2009 New Jersey Code
TITLE 39 - MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC REGULATION
39:6A
39:6A-25 - Actions to be submitted to arbitration

39:6A-25.  Actions to be submitted to arbitration     a.  Any cause of action filed in the Superior Court after the operative date  of this act, for the recovery of noneconomic loss, as defined in section 2 of  P.L.1972, c. 70 (C. 39:6A-2), or the recovery of uncompensated economic loss,  other than for damages to property, arising out of the operation, ownership,  maintenance or use of an automobile, as defined in that section 2, shall be  submitted, except as hereinafter provided, to arbitration by the assignment  judge of the court in which the action is filed, if the court determines that  the amount in controversy is $15,000.00 or less, exclusive of interest and  costs;  provided that if the action is for recovery for both noneconomic and  economic loss, the controversy shall be submitted to arbitration if the court  determines that the amount in controversy for noneconomic loss is $15,000.00 or  less, exclusive of interest and costs.

    b.  Notwithstanding that the amount in controversy of an action for noneconomic loss is in excess of $15,000.00, the court may refer the matter to arbitration, if all of the parties to the action consent in writing to arbitration and the court determines that the controversy does not involve novel legal or unduly complex factual issues.

    No cause of action determined by the court to be, upon proper motion of any  party to the controversy, frivolous, insubstantial or without actionable cause  shall be submitted to arbitration.

    The provisions of this section shall not apply to any controversy on which an arbitration decision was rendered prior to the filing of the action.

    The provisions of this section shall apply to any cause of action, subject to this section, filed prior to the operative date of this act, if a pretrial conference has not been concluded thereon.

     L.1983, c. 358, s. 2.