The New Jersey State Bar Association’s Board of Trustees acted on the following items at its January meeting.
The Board voted to oppose a proposed Court Rule amendment would limit a prosecutor from seeking extensions on a motion for waiver of Family Part jurisdiction in juvenile delinquency cases. In subsequent letter to the Judiciary, the NJSBA said that while the proposal is well-intentioned and seeks to prevent juveniles from being detained for prolonged periods, its implementation could create injustices for many juveniles charged with serious offenses. The rule would place a time constraint on prosecutors to waive cases to the Criminal Division. As a result, more juveniles may face harsher penalties before all the relevant information for their cases is gathered and reviewed, the letter states.
The Board supported an American Bar Association resolution that urges states to adopt legislation creating a judicial security task force to address courthouse security. NJSBA representatives will support the resolution at the ABA’s Mid-Year Meeting in Phoenix. The ABA measure is in line the Association’s strong support for security and privacy protections for judges at both the state and federal levels, following the July 2020 attack at U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas’ New Jersey home. In August, the NJSBA backed a similar ABA resolution urging Congress to pass the Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act. That bill seeks to improve the security of judges, their staff and their families by creating a State Judicial Threat and Intelligence Resource Center to provide security assessments, research and data collection for judges and court personnel around the country.
The Board approved a proposed contract with the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Princeton for the 2025 Elder Law Section Retreat.
The Board supported the following pending legislation in the state Legislature:
A868 Reynolds-Jackson / S2598 Turner – a measure that requires bidders on state contracts to undergo a report of its gender-based pay equity and job equality standards for its employees.
A3505 Speight / S2978 Polistina – a bill that concerns bereavement leave for the death of child, miscarriage, stillbirth and other circumstances.
A4175 Park / S2348 Singleton – a bill that requires the state Attorney General to review the statewide use of force policy at least every two years.
S3309 Scutari/A4380 Coughlin – a measure that establishes the Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair, Compensation Act.”