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Category Archives: Covid-19 Notices

NOTICE: Seventh Omnibus Order on Court Operations and Legal Practice – Concluding Certain General Extensions; Continuing Individualized Adjustments

Author By J.G.Posted on

The Supreme Court has issued its Seventh Omnibus Order on Court Operations and Legal Practice during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A copy of the Order is attached.

This July 24, 2020 Seventh Omnibus Order continues certain adjustments necessitated during the COVID-19 period, including the prioritization of remote proceedings and permission for electronic signatures, remote depositions, and electronic service on the State of New Jersey. It also concludes certain blanket suspensions and extensions (including as to discovery involving experts, affidavits of merit, relaxation of Rule 4:86 regarding guardianships of incapacitated persons, and depositions and appearances by medical professionals) while permitting extensions based on the facts and circumstances of an individual case.

The July 24, 2020 Seventh Omnibus Order includes the following key provisions:

  • Jury Trials. Authorizing new jury selections and new jury trials starting on or after September 21, 2020, with selections to be conducted in a primarily virtual format and trials to be conducted in person with social distancing, consistent with the Court’s July 22, 2020 Order;
  • Grand Jury. Providing for the virtual selection of new grand jury panels on or after September 21, 2020;
  • Criminal. Continuing excludable time provisions through September 20, 2020;
  • Special Civil Part. Clarifying that Special Civil Part (DC) and Small Claims (SC) proceedings including trials can be conducted remotely with or without consent;
  • Family – Quasi-Criminal. Providing that Family quasi-criminal (FO) trials shall proceed remotely only with the consent of the parties, and in the absence of consent such matters will proceed in person;
  • Family – Domestic Violence. Amending Phase 2 of the Judiciary’s Post Pandemic Plan to allow applicants seeking a domestic violence restraining order to appear at court without an appointment; and
  • Municipal Courts. Confirming that Municipal Court sessions will be conducted primarily using remote technologies, although in limited circumstances in-person sessions may be conducted, including for complex matters such as DWI trials and certain cases involving a consequence of magnitude.

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

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

Acting Administrative Director of the Courts

Dated: July 24, 2020

NOTICE Seventh Omnibus Order on Court Operations and Legal Practice – Concluding Certain General Extensions; Continuing Individualized Adjustments.pdf

NOTICE: Emergent Covid Criminal Judges’ Calendar for August, 2020

Author By J.G.Posted on

Our Criminal Part judges continue to handle criminal matters by utilizing technology to enable the parties to appear remotely.

I have assigned our Criminal Part judges to handle emergent matters for the month of August as set forth in the schedule listed below.  Of course, this schedule is subject to any Phase 3 changes that may be implemented.

The schedule is as follows:

August

3,4 – Judge Kazlau/Judge Wilcox/ Judge Steele

5,6 – Judge Foti/Judge Bachmann/Judge Steele

7 – Judge Vinci/Judge Steele

10 – Judge Catuogno/Judge Wilcox/Judge Sattely

11,12 – Judge Catuogno/Judge McGrogan/Judge Sattely

13,14 – Judge Kazlau/Judge Wilcox/Judge Sattely

17,18 – Judge Foti / Judge Bachmann / Judge Sattely

19,20 – Judge Vinci / Judge Sattely

21,24 – Judge Catuogno / Judge McGrogan / Judge Sattely

25,26 – Judge Kazlau / Judge Wilcox / Judge Sattely

27,28 – Judge Foti / Judge Bachmann

NOTICE: Criminal and Civil Jury Trials to Resume Incrementally Using a Hybrid Process With Virtual (Video) Jury Selection and Socially Distanced In-Person Trials

Author By J.G.Posted on

The Full Order and Notice is attached below for your convenience.

The Supreme Court has authorized the incremental resumption of new Civil and Criminal jury trials, which have been suspended for more than four months because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Attached to this notice are the Court’s July 22, 2020 Order and the Report on Resuming Jury Trials.

Atlantic/Cape May, Bergen, and Cumberland/Gloucester/Salem will be the first Vicinages to resume certain jury trials, beginning with Criminal trials involving a single detained defendant. Over the coming months, trials will gradually resume in all counties and will expand to include Civil as well as Criminal cases.

