JOHN DOE VS. THE ESTATE OF C.V.O., JR. A-2780-21

 This appeal pertains to the civil personal injury prosecution of statutory and common law claims arising from allegations of sexual abuse committed fifty-five years ago against a child by his sister, who also was a minor when the acts occurred. 

In 2019, the New Jersey Legislature enacted the Child Victims Act (CVA), L. 2019, c. 120, which supplemented and amended the statute of limitations for statutory and common law causes of actions for sexual abuse. The CVA enacted two statutes of limitations that expanded the time for filing  personal injury claims resulting from the commission of one of the following four enumerated sexual offenses:  (1) "the commission of sexual assault"; (2) "any other crime of a sexual nature"; (3) "a prohibited sexual act as defined in [N.J.S.A. 2A:30B-2]"; (4) "or sexual abuse as defined in [the Child Sexual Abuse Act (CSAA), N.J.S.A. 2A:61B-1]."  N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2a; N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2b.  Pertinent to this appeal is the enacted statute of limitations which provided a two-year revival window for victims to file otherwise time-barred claims for sexual crimes committed against them when they were minors.  N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2b.

The court considered the dismissal of plaintiff's CSAA claims, concluding a derivative statutory passive abuser claim against a parent was properly dismissed by the motion judge as not cognizable under the CSAA because the alleged sexual abuse was committed by a minor.  Because the CSAA defines sexual abuse as sexual contact or sexual penetration committed by an adult, a CSAA claim alleging sexual assault by minor does not present a valid cause of action. 

The court further considered the motion judge's dismissal of plaintiff's common law claims stemming from the alleged sexual abuse committed by a minor, which were timely filed under the two-year revival window.  The court concluded the common law claims are actionable independent of the CSAA. 

MORRIS PROPERTIES, INC., ET AL. VS. JONATHAN WHEELER,

 In this legal-malpractice case, the corporate plaintiff and its president appeal from an order granting defendants' summary-judgment motion.  The trial court found plaintiffs' expert had failed to analyze how defendants' alleged breaches of the standard of care would have impacted a potential jury verdict or settlement and had not opined that defendants' alleged malpractice proximately caused any damages.  The judge also dismissed the president's individual claim because the undisputed facts showed she and defendants did not have an attorney-client relationship.   

The court affirms, holding plaintiffs had not established proximate cause as a matter of law and that expert testimony was necessary in this case to prove proximate causation and damages.  With respect to the president's individual claim of legal malpractice, the court holds she failed to demonstrate the existence of an attorney-client relationship between herself and defendants. 

AVA SATZ VS. ALLEN SATZ

 Defendant appeals from Family Part orders enforcing provisions of a marital settlement agreement (MSA).  A critical area of dispute centered on plaintiff's desire to obtain a get—a divorce recognized under Jewish religious law through a process known as a beis din proceeding.  Before a verdict was reached in the Family Part divorce trial, the parties reached an agreement on all issues, including each party's obligations with respect to participation in beis din proceedings.

The court rejects defendant's argument that the Family Part judge violated his First Amendment rights by ordering him to participate in beis din proceedings and to sign an arbitration agreement with the beis din.  The court acknowledges the fundamental principle that civil courts may not become entangled in religious proceedings.  The First Amendment's Establishment Clause bars a state from placing its support behind a religious belief, while the Free Exercise Clause bars a state from interfering with the practice of religion.  U.S. Const. amend. I.  The court concludes the Family Part judge was asked to enforce a civil contract, not a religious one.  The court holds the MSA is a legally binding contract based on ample consideration from both parties and entered into knowingly and voluntarily.  The Family Part judge therefore had the lawful authority to enforce the agreement as written.

New Jersey Supreme Court precedent permits civil courts to resolve controversies involving religious groups if resolution can be achieved by reference to neutral principles of law and does not require the interpretation of religious doctrine.  Defendant agreed in the MSA to abide by the beis din ruling, whatever that might be.  The Family Part judge did not interpret religious doctrine and scrupulously avoided entanglement with religion because the judge applied well-established principles of civil contract law, not rabbinical law.  The latter body of law remained solely within the province of the beis din and was not interpreted or applied by the Family Part judge.

The court concludes that the orders defendant challenges served the secular purpose of enforcing the parties' contractual obligations under the MSA, which in turn serves the secular purpose of encouraging divorce litigants to resolve their disputes by negotiating and entering an MSA.

BRANDON MEREDITH HARDY VS. SUSAN D. JACKSON

          Plaintiff, who is incarcerated at a federal prison located in New Jersey, wants to marry someone who is incarcerated at a federal prison located in a different state.  He sued the New Hanover Township Municipal Clerk and Registrar, claiming she had violated his civil rights contrary to the New Jersey Civil Rights Act, N.J.S.A. 10:6-1 to -2, by applying the requirement in N.J.S.A. 37:1-7 and -8 that couples appear in person to obtain a marriage license.  He appeals an order denying his motion for a preliminary injunction and granting defendant's cross-motion to dismiss the complaint.  He argues the enforcement of the in-person requirement was unconstitutional and contends the motion judge should have used his equitable powers to enjoin enforcement of the requirement. 

