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NOTICE TO THE BAR

     As you know, there are currently no in-person court proceedings, except for limited emergent matters, because of concerns related to COVID-19. The most up to date information about the Judiciary can be found online at njcourts.gov. In the event you have an emergent matter in the Bergen Vicinage please call our main telephone number (201) 221-0700.

For Family Division matters per docket type please use the following extensions:

• DV Matters – 25168
• FM Matters – 25237
• FJ Matters – 25205
• CIC Matters – 25216
• For Criminal Division Trial matters please call either extension 25007 or 25008.
• For Pretrial matters call extension 25009.
• For Civil Division matters please use the following extensions: 25722
• For Child Support matters, please call (877) 655-4371.
• For the Finance Division please call extension 25135 or 25136.

These extensions are being constantly monitored. In the event you leave a voice mail message, you will receive a call back from staff.

Please know that you can continue to utilize eCourts for most divisions and you can still mail documents to the courthouse. If you need to drop off documents, there is a drop box in the lobby of the Court Street entrance located in front of the security office. Documents are picked up a few times a day from the drop box.

Dated: April 7, 2020

/s/ Laura Simoldoni

Trial Court Administrator

Notice to the Bar.pdf

SUPREME COURT OF NEW JERSEY

IT IS ORDERED that the MArch 19, 2020 Order of the Court extending the filing deadlines for certain tax appeals, which Order was reinforced in Section 5 of the Court’s March 27, 2020 omnibus order, is supplemented effective retroactive to March 19, 2020 so as:

1. to clarify that the extension of filing deadlines applies to both state tax and controversies and local property tax appeals: and
2. to provide that, as to property tax appeals to the New Jersey Tax Court from judgements issued by the county board of taxation in those counties participating in the Assessment Demonstration Program (L. 2013, c. 15), which at present includes Gloucester and Monmouth Counties, the filing deadlines as to complaints and counterclaims for such matters as set forth in Court Rules 8:4-1(a)(2) and 8:4-3(a) pursuant to N.J.S.A. 54:51A-1, to the extent that those deadlines have not already passed, are hereby extended to the later of: (a) May 1, 2020 or(b) 30 days following a determination that the State of Emergency declared under Executive Order No. 103 has ended.

For the Court,

/s/ Stuart Rabner

Chief Justice

Dated: April 6, 2020

Order – Extension of Tax Appeal Deadlines – COVID-19 – Supplemental_Clarifying_Order.pdf

The Civil Division continues to operate although the Courthouse is closed to the public. The Division staff has been directed to work remotely. eCourts is fully functional, and the Bar is not restricted from filing and opposing motions timely. The Bar is directed to the Supreme Court’s instructions as to the status of courtesy copies. All civil judges will be adjudicating motions on 4/9/20, and are conducting oral argument telephonically; some remotely, some from their courtrooms.

The digital drop box established by the AOC is designed for Divisions not fully integrated into eCourts, and litigants without access to eCourts. Therefore, the emergent digital dropbox is not to be used for cases in the eCourts system.

Judge Monaghan is conducting Special Civil Part matters as much as practical, and is initiating settlement conferences by affirmatively reaching out to counsel in that Division. Law Division judges are actively engaged in settlement conferences on cases expected to be listed for trial in April, as well as cases listed for pretrial settlement conferences. Counsel are encouraged to be responsive to those calls from the court. Counsel are encouraged to initiate settlement discussions among themselves, and are free to seek assistance from civil division judges.

Civil Commitments hearings are proceeding using remote technology, on 4/9/20, and beyond.

NOTICE

     In response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the New Jersey Judiciary is implementing all possible measures to apply social distancing in current court operations, consistent with the recommendations of the New Jersey Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control. Accordingly, the procedures for applying for a SASPA protective order have been temporarily modified.

