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Author Archives: J.G.

Reduction in On-Site Presence of Judges and Staff to Continue through January 23, 2022

Author By J.G.Posted on

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 surge and consistent with COVID-19 public health recommendations, the Judiciary will continue the current reduction in on-site presence of judges and staff through January 23, 2022. As of now, we plan to resume regular on-site presence on Monday, January 24, 2022, and we will continue to monitor the situation.

State court operations will continue as follows:

  • All state court locations will remain fully open to the public and all judicial operations will continue uninterrupted.
  • State court judges and court staff will support all essential functions and conduct emergent matters.
  • Virtual jury selection and virtual trials will continue. For ongoing jury matters that are not entirely virtual, judges should advise jurors that they should plan to report in person on or after Monday, January 31, 2022. For new jury selections, judges should advise jurors that they should plan to report in person as of January 31 or a later date (e.g., February 7 or February 14) as determined by the judge.
  • Certain other in-person court events will also continue to proceed as scheduled.

Managers will provide further direction regarding work requirements, including as to employee requirements to report on-site to court locations during this time.

Chief Justice Stuart Rabner

Administrative Director Glenn A. Grant

A Message from Chief Justice Stuart Rabner and Administrative Director Glenn A. Grant: Reduced On-Site Presence of Judges and Staff for First Two Weeks of January 2022

Author By J.G.Posted on

In light of the current COVID-19 surge and consistent with COVID-19 public health recommendations, the Judiciary will reduce on-site presence of judges and staff for the first two weeks of January 2022. As we monitor and assess the changing COVID-19 conditions, we currently plan to resume regular on-site presence as of Monday, January 17, 2022.

During this period, notwithstanding the reduced on-site presence, all state court locations will continue to be fully open to the public and all judicial operations will continue uninterrupted. State court judges and court staff will support all essential functions and conduct emergent matters. In-person trials already in progress may continue. Virtual jury selection and virtual trials will continue but jurors will not report in-person for new trials until after January 17. Certain in-person court events will also proceed as scheduled. The Presiding Judge for Administration of the Appellate Division, Vicinage Assignment Judges, and the Presiding Judge of the Tax Court will provide judges with more detailed guidance as to ongoing and scheduled in-person court events during this time.

Managers will provide further direction regarding work requirements, including as to employee requirements to report on-site to court locations during this time.

Everyone is reminded of the importance of following the masking and social distancing requirements when working in on-site locations. Care should also be taken when working remotely and outside of work.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week issued revised isolation and quarantine recommendations. In light of those recommendations, the Judiciary is in the process of revising certain COVID-19 policies so as to reduce the time for exclusion from work of employees who have tested positive, been diagnosed, developed symptoms, or have been exposed to the virus. Further details will be provided.

Chief Justice Stuart Rabner

Administrative Director Glenn A. Grant

 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY: Court Operations Under The Exigent Circumstances Created By COVID-19 – Standing Order 2021-11

Author By J.G.Posted on

WHEREAS, due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, the National Emergency,
first declared on March 13, 2020, remains in effect, as does the national public health
emergency, renewed again by the federal government on October 18, 2021; and

WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public
health authorities continue to advise taking precautions to reduce the possibility of exposure
to COVID-19 and to slow the spread of the disease by, among other things, wearing masks fully
covering the nose and mouth, limiting sustained group gatherings of people, maintaining six feet
of physical distance from others (social distancing), and limiting sustained indoor activities
involving spoken presentations; and Read More

Bergen Bar Tax Bulletin: Vol. 37, No. 12

Author By J.G.Posted on

By: Theodore M. Davis, Chair, Tax Law Committee

Current Items:

