New Jersey municipalities are starting to reap the benefits of a new rule that privatizes the collection of municipal court fines. The rule specifically authorizes municipalities to contract with private collection agencies to collect delinquent fines owed to local courts. According to a recent article in the New Jersey Law
A recent decision by the Appellate Division reminds New Jersey public bodies that they cannot broadly cite attorney-client privilege to avoid providing documents in response to a request made under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). In Hyman v. City of Jersey City, the court chastised the municipality for its
Legislation is currently pending in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature that would eliminate the statute of limitations on civil actions for sexual abuse. While we certainly do not question the intent of these bills, New Jersey municipalities should be aware of the potential legal consequences. The current statute
The New Jersey Open Records Act (OPRA) continues to pose challenges for municipalities. In a recent decision, Superior Court Judge Yolanda Ciccone ruled that data does not need to be readable to qualify as a public record. The Facts of the Case The New Jersey OPRA lawsuit was filed
New Jersey municipalities have now received their letters from the New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) regarding the seizure of unused affordable housing trust funding. However, they are refusing to go down without a fight. The most recent challenge, brought by the Fair Share Housing Center, argued that Gov.
New Jersey school districts may need to go back to the drawing board when it comes to disciplining students for illicit activities that not take place on school grounds or during school hours. The Appellate Division recently held that many of these 24/7 school conduct policies go too far by
While new technology like e-mail and social media makes it easier for government officials to communicate with colleagues, it can also lead to inadvertent violations of the New Jersey’s Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA). As a result, many municipalities are amending their public meeting rules to specifically address electronic communications.
The New Jersey Supreme Court continues to shed light on the liability of New Jersey municipalities when it comes to their rescue squards. In a recent decision, the state’s highest court held that rescue squads that provide intermediate and basic life support services are not immune from suit, even though
