News - Page 22 of 34 - Bergen County Bar Association

Message from the Bergen County Board of Taxation

By J.G.July 16, 2020

The Bergen County Board of Taxation is planning on utilizing a teleconference conference call system through a switchboard controlled by the County Tax Administrator. The switchboard will allow the County Tax Board administrative access to bring in calls, end calls, mute calls etc. Hearing notices will go out explicitly stating to a petitioner a window of time at which to make themselves available to be heard on their appeal. The hearing notice will reiterate that any evidence must be submitted timely to the board and to the tax assessor. A couple days prior to the hearing, a member of the County Board of Taxation, may reach out to the petitioner and ask them if they have a preferred contact phone number other than the one listed on the appeal form. The County Board of Taxation will generally have a few petitioners in the queue and dial additional petitioners into the hearings as they progress in order to keep the calendar moving. The hearing dates will also be listed and advertised on the County Tax Board website, as well as the call in number and access code for the teleconference hearings.

~Bergen County Board of Taxation

Notice to the Bar: Accepting Applications for Magistrate Judge Vacancies

By J.G.July 13, 2020July 13, 2020

EXTENDED DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

AUGUST 3, 2020

RE: FULL-TIME UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE VACANCIES AT NEWARK, NEW JERSEY AND CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY

The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey has announced that it is seeking candidates for the position of full-time United States Magistrate Judge in the Newark vicinage and the Camden vicinage. Read More

NOTICE: COVID-19 Protocols for Special Civil Part Officers

By J.G.July 13, 2020

The New Jersey courts are continuing to establish interim protocols for court operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, including by prescribing health and safety precautions to minimize risks during necessary in-person interactions. Special Civil Part Officer responsibilities include various in-person functions, including serving summonses and complaints in landlord/tenant actions; serving and executing warrants for removal; and serving goods and chattel writ executions, wage executions, and other process. This Supplement to Directive #01-15 (“Special Civil Part Officers”) provides standards for conducting those important duties during COVID-19.

Special Civil Part Officers routinely enter Judiciary facilities, which are subject to occupancy and conduct requirements established by the Supreme Court. In performing their duties, however, Special Civil Part Officers spend most of their time in other locations, including residential and commercial locations that currently are subject to restrictions on social interactions established by various Executive Orders. Read More

NOTICE: Relaxation to Rule 1:40-12(b) – Virtual (Video) Training For Complementary Dispute Resolution – Temporary Relaxation of Rule 1:40-12(b) (“Mediator Training Requirements”)

By J.G.July 13, 2020

The Supreme Court by Order dated June 30, 2020 has relaxed Rule 1 :40-12(b) (“Mediator Training Requirements”) to temporarily allow mediator training to be conducted virtually (by video) rather than only in an in-person classroom format. The Court’s June 30, 2020 Order is attached.

Rule 1 :40-12(b) establishes mediator training requirements, including the 18-hour basic mediation training and an additional 22 hours (for a total of 40 hours) for mediators on the family roster and the civil, general equity, and probate roster. The rule requires “classroom” courses for the basic and specialized mediation and complementary dispute resolution (CDR) trainings, which courses historically have been conducted in person.

In-person trainings have been suspended during the COVID-19 crisis based on public health requirements. Over the past several months, the Judiciary has converted classroom-based curricula to support virtual mediation and CDR courses, including by using virtual breakout rooms to enable small groups to engage in interactive exercises and role plays. The Court’s June 30, 2020 Order will enable mediator trainings to resume in a virtual format during the COVID-19 crisis while social distancing requirements restrict in-person gatherings.

Questions on this notice should be directed to Kathleen Gaskill, Manager of CDR and Volunteer Programs, at [email protected].

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

Acting Administrative Director of the Courts

Dated: July 7, 2020

NOTICE: Mediator Training to be Conducted Virtually.pdf

NOTICE: Sixth Omnibus Order on Court Operations and Legal Practice

By J.G.July 13, 2020

The Supreme Court has issued its Sixth Omnibus Order on Court Operations and Legal Practice during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

This July 9, 2020 Sixth Omnibus Order (copy attached to this notice) continues certain extensions and suspensions of proceedings (including but not limited to new jury trials; in-person grand jury selections and sessions; and landlord/tenant trials) and affirms that all other provisions of the June 25, 2020 Fifth Omnibus Order remain in full force and effect.

