NOTICE TO THE BAR

COVID-19 – SECOND OMNIBUS ORDER ON COURT OPERATIONS AND LEGAL PRACTICE – MORE OPERATIONS TO BE CONDUCTED REMOTELY; LIMITED DISCOVERY EXTENSIONS AND TOLLING PERIODS

The New Jersey Courts are committed to continuing court operations during and after the COVID-19 public health emergency. To that end, the Supreme Court announced the next phase of remote court operations and legal practice.

Please follow the link below and read the Second Omnibus Order from the Supreme Court of New Jersey relating to the status of continuing court operations and legal practice during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Notice and Order – COVID-19 – Second Omnibus Order on Court Operations and Legal Practice – As Signed – 04-24-20.pdf

The March 31, 2020 Notice to the Bar advised that Matrimonial Early Settlement Panel (MESP) events would resume using video or telephone technology, rather than in-person sessions, beginning the week of April 27, 2020. That notice included a number of steps to be taken to ensure the scheduling and conducting of these remote MESP sessions. Those steps have since been revised. Accordingly, the following steps replace the steps set forth in the March 31 notice: Read More

Please follow the link below and read the attached notice below from the Supreme Court of New Jersey in regards to guidelines on remote proceedings in the Trial Courts, obtaining audio and video records, and the extent of the court’s authority to suspend the commencement of certain custodial terms.

4-20-2020 New Jersey Supreme Court Notice.pdf

NOTICE TO THE BAR

The Supreme Court Omnibus Order on COVID-19 issues, entered March 27, 2020, in response to the growing health crisis worldwide involving the COVID-19 coronavirus, affirmed, continued, or supplemented provisions established in a series of prior orders, including the Court’s prior March 17, 2020 Order, which were necessitated as part of the Judiciary’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Omnibus Order extended a number of deadlines and tolled time periods. This notice provides guidance as to the effect of the Omnibus Order on specific Appellate Division practices and procedures. Read More

NOTICE TO THE BAR

New Jersey Judiciary Launches Expanded Electronic Filing System

   The New Jersey Judiciary has expanded its court filing system to better accommodate attorneys and self represented litigants during the COVID-19 health emergency. The Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) system allows attorneys and self-represented litigants to submit their filings electronically in most areas of the family and special civil parts as well as general equity. The Judiciary will continue to add case types as the system is developed further. While the JEDS system was in development before the pandemic, it has been made available sooner in light of the courts’ suspension of most in-person proceedings and matters to prevent the spread COVID-19. The link to JEDS is through the njcourts.gov website at https://njcourts.gov/selfhelp/jeds.html

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 still is a drop box located in the lobby of the Court Street entrance in front of the security office. Documents are picked up a few times a day from the drop box.

Please note that the most up to date information about the Judiciary can be found online at njcourts.gov.

/s/ Laura Simoldoni

Trial Court Administrator

Dated: April 9, 2020

NOTICE TO THE BAR_JEDS.pdf

JUDICIARY ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT SUBMISSION (JEDS) SYSTEM-

ATTORNEYS REQUIRED TO FILE IN JEDS FOR DOCKETS NOT IN ECOURTS

     The Judiciary has launched a document submission system for court filings that are not currently being managed through our existing eCourts system. The Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) system will enable attorneys (and self-represented litigants) to upload documents for filing and pay the appropriate filing fees by credit card. The system will be enhanced in the coming weeks to also accept payment by ACH transaction.

The JEDS system is the latest technology enhancement implemented as part of the Judiciary’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. It is intended to support continuity of our operations while our courthouses are closed to the public. Based on the need to provide this functionality as quickly as possible, the JEDS system will not be integrated with Judiciary case management systems. Rather, documents uploaded to JEDS will be placed in an electronic work basket, and the contents of the work basket will be reviewed and processed by court staff.

As noted, we have launched the first iteration of JEDS. In this first phase, JEDS will allow attorneys and self-represented litigants to submit their filings electronically in most areas of Family and Special Civil, as well as General Equity. We will add more case types to JEDS as we further develop the system.

     Attorneys: JEDS is not a replacement for eCourts. All attorneys must file in eCourts when the docket is in eCourts or in JEDS for all other matters, even for emergent applications, and must pay all appropriate fees.

     Self-Represented Litigants: Self-represented litigants can submit court forms and documents, for both non-emergent and emergent matters, and pay all appropriate fees, via JEDS. Self-represented litigants also can continue to submit emergent matters by email to the emergent matters email box that has been set up in each county.

Further information on JEDS will be posted and updated on the Judiciary’s public
webpage. Questions regarding the new JEDS system may be directed to
“JEDSSupport.mailbox@njcourts.gov”.

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

Acting Administrative Director of the Courts

Dated: April 9, 2020

Notice – Judiciary Electronic Document Submission System (JEDS) – As Signed – dated 04-09-20.pdf

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

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: Read More