As part of the new temporary procedures, the Judiciary created the attached application packet to be used by the plaintiff/victim or the parent of a victim to request a SASPA temporary protective order. A parent or guardian may file on behalf of the victim in any case in which the victim (1) is less than 18 years of age; or (2) has a developmental disability or a mental disease or defect that renders the victim temporarily or permanently incapable of understanding the nature of the victim’s conduct, including, but not limited to, being incapable of providing consent.

The packet, which also is posted on the Judiciary’s website (www.njcourts.gov), includes the required forms as well as instructions on how to complete the forms. Once the plaintiff has completed the forms in the packet, they must email them to the Family Division either in the county in which the victim resides, the county in which the defendant resides, or the county where the act occurred. The list of email addresses by each county to be used for this purpose is on page 5 of the Sexual Assault Survivor Protection Act Intake Kit (CN 12590). Family Division staff will promptly review the submitted paperwork that plaintiff has submitted and will contact the plaintiff to coordinate a time for a telephonic or video hearing on the application before a Superior Court judge.

If you are a victim of domestic violence and want to file for a domestic violence restraining order, please contact your local law enforcement agency.

Questions about this notice may be directed to the AOC’s Family Practice Division
at 609-815-2900 ext. 55350.

/s/ Hon. Glenn A. Grant, J.A.D.

Acting Administrative Director of the Courts

Dated: April 2, 2020

Notice – Sexual Assault Survivor Protection Act of 2015 (SASPA) – Procedure for Obtaining a Temporary Protective Order – Modified to Address COVID-19 – Application Packet.pdf

***Please be advised this packet is intended to only be used during the COVID-19 crisis.***

NOTICE TO THE BAR

FAMILY DIVISION – COVID-19 – (1) CONDUCTING MATRIMONIAL EARLY SETTLEMENT PANELS (MESP) BY TELEPHONE OR VIDEO; (2) TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ECONOMIC MEDIATION (DVEM) PROGRAM

In response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic,  the New Jersey Judiciary is implementing all possible measures to apply social distancing in current court operations, consistent with the recommendations of the New Jersey Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control.

(1) Matrimonial Early Settlement Panels (MESPs)

In accordance with the March 27, 2020 Supreme Court Omnibus Order continuing the postponement of all MESP sessions scheduled through April 26, 2020, counties beginning the week of April 27, 2020 will be prepared to have MESP panels handle dissolution (FM) cases remotely. This notice provides instruction and guidance on how to conduct remote Matrimonial Early Settlement Panel (MESP) events either by video or telephonically. The following steps should be taken, to the extent possible, to ensure that the MESP sessions are scheduled and conducted remotely:

1. Vicinage Family Division staff should continue with the MESP dates that have been scheduled through the case management conferences for April 27 and beyond. Please note that although court notices may continue to indicate that MESP will be held at the courthouse, all MESP sessions in fact will be conducted by video or telephone until further notice.
2. Vicinage Family Division staff should provide the MESP panelists with a calendar of cases and an email address and phone number where the panelists can contact court staff. The panelists must be provided with the phone numbers of the attorneys and any self-represented litigants. Email addresses of the litigants and the attorneys should also be provided to the panelists where possible.
3. MESP panelists can determine, after consulting with the attorneys and/or self-represented litigants, whether each remote MESP session will be conducted by video or by telephone.
4. MESP panelists will be required to complete the MESP Case Information form (CN 12588) at either the conclusion of the event or when the event is adjourned. The completed form should be sent via email to the Vicinage Family Staff contact person.
5. If the MESP is unsuccessful, the case should be referred to Post-MESP Mediation (Economic Mediation) in accordance with R. 5:5-6. In that situation, the litigants should select a mediator, who should be contacted for an initial appointment. If the mediator cannot be reached, the “Referral Order for Post-MESP Mediation Program” (CN 10936) should reflect that the mediator selection and the date of initial appointment are tentative. The order of referral and the MESP Case Information form should be completed and sent via email to the Vicinage Family Division staff contact person.

