NJSBA Board of Trustees Report
January 12, 2023
Note: This does not constitute official minutes
Madden: The Board adopted a resolution that urges the Judiciary to abolish the Madden assignment system and calls on the Legislature to allocate necessary funding to provide effective representation in all cases in which there is a right to counsel. Additionally, the Board agreed to seek to join a Madden-related case – State v. Jason Burgos – as an amicus party. The attorney who was assigned the matter, through the Madden assignment system is challenging the denial of his request to be excused from representing the indigent defendant in this case. The attorney was assigned to handle this contempt of domestic violence matter. While currently licensed, the attorney has only sporadically practiced law since 2000 and has never handled such a case.
New member benefits: The Board approved adding Rocket Matter and Quimbee to its roster of benefits for members. Rocket Matter is a cloud-based legal management software that helps law firms run more efficiently. The company will offer NJSBA members a 10% lifetime discount on its services. Quimbee, a bar exam study tool for law students, also offered a discount for law student members.
Family law court rule amendments: Trustees approved proposing a slate of amendments to the Rules Governing Practice in the Chancery Division, Family Part. The amendments eliminate the use of ‘plaintiff,’ ‘defendant’ and initials in case names, permit electronic service of motions and allow examination in witness credibility questions, among other changes.
Arbitration statistics request: The Board approved a recommendation to seek additional statistics related to the outcome of matters referred to civil arbitration. The request covers the outcome of matters referred for mandatory civil arbitrations over the past ten years. The Board is seeking information to review the effectiveness of the mandatory arbitration system as it considers recommendations for improvement to the system.
Third-party election administrator: The Board approved Intelliscan as a third-party administrator in the event there is an election this spring. Intelliscan, an election, voting and survey service, has served as the administrator of all recent NJSBA elections.
Destination policy: The Board approved revisions to the NJSBA’s destination policy for out-of-state events, changes that include new factors to consider in the planning process and protocol to follow when deciding whether to cancel an event.
Legislation supported: A1746 McKeon / S2947 Pou. Revises effects of delinquency and insolvency proceedings against insurer-members of federal home loan banks. The bill stipulates that a delinquency proceeding with respect to an insurer-member shall not operate as a stay, injunction, or prohibition of exercise by a federal home loan bank of its rights regarding collateral pledged by that insurer-member. The bill would allow federal home loan banks to offer more favorable lending terms to New Jersey insurance companies.
S3125 Cryan / A4947 Lopez. Expands “Daniel’s Law” to prohibit disclosure of personal information concerning child protective investigators. The bill expands the scope of Daniel’s Law, which currently protects the personal information of certain public officials who serve in the criminal and civil justice systems.