1) The Maltese Pension Falcon
2) Santa’s Wishes

1) It’s almost Christmas and you’re still stuck at home with this new virus threat. What to do, oh, what to do! Now, who doesn’t love Humphrey Bogart, Sidney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Mary Astor? If you’re guessing Casablanca you would be close. In the fall of 1941 director, John Houston put together a dazzling cast to create what is perhaps the first noir classic detective story where Bogie plays Sam Spade. By now you of celluloid addictions may be able to guess “The Maltese Falcon.” In this detective thriller, Sam Spade gets more than he bargained for when a case is brought to him by beautiful and secretive Mary Astor playing Miss Wonderly. Sam’s partner is soon murdered and Peter Lorre shows up demanding he locates a valuable statuette. In 1539, the Knight Templars of Malta paid tribute to Charles V of Spain by sending him a golden falcon encrusted from beak to claw with the rarest jewels. But Pirates seized the galley carrying this priceless token and the fate of the Maltese falcon remained a mystery. Of course, none of this is true but it is a great backdrop for the film. Now I will bet you have no idea where Malta is. It is actually an island country located in the central Mediterranean Sea. It played a strategic role in World War II and these days a wonderful vacation spot. I won’t spoil the mystery by telling you how the movie comes out. But by this time you must be asking yourself what does this have to do with the tax law. Read More

Attorneys Needed: Domestic Violence Legal Advocacy Project (DVLAP)

Author By J.G.Posted on

DVLAP is a joint program of the Bergen County Alternatives to Domestic Violence and the Bergen County Bar Association.  Participating attorneys help eligible victims of domestic violence take their first step to begin a life beyond their abusive relationship.

To learn more, please call Elizabeth R. Ostuni, Victim Advocate Coordinator at Eostuni@co.bergen.nj.us.

Any person interested in applying should complete an application using the following link: Bergen County New Jersey. Please complete, print, and sign the application. You may either scan and e-mail to: adv@co.bergen.nj.us or fax to (201) 336-7555.

VOLUNTEER ATTORNEY COACHES AND JUDGES NEEDED FOR VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION

Author By J.G.Posted on

The New Jersey State Bar Foundation is hosting its annual Vincent J. Apruzzese High School Mock Trial competition this year with a modified format. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the competition will proceed virtually via Zoom for the second season in a row. As a result, volunteering to coach or judge is even more convenient than it has been in the past.

Once again, Nicole McDonough, Esq. of Archer & Greiner P.C. and John McDermott, Esq. of Harwood Lloyd are serving as co-coordinators of the Bergen County competition. We are writing to request your participation in the competition as an attorney-coach or judge.

Read More

Bergen Bar Tax Bulletin: Vol. 37 No. 11

Author By J.G.Posted on

By Theodore M. David, Chair, Tax Law Committee

Current Items:                                                                                    

1) Tax Cops   

2) Inflation Hooray

3) A Turkey Tribute

1). Over 2,500 criminal investigations, the identification of more than $10 billion from tax fraud and financial crimes, and a nearly 90% conviction rate are just a few highlights from the IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Fiscal Year 2021 Annual Report. The report details statistics, important partnerships, and significant criminal enforcement actions from IRS-CI, the criminal investigative arm of the IRS, for the past fiscal year, which began Oct. 1, 2020, and ended Sept. 30, 2021. Read More

NJSBA Working Group on Jury Selection Interim Report

Author By J.G.Posted on

The New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) Working Group on Jury Selection has formally submitted its interim report to the New Jersey Supreme Court’s Judicial Conference on Jury Selection that will be conducted on November 10th and November 12th.  The report reflects the collective wisdom, analysis, and extensive experience in the courtroom and in thought leadership in the New Jersey Legal Community. See below to read the report in its entirety.

The Bergen County Bar Association ( BCBA) leadership has made significant contributions to the interim report and we will continue to support the NJSBA and our allies in preserving peremptory challenges and proposing meaningful reform to the jury selection process to eliminate or substantially reduce the impact of implicit and explicit bias in selecting a fair and impartial jury from a fair cross-section of the community.  

The filing of this interim report is just the beginning of our joint efforts to reform the jury selection process and, if any member wishes to share an experience during jury selection where explicit or implicit bias affected the jury selection process, please share your experience with the BCBA and we will consider how that experience may be helpful in demonstrating the needs for historic reforms in New Jersey’s jury selection procedures.

Members of the BCBA and the public are invited to attend the virtual Judicial Conference. Information can be found by clicking here.

To pre-register (which is encouraged), please click here. 

Jury Selection Interim Report – Final Version

 

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