Overview

Read More

NOTICE: Landlord/Tenant Pre-Settlement Conference Instructions

Author By J.G.Posted on

On July 14, 2020, the Supreme Court issued an Order requiring certain procedures to support the resumption of landlord/tenant case processing during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The Order requires the courts to schedule conferences to obtain or confirm contact information from the parties and to conduct settlement negotiations in an effort to resolve matters while landlord/tenant trials continue to be suspended. Complaints subject to the CARES Act filed between March 27, 2020 and July 24, 2020 will be dismissed.

In order to ensure settlement conferences will address only appropriate active cases, Landlords shall do the following:

  • CARES Act Cases:  Voluntarily dismiss without prejudice any landlord/tenant case subject to the CARES Act that was filed between March 27, 2020 and July 24, 2020.
  • NON-CARES Act Cases: Advise the Clerk’s office at (201) 221-0700 ext. 25310 of all cases that have been settled or voluntarily dismissed.
  • Communications regarding dismissals shall be filed via JEDS.

Upcoming Landlord/Tenant Virtual Informational Conference

Bergen County Vicinage wishes to announce it will be conducting a Landlord Tenant Virtual Informational Conference that will be open to the public to discuss dispute resolution processes and various services available to Bergen County residents with a special focus on resources for landlords and tenants. Additional information will be forthcoming prior to the scheduling of the conference.

/s/ Hon. Joseph G. Monaghan, J.S.C.

 

NOTICE: Amendment to Landlord/Tenant Summons and Complaint Forms; Interim Rule Relaxations; and Authorization to Apply for Order to Show Cause in an Emergency

Author By J.G.Posted on

The Full Notice is Available for your full review in the link below.

By Order dated July 14, 2020, the Supreme Court has authorized several steps to support the resumption of landlord/tenant case processing during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the New Jersey courts to transition from in-person to remote proceedings and to suspend landlord/tenant trial calendars as of March 16, 2020. Over the past four months, a significant number of landlord/tenant complaints have been docketed and have not yet been served on tenants. Additional cases that were pending as of March 16, 2020 have yet to be resolved. An influx of new landlord/tenant complaints also is anticipated when the relief provided by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES Act), 15 U.S.C. 9001 et seq., expires on July 25, 2020.

Current circumstances require the New Jersey courts to implement a cohesive strategy for landlord/tenant cases pending service and landlord/tenant cases pending trial. To that end, with input from tenant advocates and landlord representatives, the Court has authorized both permanent and interim measures to support the resumption of service of landlord/tenant complaints and the scheduling of settlement conferences while landlord/tenant trials remain suspended. Those measures are critical to facilitating the best possible outcomes for tens of thousands of New Jersey residents who face potential loss of housing in the coming months.

Read More

NOTICE: Procedures for Writs and Warrants of Removal that Have Expired During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author By J.G.Posted on

This notice provides clarification of the procedures required where certain writs have expired during the COVID-19 pandemic. This notice does not apply to goods and chattel writs of execution or wage executions issued by the Special Civil Part. This notice does apply to all other writs of execution and foreclosure writs of possession (hereafter referred to as writ(s)) and warrants of removal issued by the Superior Court and the Superior Court Clerk’s Office.

Where a writ has expired, the requesting party is required to obtain a new writ. There is no extension of time for expired writs. Attorney requests for writs must be submitted through eCourts (where applicable) or JEDS in accordance with the Supreme Court’s April 24, 2020 Order.

A landlord-tenant warrant of removal must be issued within 30 days of entry of a judgment for possession or executed within 30 days of issuance, pursuant to Rule 6:7- 1(d). Read More

NOTICE: Bergen County Surrogate – July 15, 2020

Author By J.G.Posted on

In an effort to expedite matters before the court during this public health emergency, we have decided to provide an alternative track for attorneys seeking to probate here in Bergen County. Attorneys may either pursue the established protocol of notarization via Webex or they may contact our office to have the requisite documents sent to their attention via e-mail so they may then take signatures from clients if they have the ability to proceed in that manner. This alternative track should work to our mutual advantage in mitigating turnaround time for everyone who is currently awaiting service.

BCSC-AlternativeTrackAttorneys.pdf

Message from the Bergen County Board of Taxation

Author By J.G.Posted on

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

Author By J.G.Posted on

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

Author By J.G.Posted on

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

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