The Bergen County Bar Association leadership meets with the Bergen County Assignment Judge on a bimonthly basis to discuss issues of mutual interest to the judiciary and our membership. For matters of general importance that you believe should be raised at our next meeting, please email the BCBA at [email protected].
This is a summary of the January 14, 2025, meeting with the Hon. Carol Novey Catuogno, A.J.S.C.
1. Judicial Tenure: Hon. Carol Novey Catuogno, A.J.S.C. and Hon. Mitchell Steinhart, J.S.C. received tenure.
2. Newly Appointed Judges:
• James M. Doyle – Assigned to Bergen Criminal Division.
• Michelle J. Marose – Initial Judicial Assignment – Passaic Family
3. Judicial Retirement: Hon Edward A. Jerejian, P.J.Ch. to retire effective February 1, 2025.
4. Judicial Reassignments:
Hon. Darren T. DiBiasi will be assigned as Presiding Judge of the Chancery Division
Hon. Nicholas Ostuni will be reassigned to the Chancery Division
Hon. Kevin Kelly was reassigned to the Civil Division.
5. Division Information
A. Family Division – The Family Division will have several upcoming dates specifically designated for settlement/resolution purposes. There will be an FD Blitz on January 31, 2025, and February 25, 2025.
The Family Law Committee will host a CLE and mixer on March 26, 2025, and a State of the Family Bench on May 19, 2025.
B. Criminal Division – Central Judicial Processing Court is now being conducted virtually on Saturdays/holidays.
The Criminal Division is # 1 in pre-indictment resolutions in the 21 counties and #10 in the 21 counties in post indictment resolutions.
A settlement blitz took place last week.
Each Judge in the Criminal part will hold mini settlement blitzes – Dates TBD by each judge.
Attorney conducted Voir Dire Pilot Program (ACVD) is continuing in the criminal part.
C. Civil Division– Civil Trials, including Med-mal, are being conducted. If attorneys are ready for trial, you will be sent out for trial.
Carrier Days:
USSA: 1/21/25
Geico: 2/4/25
Plymouth Rock: TBD
Farmers 4/6/25
D. General Equity Division – General Equity filings are to be made via ECOURTS, not JEDS
E. Municipal Division – By way of a memo dated January 9, 2025, Judge Grant reminds municipal courts of the October 27, 2022, Supreme Court Order regarding in-person and virtual court in municipal court proceedings.
Effective October 1, 2024, the Judiciary resumed enforcement of penalties, including suspensions of driving privileges, for individuals with parking ticket violations.
6. AOC Visitations: AOC visitations have been conducted for Bergen’s DV Unit, and the Criminal Dvision for which we await the final report. A Civil Division visitation team will be in Bergen in March.
7. Bergen Vicinage Court User Resource Center: Bergen County Law Library is in process of being converted to a Bergen Vicinage Court User Resource Center with an in-person Ombudsman Office window for court users.
8. Construction: The Courthouse Dome remains under construction.
9. In-person Appearances- If attorneys prefer an in-person appearance for a particular case or court event, please contact the Judge’s chambers in advance.
10. Expungement Clinic: BCBA will host the 3rd Expungement clinic on April 11, 2025. The court truly appreciates the BCBA’s effort, as well as those of other Criminal Division stakeholders, in providing this service to our community.
11. Miscellaneous: New Free-Standing Monitors with Digital Signage to be installed at the entrances of the courthouse. Each Division will have its own page to assist with movement throughout the courthouse.