         The court rejects both arguments.  The court holds the statutes at issue do not create an unconstitutional bar of a prisoner's right to marry but instead apply to individuals who want to marry and are reasonably related to the legitimate goal of ensuring the validity of marriages.  The court also holds the motion judge could not have used his equitable powers to enjoin defendant's enforcement of the statutory in-person requirement.  Accordingly, the court affirms the dismissal of plaintiff's complaint and the denial of plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction.

MUSCONETCONG WATERSHED ASSOCIATION VS. NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,

    On February 23, 2017, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued a flood hazard area applicability determination (FHA Determination) to Hampton Farm, LLC (Hampton Farm).  Shortly thereafter, appellant Musconetcong Watershed Association (MW Association) requested the DEP to conduct an adjudicatory hearing so it could challenge the FHA Determination.  Four years later, on April 6, 2021, the DEP denied that request.  MW Association timely appealed from the April 6, 2021 decision.  It also sought leave to appeal from the February 23, 2017 FHA Determination, contending it had become final when the DEP denied MW Association's request for a hearing.  On an interlocutory motion, a two-judge panel of the court denied leave.  The court now reconsiders, reverses that interlocutory ruling, and grants leave to appeal.

          The court holds that the DEP's FHA Determination became a final agency decision subject to appeal when the DEP denied MW Association's request for an adjudicatory hearing to challenge the FHA Determination.  At that time, all administrative remedies were exhausted.  To address the DEP's four-year time delay in deciding MW Association's request for an adjudicatory hearing, the court holds that any party, including a third-party objector, has the right to petition the DEP to rule on a pending request for an adjudicatory hearing under N.J.A.C. 1:1-4.1(a).  The DEP will then have thirty days from receipt of the petition to "inform all parties of its determination" regarding that request.  N.J.A.C. 1:1-4.1(a).

          The court also holds that MW Association did not have a right to an adjudicatory hearing because no statute conferred that right to MW Association, which is a third-party objector, and MW Association did not have a particularized property interest warranting a hearing.  Accordingly, the court affirms the April 6, 2021 final agency decision.

          Finally, because the court has reversed the ruling on the interlocutory motion, the DEP has two options concerning its FHA Determination.  It can either (1) elect to address MW Association's challenges to its February 23, 2017 FHA Determination and a new briefing schedule will be issued; or (2) request a remand so it can expand and update the factual findings supporting its FHA Determination. 

CHRISTOPHER NEUWIRTH VS. STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 Plaintiff, who had been terminated from his position as assistant commissioner for the Department of Health, filed a complaint against the State, alleging a claim under the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA), N.J.S.A. 34:19-1 to -8.  In his second amended complaint, plaintiff asserted a defamation claim against Governor Philip D. Murphy.  A Law Division judge granted defendants' motion to dismiss the defamation claim, concluding plaintiff had not pleaded the element of actual malice with sufficient specificity.  

     In his fourth amended complaint, plaintiff again asserted a defamation claim against Governor Murphy, referencing in particular statements made during May 29, 2020 and June 1, 2020 press briefings.  Defendants moved to dismiss the defamation claim pursuant to Rule 4:6-2(e).  The judge denied the motion, concluding plaintiff had pleaded sufficient facts in the fourth amended complaint to demonstrate actual malice.  
     The court reversed, concluding the judge had misapplied the actual-malice standard.  After conducting a de novo review, the court held plaintiff's conclusory allegations did not meet the actual-malice standard and, as a result, plaintiff's defamation claim failed.  Reversing the denial of defendants' motion to dismiss, the court remanded the case with a direction that the judge enter an order dismissing the defamation claim.  
 

JOSEPH JOHNSON, ET AL. VS. CITY OF HOBOKEN,

 Plaintiffs sued defendants, a law firm and three individuals associated with the firm, claiming that their rights of privacy had been violated when defendants failed to redact their personal identifiers contrary to the directive of Rule 1:38-7.  Plaintiffs also contended that defendants violated one plaintiff's right of privacy by including records of that plaintiff's arrest and criminal charges.  The court holds that Rule 1:38-7 did not create a private cause of action for a violation of the Rule.  Instead, the remedy for a violation of Rule 1:38-7 is set forth in the Rule, which states that a party or other interested individual can move, on an expedited basis, to replace documents containing unredacted personal identifiers with redacted documents.  R. 1:38-7(g).  The court also holds that plaintiffs failed to state viable causes of action for invasions of privacy or infliction of emotional distress.   Accordingly, the court affirms the dismissal of plaintiffs' complaint. 

