As we mentioned in our last post, proposed legislation aims to improve government transparency by overhauling and modernizing New Jersey’s Open Records Act (OPRA). This post outlines some of the most important proposed changes under S-1452. To start, the bill would rename OPRA as the “Martin O’Shea Open Public Records
Two bills designed to make it easier for New Jersey residents to obtain public records and increase the openness of government meetings are moving through the Senate. Both pieces of legislation recently cleared the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee and now move to the Senate Budget
Robert’s Rules of Order is the standard for facilitating discussions and group decision-making. Copies of the rules are available at most bookstores. Although they may seem long and involved, having an agreedupon set of rules makes meetings run easier. Robert’s Rules will help your group have better meetings, not make
by General Henry M. Robert 1915 Version, Public Domain Editor’s Note: The copyright on the original 1915 version has expired. However, the modifications and enhancements to this work are Copyright � 1996 Constitution Society. Permission is hereby granted to any person to copy and use this material on a non-profit
The New Jersey Supreme Court recently decided a defamation lawsuit against a weekly New Jersey newspaper, finding that it was not liable for a false front-page teaser. The central issue in Ronald Durando and Gustave Dotoli v. The Nutley Sun and North Jersey Media Group, Inc. was whether the editor
According to a recent decision, a New Jersey courtroom can be deemed defective on constitutional grounds. The courtroom in question, located in Warren County, came under scrutiny after a criminal defendant argued that its layout obstructed his view of the witness box and thus violated the Confrontation Clause of the
Gov. Chris Christie is seeking a constitutional amendment that would authorize New Jersey judges to deny bail to dangerous offenders. The change would alter the existing bail framework in the state and adopt a system similar to that used by the federal courts. Under existing New Jersey law, judges are
Under New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA), a requestor who prevails in any proceeding brought under the law is entitled to a reasonable attorney’s fee. The Appellate Division recently clarified what happens when a party only achieves limited success in a lawsuit. The Facts of the Case Wolosky v.
