week Just Ending: Three Criminal Law Decisions

This week saw one case decided by the Supreme Court and two published opinions of the Appellate Division. The Supreme Court case, decided by a 6-1 vote, presented an ex post facto issue arising out of amendments to the statute governing parole. The two Appellate Division decisions entailed more "core" criminal law issues. Here are summaries of those cases:...

The 2025 Omnibus Court Rule Amendments and Other Changes

The Supreme Court announced amendments to Court Rules and appendices, as well as certain other procedural changes. That announcement is embodied in an Omnibus Rule Amendment Order that is available here....

"Abuse of Discretion" vs. "Patent and Gross Abuse of Discretion"

State v. Taylor, ___ N.J. ___ (2025). N.J.S.A. 2C:43-6(c), a part of the Graves Act, makes the use or possession of a firearm during the commission, attempted commission, or flight from the commission of certain designated offenses a sentencing factor that triggers the imposition of a mandatory term of imprisonment. A later-added section of the Graves Act, N.J.S.A. 2C:43-6.2, creates an "escape valve," under which a prosecutor may seek from the court a waiver of the imposition of a mandatory minimum sentence where the prosecutor believes that such a sentence would not serve the interest of justice....

A "Swan Song" for a False Light Invasion of Privacy Claim on Statute of Limitations Grounds

Chipola v. Flannery, ___ N.J. ___ (2025). As discussed here, this case was one of two that the Supreme Court agreed to review in its first grants of review of the current Term. The question presented was "Does a claim alleging false light invasion of privacy have a one-year statute of limitations, see Swan v. Boardwalk Regency Corp., 407 N.J. Super. 108 (App. Div 2009)?" Today, agreeing with the Law Division and the Appellate Division, the Supreme Court answered "yes."...