Elizabeth Hrymoc v. Ethicon, Inc

 510(k) evidence is generally inadmissible because the 510(k) clearance process solely determines substantial equivalency, and not safety and efficacy. However, in a products liability claim premised not only on principles of negligence, but particularly on the reasonableness of a manufacturer’s conduct in not performing clinical trials or studies, evidence of 510(k) clearance has significant probative value under N.J.R.E. 401 that is not substantially outweighed by the risk of prejudice and potential juror confusion under N.J.R.E. 403. Therefore, under the specific facts and circumstances of this case, the Court affirms the judgment of the Appellate Division. However, the Court parts ways with the Appellate Division’s decision as to its suggestion that the scope and admissibility of 510(k) evidence should be determined in a Rule 104 hearing. Instead, the scope and admissibility of 510(k) evidence should be resolved at the hearing on a motion in limine, which is how the issue was and, presumably, will be raised. Section 5 of the PLA does not bar plaintiffs’ recovery of punitive damages, and because evidence of 510(k) clearance should have been admitted in the first stage of trial as relevant to the reasonableness of Bard’s conduct in not performing clinical trials or studies, it would also be admissible in the second, punitive damages stage.

JOSEPH BERARDO VS. CITY OF JERSEY CITY, ET

 Defendant City of Jersey City's (City) Code of Ordinances Section 105 permits any individual to request a "determination of significance" from the City's Historic Preservation Officer (HPO) regarding whether a subject building warrants preservation.  Consistent with local ordinances, plaintiff, who owns a circa-1900 building in Jersey City, sought a determination of significance before applying for a demolition permit.  The City's HPO concluded plaintiff's building likely would not be approved for demolition due to its historic, architectural, and cultural significance.

Pursuant to local zoning ordinance, plaintiff appealed to defendant Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA), which upheld the determination of significance.  Thereafter, he filed a complaint in lieu of prerogative writs in the Law Division alleging defendants' actions were arbitrary, capricious, and unreasonable.  The Law Division found the ZBA's decision was not arbitrary, capricious, or unreasonable and dismissed the complaint. 

The court concludes the HPO's issuance of a determination of significance — an advisory opinion seemingly intended to prevent plaintiff's submission of an application for a demolition permit — is not a procedure authorized by the Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL), N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 to -163.  The MLUL does not authorize HPOs to unilaterally grant or deny historic preservation designations that bind a zoning officer in determining whether a demolition permit shall issue; that advisory function belongs solely to the Historic Preservation Commission, as detailed in the MLUL, and cannot be delegated to other entities or individuals.  The Commission, in turn, may designate a site as historic only if it is voted upon by a majority of the full governing body. 

The court reverses and remands to allow plaintiff to apply for a demolition permit in accordance with the MLUL.  The court also concludes Jersey City's Code of Ordinances Sections 105-3, 105-4, and 105-7 are ultra vires and inconsistent with the objectives and procedures concerning historic preservation mandated by the MLUL to the extent they delegate powers reserved for a municipality's historic preservation commission to the HPS.   

MTAG AS CUST FOR ATCF II NJ, LLC VS. TAO INVESTMENTS, LLC

 The court considered plaintiff's challenge to a trial court order vacating a final judgment by default in a tax sale foreclosure.  Plaintiff obtained a final judgment by default on its tax sale lien and defendants timely moved to vacate the order, alleging defective service of process.  The trial court found sufficient defects with process to warrant vacating the final judgment, which reopened the redemption period and allowed defendant to redeem. 

The court affirmed, concluding service of process was defective pursuant to both the general court rules governing personal service, as well as the RULLCA-specific statute governing service of process on LLCs, N.J.S.A. 42:2C-17.  The court noted the differences between service rules in RULLCA and the Business Corporations Act (BCA), N.J.S.A. 14A:1-1 to: 18-11, in finding plaintiff's waiver argument unavailing.  Although RULLCA and the BCA contain some similarities, the rules governing service are distinct and materially different.  Service upon a corporation in New Jersey is governed by Rule 4:4-4(a)(6) and N.J.S.A. 14A:4-2, whereas service upon an LLC is governed by Rule 4:4-4(a)(5), and RULLCA, N.J.S.A. 42:2C-17. 

The RULLCA service of process provision contains an additional method of service lacking in the BCA, providing, as a permissive alternative, that where personal service in accordance with the court rules fails despite reasonably diligent efforts, service may be made upon the State filing office.  N.J.S.A. 42:2C-17(b).  The BCA service of process provisions do not authorize the State to accept process as an agent of a corporation.  R. 4:4-4(a)(6); N.J.S.A. 14A:4-2.

Because final judgment was vacated, the court followed Green Knight Cap., LLC v. Calderon, 252 N.J. 265 (2022), in holding the period of redemption reopened and continued until barred by a valid final judgment of the Superior Court.  The court interpreted the holding in Green Knight, in conjunction with Rule 4:64-6(b) and the tax sale law, N.J.S.A. 54:5-86(a), to mean the redemption period reopens when a final judgment in foreclosure is timely vacated.

