Supreme Court of New Jersey Decisions
The New Jersey Supreme Court consists of seven justices. While it was originally founded in 1776 during the American Revolution, it did not take a clear form until the New Jersey Constitution of 1844. In contrast to many other state supreme courts, it does not hold original jurisdiction over any legal matters. The Court may review an appeal from a lower court in a case involving the death penalty, a constitutional question, redistricting, or a dissent by an appellate justice. Also, it may review an appeal of a decision for which it has granted certification. In addition to its legal authority, the Court holds limited political authority. It will review and finalize a decision by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission on redistricting congressional districts if the Commission cannot reach a decision.
The Governor of New Jersey nominates candidates to serve on the Supreme Court. The New Jersey State Senate then must decide whether to confirm the nominee one week after the Governor issues a public notice of the nomination. Each justice will serve an initial seven-year term, after which the Governor will decide whether to grant indefinite tenure. The justices must be balanced between the political parties, such that neither party has an advantage of more than one seat. To qualify to serve on the Supreme Court, a candidate must have been admitted to practice law in New Jersey for at least 10 years. This is the same requirement as for Superior Court judges.
A justice may be removed from the New Jersey Supreme Court upon being impeached by the New Jersey General Assembly and convicted by the New Jersey Senate. Alternatively, the Supreme Court may inform the Governor that a justice has become incapacitated. A three-person commission will determine whether the justice should be removed on that basis.
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Recent Decisions From the Supreme Court of New Jersey
Date: September 12, 2023
Docket Number: A-24-22
Justia Opinion Summary: For five months when C.V. was a pre-kindergarten student in the Waterford Township School District, she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Alfred Dean, the seventy-six-year-old bus aide who was supposed to be ensuring…
Date: August 15, 2023
Docket Number: A-32-22
Justia Opinion Summary: In a matter of first impression, the New Jersey Supreme Court addressed whether a criminal defendant must be provided in-person interpreting services, rather than video remote interpreting (VRI) services, at his jury…
Date: August 14, 2023
Docket Number: A-63-20
Justia Opinion Summary: The Church of St. Theresa (St. Theresa’s) owned and operated the St. Theresa School. St. Theresa’s terminated art teacher and toddler room caregiver Victoria Crisitello for violating the terms of her employment…
Date: August 10, 2023
Docket Number: A-1-22
Justia Opinion Summary: In summer 2010, plaintiff Carol Conforti obtained a restraining order against her husband. On September 8, he was arrested for violating the restraining order by returning to the marital home to see his son. Conforti was…
Date: August 9, 2023
Docket Number: A-22-22
Justia Opinion Summary: In November 2017, Defendant Stephen Zadroga was driving over the speed limit when he was involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle. Defendant’s passenger, and best friend, died in the crash. Pursuant to a…
Date: August 8, 2023
Docket Number: A-25-22
Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff Suzanne Cardali and defendant Michael Cardali entered into a property settlement agreement (PSA), which was incorporated in their judgment of divorce in December 2006. The PSA provided that defendant’s…
Date: August 7, 2023
Docket Number: A-17-22
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant Jason O’Donnell was a candidate for mayor of Bayonne, New Jersey in 2018. During the campaign, he allegedly accepted $10,000 in cash in a paper Baskin- Robbins bag from an individual. The State argued that in…
Date: August 3, 2023
Docket Number: A-26-22
Justia Opinion Summary: Leander Williams pled guilty to non-violent third- and fourth-degree drug offenses. His primary parole eligibility date was approximately eight months after the New Jersey Earn Your Way Out Act (EYWO Act) became…
Date: August 2, 2023
Docket Number: A-14-22
Justia Opinion Summary: Rosette Martinez was home with her daughter and her daughter's friend on Christmas Day in 2015 when she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. A man opened the door and stated, “I’m here for your dad, George,” leading her…
Date: August 2, 2023
Docket Numbers: A-2/3-22, A-23-22
Justia Opinion Summary: In January 2017, an individual wearing a baseball cap and gloves robbed a bank in North Brunswick, New Jersey. Bank surveillance footage captured the entire 57-second robbery. In November 2017, defendant was charged in…
Date: August 2, 2023
Docket Number: A-55-21
Justia Opinion Summary: At issue in this appeal before the New Jersey Supreme Court was whether defendant Dante Allen was denied a fair trial because the trial court permitted a detective to present lay opinion testimony in which he narrated a…
Date: July 25, 2023
Docket Number: A-21/23-21
Justia Opinion Summary: In this products liability matter involving “pelvic mesh” medical devices, the New Jersey Supreme Court considered whether defendant C.R. Bard, Inc., was denied a fair trial by the trial court’s determination that…
Date: July 3, 2023
Docket Number: A-9-22
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant Rami Amer moved to dismiss his New Jersey indictment for offenses related to a series of burglaries, alleging a violation of his speedy trial rights under the Interstate Agreement on Detainers (IAD). Defendant…
Date: June 29, 2023
Docket Number: A-61-21/A-7-22
Justia Opinion Summary: The issue this case presented for the New Jersey Supreme Court's review centered on whether Facebook could be compelled to provide the contents of two users’ accounts every 15 minutes for 30 days into the future based…
Date: June 22, 2023
Docket Number: A-50-21
Justia Opinion Summary: After receiving a “be on the lookout” (BOLO) email based on a tip from a confidential informant (CI) that defendant Cornelius Cohen would be traveling to the Carolinas to pick up firearms and bring them back to New…