Questions about the Court’s Sixth Omnibus Order or this notice may be directed to the Office of the Administrative Director of the Courts at (609) 376-3000.

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

Acting Administrative Director of the Courts

Dated: July 10, 2020

Bergen County Tax Court Proceedings

By J.G.July 10, 2020

Tax Court continues to conduct trials, calendar calls, oral arguments and settlement conferences via remote proceedings (Zoom and/or Teams).
Judiciary Electronic Document Submission- JEDS. The JEDS system is intended for self-represented litigants who need to submit a document to the court. Attorneys are required to upload case initiating documents in State Tax appeals via JEDS and pay the filing fee by credit card or ACH transaction. After uploading these documents through JEDS the Tax Court Management Office will notify you if you owe additional fees and will upload the documents to the eCourts electronic filing system (eCourts Tax). All subsequent documents in state tax cases are required to be uploaded through eCourts. JEDS is not a replacement for eCourts. All attorneys must file local property tax appeal documents through eCourts. Attorneys may also use JEDS for anything that cannot be filed in eCourts.
Tax Court Management Office as well as Judge’s Chambers are operating remotely the most efficient way to contact either is via email. Email should not be used to file documents or request adjournments.

Emergent Covid Calendar for Criminal Judges for the Month of July, 2020

By J.G.July 7, 2020

Our Bergen County Criminal Part Judges are handling Criminal matters by utilizing technology to enable the parties to appear remotely. In addition, our Criminal Part judges are assigned to handle emergent matters for the month of July. Of course, this schedule is subject to change if the Courthouse opens to the public sooner. The schedule is as follows:

JULY

1,2 Judge Foti/Judge Bachmann
3 Holiday
6,7 Judge Vinci/Judge Sattely
8,9 Judge Catuogno/Judge McGrogan
10,13 Judge Kazlau /Judge Wilcox
14,15 Judge Foti/Judge Bachmann
16,17 Judge Vinci/Judge Sattely
20,21 Judge Catuogno/Judge McGrogan
22,23 Judge Kazlau/Judge Wilcox
24,27 Judge Foti/Judge Bachmann
28,29 Judge Vinci/Judge Sattely
30,31 Judge Catuogno/Judge McGrogan

Tax Bar Bulletin July 2020: Volume 36, No. 7

By J.G.July 2, 2020

Current Items:

Part Two–Can Lawyers Learn to Retire?
The Fourth is upon us and it is a time to celebrate independence. How fitting is the next and last instalment of this my retirement article. BTW I did receive a number of congratulations on my own voyage to the other side of work and I thank those thoughtful souls for their good wishes. I do note that a few of them are tax lawyers themselves glad to see that I am out of the running for new cases leaving them somewhat of a professional windfall. To them I say good luck.

Can Lawyers Learn to Retire? Part Two Ted David, Esq

“You Gotta Know When to Hold Them… Know When to Fold Them”

– Kenny Rodgers..The Gambler

Notice to the Bar: July 30, 2020

By J.G.July 1, 2020

Please see the attached Notice to the Bar from the Bergen County Courthouse in regards to the Family Part Division.

Notice to the Bar 6-30-20.pdf

Opening Remarks From BCBA President Joseph A. Maurice at the Bergen County Bar Association on June 18, 2020

By J.G.June 29, 2020

Opening Remarks Present BCBA Joseph A. Maurice on June 18, 2020 at the Bergen County Bar Association Virtual Town Hall Meeting

“Hello and good evening. Welcome everyone to the Bergen County Bar Association’s Town Hall. Your Association is happy to present this event to our members free of charge. I do encourage each of you to donate to the Bergen Benefactors at Bergenbar.org. Your donation will help maintain Association activities during this COVID crisis despite the lack of fundraising events that you have supported over the years. For those that have donated, thank you very much for your generosity and continued support.

Let us now observe a moment for silent prayer or reflection to be mindful of the events that have given rise to an outcry for social justice across our great nation. Our black community is hurting, we are hurting, our country is hurting. We must be one voice in declaring that black lives do matter. Anything less is not justice for all. I am confident, that as a profession that has sworn an oath to uphold our constitution and the rule of law, that we share a unified resolve to be better, do better and expect better from those around us. It is our issue and this Association will continue to address it.

We have many esteemed panelists this evening and we appreciate their attendance so I’d like to get started but first I want to share with you a few words on the state of your bar association. Read More