THOMAS MAKUCH, LLC VS. TOWNSHIP OF JACKSON, ET AL

  This appeal arises out of an action challenging the suspension of a company that had been providing towing services in a municipality.  As a matter of first impression, the court holds that the company had limited constitutional due process rights when it was suspended from the Township's towing lists.  The court also holds that plaintiff received the process due its limited property interest.  In addition, the court rejected plaintiff's arguments that its suspension from the towing lists violated its constitutional substantive due process and equal protection rights.  Consequently, the court affirmed the summary judgment dismissal of plaintiff's claims against the Township, its police chief, and one of its police officers. 

KAREN MCKNIGHT VS. BOARD OF REVIEW, ET A

   Appellant Karen McKnight appeals from the Board of Review's (the "Board") August 26, 2022 final agency decision, which held her liable to return an overpayment of $6,277 for unemployment benefits she was allegedly ineligible to receive for the weeks ending June 30, 2018 through May 4, 2019, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 43:21-16(d).  The central issue on appeal is whether a claimant, who is otherwise separated from full-time employment, may include wages received from a part-time position, which they continue to maintain, in the calculation of their average weekly wage for purposes of unemployment benefits.  The court concluded that the exclusion of the wages contravenes the legislative purpose of the unemployment benefits statute and is arbitrary as legally unsupported.  Therefore, the court reversed and remanded for a recalculation of benefits.

Facebook, Inc. v. State of New Jersey

 Based on the language and structure of the relevant statutes, the State’s request for information from users’ accounts invokes heightened privacy protections. The nearly contemporaneous acquisition of electronic communications here is the functional equivalent of wiretap surveillance and is therefore entitled to greater constitutional protection. New Jersey’s wiretap act applies in this case to safeguard individual privacy rights under the relevant statutes and the State Constitution.

ALVIN SINGER VS. TOYOTA MOTOR SALES

          In this appeal from the Law Division's grant of summary judgment to defendants, the court was asked to consider, for the first time, whether a motor vehicle subject to a recall notice alone is sufficient to establish a claim pursuant to the New Jersey Lemon Law statute, N.J.S.A. 56:12-29 to -49.  Defendant issued a recall notice that encompassed plaintiff's vehicle.  Plaintiff subsequently brought the vehicle to the dealer to have the recall repair performed.  Primarily due to disruptions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, defendant's ability to complete the recall was delayed.

         A Law Division judge granted defendant summary judgment.  The court affirmed and held the existence of a recall notice alone is not sufficient to establish the "nonconformity" element of a Lemon Law claim.  In addition, because plaintiff primarily used the vehicle for business purposes, it is excluded from the Lemon Law's coverage.

C. ARSENIS, ET AL. VS. BOROUGH OF BERNARDSVILLE,

 The court considers whether the Superior Court has jurisdiction to adjudicate claims for monetary damages, filed years after the statutory deadline for filing a tax appeal, based on allegations that municipal officials committed fraud and other torts by assessing real property in a manner inconsistent with law and at an amount above its true market value.  The court concludes that the Superior Court lacks jurisdiction to hear such claims because they are substantively equivalent to a tax appeal properly venued in the Tax Court or a county board of taxation, and the statutory deadlines for challenging local property tax assessments may not be circumvented by a late-filed complaint seeking damages for alleged torts arising from the tax assessment process.  In light of these conclusions, the court affirms the trial court order dismissing the complaint in this matter with prejudice for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.

Facebook, Inc. v. State of New Jersey

 Based on the language and structure of the relevant statutes, the State’s request for information from users’ accounts invokes heightened privacy protections. The nearly contemporaneous acquisition of electronic communications here is the functional equivalent of wiretap surveillance and is therefore entitled to greater constitutional protection. New Jersey’s wiretap act applies in this case to safeguard individual privacy rights under the relevant statutes and the State Constitution.

LIDIA BRANCO VS. FRANCISCO ANDRE RODRIGUES,

 Plaintiff and decedent were partners for twenty-five years but never married.  During their relationship, decedent owned an income-producing property in fee simple, which, unbeknownst to plaintiff, he transferred during his lifetime to himself and plaintiff as joint tenants with rights of survivorship.  Decedent signed and recorded the transfer deed.  Plaintiff discovered her interest in the property only after decedent passed away.  Plaintiff sought injunctive relief to quiet title and was granted summary judgment, based on the trial court's holding that all elements of a valid inter vivos gift were present.

Defendant, who is decedent's son and administrator of the estate, urges reversal, claiming material issues of fact precluded summary judgment, specifically challenging the validity of the inter vivos gift of real property.

The court affirms.  Defendants presented no evidence to rebut the presumptions of donative intent, delivery and acceptance raised by the recorded transfer deed.  Acceptance is presumed subject to plaintiff's right to disclaim her interest within a reasonable time of becoming aware of it.  The additional element of relinquishment required for a valid inter vivos gift in New Jersey was also satisfied upon recordation of the transfer deed because decedent could not unilaterally restore his former fee simple estate.

Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC v. Township of Neptune

 The Court affirms as modified the Appellate Division’s judgment. The Court declines to adopt an exception to the American Rule for common law right of access claims to public records. Those claims impose significant burdens on municipal clerks and other records custodians; they require a careful balancing of competing interests and the application of an array of factors that can challenge even a seasoned judge. Imposing fee-shifting in this category of cases would venture far beyond the narrow exceptions to the American Rule that New Jersey courts have adopted to date. Accordingly, Gannett is not entitled to an award of attorneys’ fees in this appeal.

MADELINE KEYWORTH VS. CAREONE AT MADISON AVENUE

 These consolidated cases require us to consider the scope of the statutory self-critical analysis privilege and determine whether materials developed as part of self-critical analysis conducted pursuant to a facility's patient safety plan are subject to discovery, disclosure, and admissible at trial.  This analysis hinges upon whether the facilities involved in these cases met the requirements imposed by the Patient Safety Act (PSA), N.J.S.A. 26:2H-12.23 to -12.25, and related regulations, rendering the materials sought by plaintiffs privileged and protected from disclosure.

Defendants argue the trial court erred by ruling incident/investigation reports concerning separate incidents resulting in injuries at two facilities are not privileged under the PSA and therefore discoverable.  The court reversed the trial court's orders. 

Surveying the case law interpreting the PSA and regulations, the court notes that the PSA was designed to reduce medical errors by promoting internal self-reporting and self-critical analysis related to adverse events and near misses by health care facilities.  N.J.S.A. 26:2H-12.25 renders the entire self-critical-analysis process privileged, shielding a health care facility's deliberations and determinations from discovery or admission into evidence.  N.J.S.A. 26:2H-12.25(g), does not condition the privilege on the finding of a Serious Preventable Adverse Event (SPAE).  That an event is not reportable does not abrogate the self-critical-analysis privilege.  The privilege unconditionally protects the process of self-critical analysis, the results of the analysis, and the resulting reports developed by a facility in its compliance with the PSA.  A court may not order the release of documents prepared during the process of self-critical analysis. 

N.J.S.A. 26:2H-12.25(c) requires health care facilities to report every SPAE that occurs in that facility to the Department of Health (DOH).  The documents, materials and information submitted to the DOH pursuant to this requirement are absolutely privileged and shall not be "subject to discovery or admissible as evidence or otherwise disclosed in any civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding."  N.J.S.A. 26:2H-12.25(f).  The statute provides no rationale or standard for parsing the contents of the documents, allowing for some portions to be privileged and others not privileged. 

However, when information sought to be protected from disclosure is not submitted to the DOH, the path to a privilege is different.  N.J.S.A. 26:2H-12.25(g) establishes the self-critical analysis privilege for internal documents that are the product of an 'investigative process that may or may not lead to reporting to the DOH.  Any documents, materials, or information developed by a health care facility as part of a process of self-critical analysis conducted pursuant to N.J.S.A. 26:2H-12.25(b) is not subject to discovery, disclosure or admissible as evidence in any civil, criminal, or administrative proceeding. 

Accordingly, if documents are submitted to the DOH pursuant to N.J.S.A. 26:2H-12.25(f) or meet the requirements of N.J.S.A. 26:2H-12.25(g), they are absolutely privileged and not subject to discovery.  Under either of those circumstances, a trial court does not engage in a redaction process and release the redacted document.  The entire document is statutorily protected from disclosure. 

At the same time, the PSA expressly preserves plaintiffs' right to discover facts through conventional means of discovery if obtained from any source or context other than those specified in the PSA.  Moreover, documents created outside the self-critical analysis process are subject to discovery. 

In each case, plaintiffs are free to engage in discovery of facts from non-privileged sources.  Additionally, if defendants produced voluminous medical records in response to a discovery request in either case, plaintiff may request, and the court may order, that defendants provide a "narrative to steer them to information contained in thousands of pages of medical records" in accordance with Brugaletta v. Garcia, 234 N.J. 225, 252 (2018).

Kathleen DiFiore v. Tomo Pezic; Dora Deleon v. The Achilles Foot and Ankle Group;

 The Court affirms the Appellate Division’s core holding that trial courts determine on a case-by-case basis what conditions, if any, to place on a DME -- including who may attend and whether it may be recorded -- with no absolute prohibitions or entitlements. The Court further affirms that video recording, in addition to audio recording, should be included in the range of options; that the parties shall enter into a protective order when a defense expert is concerned about the disclosure of proprietary information; that when third-party observation is permitted, the trial court shall impose reasonable conditions to prevent any disruption of or interference with the exam; and that, if a foreign or sign language interpreter is needed, a neutral interpreter shall be selected by the parties or, failing agreement, by the court.