(2) Domestic Violence Economic Mediation (DVEM) Program

Directive #06-20 promulgated operational guidelines for statewide expansion of Domestic Violence Economic Mediation (DVEM) program as of April 15, 2020. However, because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and the need to apply social distancing principles, that implementation date for the DVEM program has been postponed until further notice. Additionally, those six counties that have been functioning under the DVEM pilot program are suspending those events until further notice.

Questions about this notice may be directed the Family Practice Division at 609-815-2900 ext. 55350.

/s/ Hon. Glenn A. Grant, J.A.D.

Acting Administrative Director of the Courts

Dated: March 31, 2020

Notice – COVID-19 – Conducting MESPs by Telephone or Video – Temporary Suspension of DVEM Program – as signed – 03-31-20.pdf 

Please see the attachment below for the Criminal Part Emergent Duty Judge Calendar for the month of April.

Criminal Part Emergent Duty Judge Calendar.pdf

There is a physical dropbox outside the Court Street Entrance to the Bergen County Courthouse for emergent matter filings, for fillings not covered by eCourts and filings by self-represented litigants.

Bergen County Emergent Applications Email Address: BerEmergent.Mailbox@njcourts.gov

Effective Wednesday, April 1, 2020, at 0800 hours, the Bergen County Jail, in conjunction with the Bergen County Bar Association, will begin to coordinate telephone conferences between attorneys and their incarcerated clients. Attorneys requesting a telephone conference will email the following information for Ms. Keisha McLean (kmclean@bcsd.us):

1)      Attorney’s name

2)      Client’s name

3)      Requested date and time of call

4)      Approximate duration of the call

While we cannot guarantee a particular time slot, we will do our best to accommodate your request, and Ms. McLean will advise of you the approximate time of your scheduled call. Telephone conferences will run from 0800 hours until 1900 hours. We are not placing any restrictions on the duration of the scheduled calls, but please be mindful of the need of your fellow attorneys’ access to their clients. Please contact Frank O’Mara with any questions who will address them with me. Thank you.

/s/ Warden Steven Ahrendt

Office of the Bergen County Sheriff

COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS – SUPREME COURT’S MARCH 27, 2020 OMNIBUS ORDER CONTINUING THE SUSPENSION OF COURT PROCEEDINGS AND EXTENDING DEADLINES AND TIMEFRAMES THROUGH APRIL 26, 2020

The Supreme Court on March 27, 2020 issued an omnibus order regarding the Judiciary’s response to the COVID-19 Coronavirus public health crisis.

Over the past few weeks, the Court entered a series of orders and notices suspending certain court proceedings, extending deadlines, and tolling time periods because of the practical impossibility of continuing business as usual during this unprecedented emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The omnibus order extends numerous of those provisions – including the suspension of jury trials, Landlord/Tenant calendars, and all Municipal Court sessions – through April 26, 2020.

In addition to those continuations, the Court’s March 27 Order also takes a number of new steps. In Civil matters, the Order extends deadlines to additional areas, including for filing affidavits of merit in medical and professional malpractice cases and various types of discovery, and it tolls time periods for lack of prosecution dismissals and discovery end dates. It also suspends trial calendars in the Special Civil Part and Small Claims. In addition, the omnibus order modifies the provisions of the Court’s March 25 Order by increasing to 35 pages the threshold for requiring the filing of courtesy copies (rather than 25 pages).

The March 27 Order provides that depositions may be conducted remotely using video technology and that court reporters may administer and accept oaths remotely. It also relaxes the provisions of any Court Rule that requires original signatures so as to permit the use electronic signatures where authorized during the COVID-19 crisis.

In attorney disciplinary matters and fee arbitrations, the omnibus order tolls the periods for grievances and authorizes email submissions to the Office of Attorney Ethics. It also extends the deadline for submitting an application to take the July 2020 bar exam.

As noted, the actions set forth in the omnibus order are temporary and in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The order establishes a consistent end date of April 26,2020 for nearly all provisions.

The Supreme Court’s March 27 omnibus order, along with all prior orders and notices regarding COVID-19 are available on the Judiciary’s public webpage (njcourts.gov).

