NJ Appellate Law Blog

Courts Find Attorneys' Fee Disputes "Hellish," Especially Where "The Adversaries Fan the Flames at Virtually Every Opportunity"

United States of America ex rel. Palmer v. C&D Technologies, Inc., 897 F.3d 128 (3d Cir. 2018). Today's opinion by Judge Greenberg (no relation) in a False Claims Act case...

The Third Circuit Clarifies CAFA's "Local Controversy Exception" on Unusual Facts

Walsh v. Defenders, Inc., 894 F.3d 583 (3d Cir. 2018). The "local controversy" exception to federal jurisdiction over putative class actions under the so-called Class Action Fairness Act of 2005,...

McCarrell Choice of Law Analysis Goes Against Legal Malpractice Plaintiff

MTK Food Services, Inc. v. Sirius America Ins. Co., 455 N.J. Super. 307 (App. Div. 2018). In McCarrell v. Hoffman-LaRoche, Inc., 227 N.J. 569 (2017), discussed here, the Supreme Court...

No "Dead End" for New Jersey Civil Rights Act Plaintiff, So Her NJCRA Claim Fails

Harz v. Borough of Spring Lake, 234 N.J. 317 (2018). The New Jersey Civil Rights Act, N.J.S.A. 10:6-1 to -2 ("NJCRA") is, in general, the New Jersey analog to the...

In Rare Cases, Attorneys' Fees and Costs May be Awarded When Case is Voluntarily Dismissed With Prejudice

Carroll v. E One, Inc., 893 F.3d 139 (3d Cir. 2018). Near the start of his opinion in this case, Chief Judge Smith observed that "[a]ttorneys' fees and costs are...

Rice Letters, and Making Meeting Minutes of Public Bodies "Promptly Available," Under the Open Public Meetings Act

Kean Federation of Teachers v. Morell, 233 N.J. 566 (2018). Yesterday's opinion by Justice LaVecchia reversed in part and affirmed as modified a decision of the Appellate Division that was...

"Time of Application" Rule for Development Kicks in When All Documents Required by Ordinance Are Submitted

Dunbar Homes, Inc. v. Franklin Tp. Bd. of Adj., 233 N.J. 546 (2018). In a development application under the Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq. ("MLUL"), the law...

Municipal Official Whose Appointment Was Ultra Vires and Void Must Disgorge the Pay He Received

City Council of the City of Orange v. Edwards, 455 N.J. Super. 261 (App. Div. 2018). Willis Edwards III, the subject of today's decision by Judge Currier, is a former...

No Attorneys' Fees for Retired Public Employee Who Successfully Sued to Enforce Agency Decision Regarding His Pension

Brunt v. Board of Trustees, Police & Firemen's Retirement System, 455 N.J. Super. 357 (App. Div. 2018). In general, except as specified by statute, court rule, or a contract between...

Foreclosure Judgment Affirmed "In Spite of Certain Irregularities"

Capital One, N.A. v. Peck, 455 N.J. Super. 254 (App. Div. 2018). In the usual foreclosure case, the same entity owns both the note and the related mortgage. The facts...

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Catching Up Again: Four Opinions

Due to the press of other work, it's been awhile since this blog reported on Supreme Court and published Appellate Division decisions. There are four opinions to discuss, one of which addressed two cases in a single ruling. Here are summaries:...

Appellate Division Oral Argument of the Week: Must Representative Actions Under the New Jersey Wage and Hour Law or the Prevailing Wage Act Satisfy Rule 4:32, Which Governs Class Actions?

On Thursday, March 12, the Appellate Division will hear oral argument in Martinez v. T. Slack Environmental Services, Inc. The issue on appeal is whether plaintiff's lawsuit, predicated on the New Jersey Wage and Hour Law, and the Prevailing Wage Act, must satisfy the criteria of Rule 4:32, the class action rule. The Law Division found that unnecessary....

Appellate Division Oral Argument of the Week: Must Representative Actions Under the Wage and Hour Law or the Prevailing Wage Act Satisfy Rule 4:32, Which Governs Class Actions?

On Thursday, March 12, the Appellate Division will hear oral argument in Martinez v. T. Slack Environmental Services, Inc. The issue is whether plaintiff's lawsuit, predicated on the New Jersey Wage and Hour Law, and the Prevailing Wage Act, must satisfy the criteria of Rule 4:32, the class action rule. The Law Division found that unnecessary....

Two Land Use Decisions by the Appellate Division

This week began with two published opinions by the Appellate Division in different areas of municipal land use. Here are summaries:...