Catherine Parsells v. Board of Education of the Borough of Somerville,

 Parsells did not knowingly waive her tenured right to a full-time teaching position, and the Court therefore affirms the Appellate Division’s decision upholding the Commissioner’s award of “full back pay, benefits, and emoluments, less mitigation.” But the Court rejects the extension of Bridgewater-Raritan to impose a duty on school boards to notify, in advance, full-time teachers who consider voluntarily transferring to part-time teaching positions that they may not have a right to return to their full-time position.

ROSEMARY BENEDUCI VS. GRAHAM CURTIN, P.A. A-0466-21

 This appeal presents a question of first impression regarding whether a claim can be made under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD), N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 to -49, where (1) an employer merges with another employer, (2) the employee does not apply for a position with the new employer, but (3) the employee contends that while all other employees were offered employment with the new employer, the employer did not extend the same offer, for reasons proscribed by the LAD.

Because of the LAD's remedial purpose, plaintiff's claim that the decision not to transition her employment from Graham Curtin, P.A. –– the closing employer –– to McElroy Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP. –– the new employer –– was based on discriminatory factors may constitute a viable cause of action.  There are genuine disputes of material facts regarding whether the decision not to employ her at McElroy Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter was, in fact, discriminatory.  Therefore, the court reverses the motion court's summary judgment dismissal of plaintiff's complaint.

In addition, because the motion court did not address the specifics of plaintiff's claims for wrongful termination, retaliatory termination, and aiding and abetting harassment based on age, disability, and use of disability leave,  we do not either.       

URIEL GUZMAN VS. M. TEIXEIRA INTERNATIONAL, INC., A-0841-21

 Plaintiff alleged his employer wrongfully terminated him based on a perceived disability in violation of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD), N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 to -50.  The disability allegedly perceived by defendants was that plaintiff was "suffering from COVID-19."  A Law Division judge granted defendants' motion to dismiss pursuant to Rule 4:6-2(e), finding plaintiff had failed to plead a viable cause of action for perceived disability discrimination under the LAD. 

The court affirmed, agreeing that even assuming defendants believed plaintiff had COVID-19, the facts plaintiff had alleged in his pleadings – on July 23, 2020, plaintiff felt ill in that he felt "cold, clammy, and weak"; he was able to report to work and stay until the end of the day; the next day he was able to go to a free clinic to obtain a COVID-19 test; he did not allege he had gone to a hospital or a doctor's office or that he had otherwise sought medical attention or treatment; some unspecified time later, he reported he "was feeling better"; he was feeling well enough that he felt able to and offered to return to work; and he was terminated on July 29, 2020, after he had reported his condition had improved and he felt well enough to work – were not sufficient to establish a prima facie case under the LAD that he was terminated because his employer perceived he had a disability.

Philip Pantano v. New York Shipping Association

 

Application of the Galvao multi-factor test -- which can involve matters of disputed fact and witness credibility -- is presumptively for a jury to determine. The court itself should not resolve the borrowed-employee issue unless the evidence concerning the factors is so one-sided that it warrants judgment in a moving party’s favor as a matter of law. Because the evidence in this case concerning the Galvao factors was not sufficiently one-sided, the trial court incorrectly granted defendant’s Rule 4:40-1 motion and deemed the worker who caused the accident a borrowed employee of plaintiff’s own employer.

ARBUS, MAYBRUCH & GOODE, LLC VS. DANIEL COHEN, ET AL.

 In this appeal from summary judgment in a breach of contract action, defendants argue plaintiff law firm violated rules of professional conduct by failing to disclose in its retainer agreement the unit of incremental billing – one tenth of an hour – it would utilize during the course of representation.  Plaintiff and defendants entered two retainer agreements, both of which disclosed a required initial deposit, the hourly rates of each attorney at the firm, and which party was responsible for certain administrative costs. 

Plaintiff represented defendants for more than two years pursuant to the parties' retainer agreements, sending monthly and bimonthly invoices throughout the duration demonstrating work billed in increments of one-tenth of an hour.  When defendants refused to remain current with outstanding fees, plaintiff ceased representation and instituted the breach of contract action. The trial court granted summary judgment.  Defendants urged reversal on appeal.

The court affirmed summary judgment as properly granted, and held the retainer agreement was lawful and ethical where, among other things, it sufficiently apprised the clients of the express terms of the agreement in accordance with RPC 1.5(b), and the parties' course of conduct for two years demonstrated assent to those terms.

WILLIAM PACE, ET AL. VS. HAMILTON COVE, ET AL.

   Plaintiffs are tenants at a luxury apartment building complex.  They claim they were defrauded by defendant landlords' knowingly false promises in its advertisements, brochures, and oral statements to prospective tenants that the apartment complex would have "elevated, 24/7 security" and that security personnel would be stationed 24/7 at a podium near each building's entrance.  Plaintiffs allege they relied on these representations in deciding to lease the apartments at the rent level charged. 

          Upon moving into the apartments, plaintiffs learned that the apartment complex's security cameras did not function, and security personnel were only stationed at the front of the building from approximately 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays, with shorter hours on weekends, as opposed to being present 24/7, and at times were present during those hours when performing other assigned tasks. 

