Author: Donald Scarinci

By 68.39.174.238 - Courtesy of User:68.39.174.238 (re-uploading to fix file name), uploaded by BD2412 T 13:20, 14 June 2006 (UTC), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74276952

NJ Supreme Court Rules Courts Can’t Subject Defendant to Enhanced Sentencing for Conduct Jury Found Defendant Not Guilty

In the consolidated cases of State v. Mark Melvin (A-44-19/083298) (Decided September 23, 2021) and State v. Michelle Paden-Battle (A-13-20/084603) (Decided September 23, 2021), the Supreme Court of New Jersey addressed whether a trial judge can consider a defendant’s alleged conduct for crimes for which a jury returned a not

NJ Supreme Court Clarifies Burden of Proof in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases

In New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency v. J.R.-R. (A-56/57-19) (Decided September 27, 2021), the Supreme Court of New Jersey clarified that in a case where the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP) has established that a child has been abused or neglected while in the care

NJ Supreme Court Sets Consent Standard for Intoxicated Victim Under SASPA

In C.R. v. M.T. (A-58-19/083760) (Decided September 28, 2021), the Supreme Court of New Jersey addressed what standard should apply in determining whether an alleged sexual assault victim was too intoxicated to give consent under the Sexual Assault Survivor Protection Act of 2015 (SASPA). It concluded that the standard should

NJ Supreme Court Holds Dog Ownership Records Not Exempt From OPRA Requests

In Bozzi v. Jersey City, (A-12-20/084392) (Decided September 20, 2021), the Supreme Court of New Jersey held that owning a dog is a substantially public endeavor in which people do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy that exempts their personal information from disclosure under the privacy clause of the

NJ Supreme Court Rules Dog Bite Statute’s Strict Liability Applies to Independent Contractor

In Bonay Goldhagen v. Susan Pasmowitz (A-17-20/084668) (Decided August 5, 2021), the Supreme Court of New Jersey held that the Dog Bite Statute’s strict liability standard applies to the claim of an independent contractor who agrees to care for a dog. According to the court, the statute’s plain language reveals

NJ Supreme Court Rules Pension Forfeiture Not a Fine Subject to Excessive-Fine Analysis

In State v. Bennie Anderson (A-15/16-20) (084365) (Decided August 11, 2021), the Supreme Court of New Jersey held that the forfeiture of defendant’s pension under N.J.S.A. 43:1-3.1 does not constitute a fine for purposes of an excessive-fine analysis under the Federal or State Constitutions. Because the forfeiture is not a

New Jersey Supreme Court Clarifies Tort Claims Act Notice Requirements

In H.C. Equities, LP v. County of Union (A-1/2-20/084556) (Decided July 19, 2021), the Supreme Court of New Jersey held that multiple documents cannot collectively constitute effective notice of a tort claim under the Tort Claims Act (TCA or Act). TCA Notice Requirements The TCA requires a claimant seeking to