Author: Donald Scarinci

NJ Supreme Court Rules Cable Act Does Not Preempt State Law Requiring Prorated Bills

NJ Supreme Court Rules Cable Act Does Not Preempt State Law Requiring Prorated Bills

In In re Alleged Failure of Altice U.S., Inc., the Supreme Court of New Jersey held that Section 543(a)(1) of the Cable Act does not preempt the proration requirement in N.J.A.C. 14:18-3.8. According to the state’s highest court, the regulation does not regulate “rates for the provision of cable service,” but rather

NJ Supreme Court Adopts Procedure for Defendants to Access Internal Affairs Files

NJ Supreme Court Adopts Procedure for Defendants to Access Internal Affairs Files

In State v. Andre Higgs (A-28-21/085863) (Decided March 30, 2023), the Supreme Court of New Jersey ruled that the trial court made three errors that warranted a new trial for Defendant Andre Higgs, who had been convicted of murder. One of the errors involved being denied access to an on-scene

NJ Supreme Court Rules Juries Not Required to Explain Rejection of Self-Defense Claims

NJ Supreme Court Rules Juries Not Required to Explain Rejection of Self-Defense Claims

In State v. Joseph S. Macchia (A-49-21/086334) (Decided March 16, 2023), the Supreme Court of New Jersey held that juries are not required to unanimously agree on why they reject a claim of self-defense or explain their reasoning. The court’s decision was unanimous. Facts of State v. Macchia Defendant Joseph

NJ Supreme Court Rules Township Improperly Designated Library for Redevelopment

NJ Supreme Court Rules Township Improperly Designated Library for Redevelopment

In Malanga v. Township of West Orange (A-45-21/086087) (Decided March 13, 2023), the Supreme Court of New Jersey held that the Township of West Orange improperly designated the site of the West Orange Public Library as an area in need of redevelopment under the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law (LRHL).

NJ Supreme Court Confirms Warrantless Vehicle Search Requires Unforeseeable and Spontaneous Circumstances

NJ Supreme Court Confirms Warrantless Vehicle Search Requires Unforeseeable and Spontaneous Circumstances

In State v. Kyle A. Smart (A-6-22/087315) (Decided March 8, 2023), the Supreme Court of New Jersey held that the automobile exception to the warrant requirement, as set forth in State v. Witt, 223 N.J. 409 (2015), did not permit the warrantless search of defendant Kyle Smart’s vehicle after an

NJ Supreme Court Rules Self-Insurance Is Not the Same as “Other Insurance”

NJ Supreme Court Rules Self-Insurance Is Not the Same as “Other Insurance”

In Statewide Insurance Fund v. Star Insurance Company (A-62-21/086440) (Decided February 16, 2023), the Supreme Court of New Jersey held that a public entity joint insurance fund (JIF) established under the Joint Insurance Fund Act affords liability protection to public entities through “self-insurance,” not insurance. Accordingly, the “other insurance” clause

New Jersey Supreme Court Clarifies Cannabis Expungement

New Jersey Supreme Court Clarifies Cannabis Expungement

In State v. Richard Gomes (A-64/65-21/087192) (Decided February 14, 2023), the Supreme Court of New Jersey unanimously held that defendants who received conditional discharges for marijuana offenses before the 2021 adoption of the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act (CREAMMA), are not statutorily ineligible for admission into the