/s/ Hon. Glenn A. Grant, J.A.D.

Dated: March 29, 2020

Notice re March 27 Omnibus Order on COVID-19 Issues – as signed – Dated 03-29-20.pdf

Notice to the Bar

March 30, 2020

This notice announces additional statewide steps by the New Jersey Division of Workers’ Compensation to address the ongoing public health crisis surrounding the deadly COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in New Jersey.

To slow the spread of the virus, after consulting with the Governor’s office, the N.J. Commissioner of Labor, the N.J. Department of Health, and in accordance with the recommendations of the CDC, all workers ’compensation court calendars were suspended from March 17, 2020 through April 3, 2020. Only emergent motions for Medical and Temporary Benefits filed electronically were heard by the Chief Judge, telephonically.

Litigants, attorneys, and witnesses who were scheduled to appear for a workers’ compensation matter from March 17, 2020 through April 3, 2020 should await notice of a rescheduled court date.

In accordance with Governor Murphy’s Executive Order 107, which imposed strict limitations on the operations of “brick-and-mortar” businesses and required telecommuting to the greatest extent possible, all N.J. workers ’compensation courts will continue to be closed to the public and to non-essential court personnel until April 13, 2020.

In response to overwhelming requests from the Workers’ Compensation Bar to hold non-emergent matters electronically or by teleconference, as of April 6, 2020, the following Workers’ Compensation Judges shall be designated by the N.J. Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the N.J. Division of Workers’ Compensation as essential personnel and shall report to their home vicinages for the purpose of hearing as many Workers’ Compensation matters as possible by telephonic conferencing, including all emergent matters and the following non-emergent matters, pre-trial conferences, general motions for medical and temporary benefits, and settlements by affidavit:

• Hon. Audrey Kernan, S.J., Atlantic City WC Courthouse
• Hon. Arthur Marchand, A.S.J., Bridgeton WC Courthouse
• Hon. Ingrid French, A.S.J., Camden WC Courthouse
•  Hon. Lionel Simon III, A.S.J., Freehold WC Courthouse
• Hon. Diana Ferriero, S.J., Hackensack WC Courthouse
• Hon. Jill Fader, S.J., Jersey City WC Courthouse
• Hon. Glenn Kaplan, S.J., Lebanon WC Courthouse
• Hon. Michael Luther, S.J., Mt. Arlington WC Courthouse
• Hon. George Geist, S.J., Mt. Holly WC Courthouse
• Hon. Ashley Hutchinson, A.S.J., New Brunswick WC Courthouse
• Hon. Philip Tornetta, A.S.J., Newark WC Courthouse
• Hon. William Roca, S.J., Paterson WC Courthouse
• Hon. Maria Del Valle Koch, S.J., Plainfield WC Courthouse
• Hon. Eugene Mulvaney, S.J., Toms River WC Courthouse
• Hon. David Puma, S.J., Trenton WC Courthouse

Our plan is to limit physical interactions in our workers’ compensation courts to the greatest extent possible and shift to the use of telephone conferencing, and if possible video conferencing for judges, attorneys, and litigants. There will be no in-person Workers’ Compensation Court proceedings (except for extremely limited emergent matters and certain ongoing motions for medical and temporary benefits and trials in which case social distancing will be enforced).

Court offices will remain closed for in-person submissions. Filings will continue to be accepted electronically through COURTS On-line.

Please contact each individual workers’ compensation court if you have questions about a scheduled hearing, motion, conference, or other matter by email, fax, or telephone.

The N.J. Division of Workers’ Compensation’s number one goal is to limit the exposure and spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus to court personnel, attorneys and their staff, litigants, witnesses, and members of the public at large.

We apologize for the inconvenience you may experience and we thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Hon. Russell Wojtenko, Jr.

Director and Chief Judge of Compensation

N.J. Department of Labor & Workforce Development

Division of Workers’ Compensation

Notice to Reopen WC Courts – 3.27.20.pdf