Appellate Division Appendix Amendments
The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) promulgated revised Rules Appendices conforming to rule amendments in the Appellate Division. Appendix IV, which deals with notices of appeals; Appendix VII, which is the Appellate Division Civil Case Information Statement; and Appendix VIII, which deals with the Appellate Division Criminal Case Information Statement. The amendments change references to specific rules to conform with the renumbering of those rules recently amended.
A copy of the notice can be found here.
Family Court: Revised Packet on How to Enforce or Request a Change of Domestic Violence Restraining Order
A revised version of the self-help packet on enforcing or requesting a change of domestic violence restraining order amends the packet to reflect a recent statutory change to the Sexual Assault Survivor Protection Act (SASPA). SASPA is now the Victims Assistance and Survivor Protection Act (VASPA), which was signed into law in 2023. The initial packet covered both domestic violence and SASPA cases. Upon its enactment, the court issued a separate VASPA-specific packet. For clarity, the DV/SASPA packet has been amended to eliminate all references to SASPA and to exclusively address domestic violence restraining order matters. VASPA matters should be handled under the VASPA packet.
The NJSBA advocated for the passage of VASPA, which expands the scope of who can get a protective order and the basis for such orders.
Click here for a full copy of the notice.
Family Court: Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Filing Requirements
The AOC issued a directive to clarify the process to obtain Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SJIS). Children who are abused, neglected or abandoned may apply for lawful, permanent resident status in the United States if classified as a special immigrant juvenile under federal immigration law.
SJIS filing requirements for complaints filed in the Superior Court for parties seeking a predicate order is a two-step process that begins with an application in a state court to request the entry of a “predicate” order. The entry of such an order requires the court to make specific findings. The order is not an immigration determination, but a prerequisite that must be fulfilled prior to the second step of the process, which is the submission of a SJIS application to United States Citizen and Immigration Services in the form of a petition.
For more information on the process for SJIS or to review the notice, click here.
New Jersey State Bar Association Seeks Volunteers for Union City Law Day
The NJSBA is seeking volunteers to participate in Union City Law Day, hosted by Mayor Brian Stack. Volunteers are needed to meet with residents on a host of issues including immigration law, guardianship for children, landlord-tenant, divorce, domestic violence restraining orders, criminal law, bankruptcy and Social Security.
The event will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 10 at the Jose Marti School in Union City. To sign up, click here. For more information, contact [email protected].