          The lease contained a three-day attorney review clause and had several addendums, including a waiver of the right to file a class action against the landlord.  The lease did not contain an arbitration agreement. 

          Plaintiffs filed a class action complaint alleging common law fraud and violations of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act against their landlord.  Prior to discovery or class certification, defendants moved to dismiss the complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, or, in the alternative, to strike plaintiffs' class action allegations.  Defendants argued the class action waiver in plaintiffs' lease agreements were clear and unambiguous and the lease was not a contract of adhesion.  Plaintiffs argued the lease was a contract of adhesion, the class waiver was unconscionable, and the caselaw upholding class action waivers were inapplicable because the contracts in those cases included an arbitration provision.  The trial court denied the motion in its entirety.  Defendants' motion for leave to appeal that interlocutory ruling was granted. 

          The court affirmed the denial of defendants' motion, holding that a waiver of the right to maintain a class action is unenforceable absent an arbitration agreement.  Noting that the class action waiver dismantled or disabled important procedures provided in our Part IV rules, and that the public policy of this state favors a class action where numerous claims involve a common nucleus of facts, the court adopts a bright-line rule that in the absence of an arbitration agreement, class action waivers are unenforceable as a matter of law and public policy. 

Pothole outside of cross walk could be tripping hazard here Little v. City of Atl. City

 Little v. City of Atl. City Pothole outside of cross walk could be tripping hazard here

      City filed an interlocutory appeal from order denying its motion for summary judgment in plaintiff's personal injury action. Plaintiff and cousin went to Atlantic City to celebrate a birthday, cousin parked car on street and plaintiff crossed street eight feet from crosswalk, stepped into a pothole, fell and hit her head and hit her head a second time as she struggled to get up. Nearby off-duty police officer stopped traffic and assisted plaintiff. Plaintiff's complaint asserted negligence for the creation, inspection, maintenance of a trip hazard. City argued plaintiff failed to provide sufficient proof of a dangerous condition under the Tort Claims Act. 

      Trial court noted the pothole was only seven or eight feet from the crosswalk, was of a significant size, was in a highly trafficked and commercial locale and found a reasonable jury could find plaintiff used due care and denied summary judgment. Defendant argued plaintiff presented no material facts to show she used due care. Court found the pothole was an undisputedly dangerous condition, plaintiff's use of the property was foreseeable and fact that plaintiff was outside the crosswalk did not preclude a finding that she used due care.

 source  https://www.law.com/njlawjournal/almID/1634758604NJA246620/

A-2466-20 

10-20-2021 

 

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PER CURIAM

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE APPELLATE DIVISION 

This opinion shall not "constitute precedent or be binding upon any court." Although it is posted on the internet, this opinion is binding only on the parties in the case and its use in other cases is limited. R. 1:36-3. 

Submitted October 7, 2021 

On appeal from an interlocutory order of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Atlantic County, Docket No. L-0723-18. 

Daniel J. Gallagher, attorney for appellant. 

Westmoreland Vesper & Quattrone, PA, attorneys for respondent (R.C. Westmoreland, on the brief). 

Before Judges Alvarez and Mitterhoff. 

PER CURIAM 

This case is before us on defendant City of Atlantic City's interlocutory appeal from a February 8, 2021 order denying its motion for summary judgment against plaintiff Michelle Little. Defendant argues that the motion judge erred in denying its motion for summary judgment and rejecting defendant's argument that plaintiff used city property without due care as a matter of law. We affirm, substantially for the reasons set forth in Judge James P. Savio's well-reasoned opinion. We add only the following brief remarks. 

We discern the following facts from the record. On the night of April 9, 2016, plaintiff and her cousin went to Atlantic City to celebrate her birthday. They arrived shortly before 11:30 p.m. and plaintiff's cousin parked their car along Pacific Avenue. The weather was clear, and it had not rained prior to their arrival. 

Plaintiff and her cousin walked along Pacific Avenue on their way to the Claridge Hotel. At the intersection of Pacific and Ohio Avenue, plaintiff crossed Pacific Avenue before her cousin. Plaintiff did not use the crosswalk at the intersection, instead crossing about seven to ten feet away from the crosswalk. Plaintiff saw that the crosswalk, was unobstructed at the time she crossed. As she crossed the street, she stepped into a pothole with her left foot and fell forward and hit her head on the curb. The pothole was approximately five inches  deep, four to six inches wide, about three or four feet long, and located along the edge of the concrete gutter between the cement gutter and the asphalt of Pacific Ave. She did not see the pothole prior to falling. Plaintiff tried to get up and "get loose" from the pothole, but fell and hit her head once more. Plaintiff struggled to free herself from the pothole. A nearby off-duty police officer got out of her marked police car and stopped oncoming traffic for plaintiff's safety. On her third attempt to free herself, plaintiff was able to "break loose and get on to the curb." 

