Morris County is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to determine whether excluding religious institutions from receiving taxpayer funds as part of a historic preservation program conflicts with the Supreme Court’s decision in Trinity Lutheran v. Comer and the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause. Facts of the Case In 2002, the
In August, Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation into law that authorizes New Jersey counties to alter the real property assessment calendar, provided the relevant county board of taxation approves. The new law (formerly A-538/S2257) specifically allows any county to operate under the alternative real property assessment dates established in the “Real
In the recent decision of Kean Federation of Teachers v. Ada Morell,the Supreme Court of New Jersey clarified two requirements under the New Jersey Open Public Meeting Act (“OPMA”): (1) to make meeting minutes “promptly available” to the public as required by N.J.S.A. 10:4–14; and (2) to provide employees, whose
New Jersey municipalities may need to amend their local ordinances in light of recent changes made to the state’s Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL). The new law signed in January, P.L. 2017 C. 312, restricts when a municipality can require performance and maintenance guarantees from a developer. Limits on Performance
Given the stark differences in policy, the leadership change from Gov. Chris Christies election of Gov. Phil Murphy is certain to result in changes for local governments and state agencies. Since taking office, Gov. Murphy has issued ten executive orders, which tackle issues such as wind energy, equal pay, and
As we reflect on the New Year, we are looking back at the public law issues that impacted New Jersey municipalities in 2017. The past year brought a number of legal developments involving the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA). Below is a brief summary: Dash Cam Footage: In North
A recent Appellate Division decision provides a useful discussion of how to determine when a request under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) is “overly broad.” As highlighted in Wronko v. Township of Jackson, et al., not all blanket requests may be denied under OPRA. Facts of the Case Plaintiff
In a recent decision, the Supreme Court of New Jersey opened the door for records custodians to go on the offensive in response to requests under the state’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA). In In the Matter of the New Jersey Firemen’s Association Obligation to Provide Relief Applications Under the