Once on the curb, the police officer recommended plaintiff go to the hospital. Plaintiff went to the nearby AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center for evaluation and left the hospital around 1:00-1:30 a.m. The following day, plaintiff drove home to Maryland. She sought follow-up medical care at Fort Washington Hospital and was diagnosed with a fractured nose and a fractured left cheek bone. 

On April 5, 2018, plaintiff filed a complaint against defendant alleging: 1) negligence of defendant city; and 2) negligence of defendants-responsible party for creation, inspection, and maintenance of the "subject trip hazard hole[.]" Defendant filed an answer on May 31, 2018. 

On May 24, 2019, the court granted plaintiff's motion to extend discovery. On October 25, 2019, the court granted an order to include the Casino Redevelopment Agency and Pierson Construction, who performed road repairs several years earlier as defendants. 

On April 9, 2020, defendant filed for summary judgment, arguing plaintiff had not provided sufficient proof of a dangerous condition under the New Jersey Tort Claims Act (TCA). N.J.S.A. 59:4-1 to -10. The judge denied one motion on July 17, 2020, and provided a statement of reasons in a written opinion on July 22, 2020. 

On January 7, 2021, defendant filed a second motion for summary judgment. On February 8, 2021, the court denied the second motion in an oral opinion. 

Judge Savio considered several factors in analyzing the "dangerous condition" element of premises liability under N.J.S.A. 59:4-1(a). First, he noted the pothole was located only seven to eight feet away from the crosswalk, as opposed to being farther away towards the middle of the block. He further noted the pothole's were a significant size: 

[the pothole] looks to me to be about four to six inches wide and it's running along the concrete a distance of probably three or four feet. This is not a two inch declivity . . . on a side street or a little pothole on Pacific 

Avenue. To me, at least, looking at the photographs, this is a significant area of deformity. 

Second, Judge Savio emphasized the pothole's highly trafficked and commercial locale: 

[i]t's a commercial district. Whether the door to the casino parking lot is there, it's a commercial district. Bally is there, Claridge is there. The hospital is nearby. I think the library is a couple blocks away from there, but it's still in the general area. There are restaurants in that area. There are gold, silver shops in that area. This is not a . . . residential side street. This is a major street, and if we look at the streets that run north to south, Ohio Avenue is one of the major streets in Atlantic City, as well, that run north to south. 

Judge Savio ultimately concluded, "giving the plaintiff the benefit of all the facts and all of the inferences that flow from the facts," that a person crossing Pacific Avenue could foreseeably do so outside of the crosswalk; and that a reasonable jury could find plaintiff used the property with due care. As a result, the question of whether plaintiff used the property with due care should be left to a jury and he denied defendant's motion for summary judgment. 

On February 22, 2021, defendant unsuccessfully moved for reconsideration. Defendant filed a motion for leave to file an interlocutory appeal, which the Appellate Division granted on May 6, 2021. 

We review a motion judge's grant or denial of summary judgment de novo, applying the same standard as the motion judge. Conley v. Guerrero, 228 N.J. 339, 346 (2017). The court will accept the non-movant's version of the facts and draw all inferences in favor of plaintiff. See Brill v. Guardian Life Ins. Co. of America, 142 N.J. 520, 523 (1995). Summary judgment must be granted "if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact challenged and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment or order as a matter of law." Templo Fuente De Vida Corp. v. Nat'l Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, 224 N.J. 189, 199 (2016) (quoting R. 4:46-2(c)). 

Defendant argues plaintiff "has presented no substantial or material facts which could demonstrate she used the property with due care." The TCA provides that, for a public entity to incur liability from a condition of public property, a "dangerous condition" must be present "that creates a substantial risk of injury when such property is used with due care in a manner in which it is reasonably foreseeable that it will be used." SeeN.J.S.A. 59:4-1(a); see also Garrison v. Twp. of Middletown, 154 N.J. 282, 286-87 (1998); Polzo v. Cnty. of Essex, 209 N.J. 51, 72 (2012). The question is generally reserved for the fact finder. Vincitore v. N.J. Sports & Exposition Auth., 169 N.J. 119, 123 (2001).  However, the court must first assess whether a reasonable jury could conclude the property was in a dangerous condition based on plaintiff's evidence. Id. at 124. Potholes have qualified as a dangerous condition under the TCA. See, e.g., Whaley v. Cnty. of Hudson, 146 N.J.Super. 76 (Law Div. 1976). 

Once a defect in the property has been identified, courts must determine whether an objectively reasonable person would face a substantial risk of injury when using the property with due care. Garrison, 154 N.J. at 292. In Vincitore, the New Jersey Supreme Court interpreted Garrison as prescribing a three-part analysis: 

The first consideration is whether the property poses a danger to the general public when used in the normal, foreseeable manner. The second is whether the nature of the plaintiff's activity is "so objectively unreasonable" that the condition of the property cannot reasonably be said to have caused the injury. The answers to those two questions determine whether a plaintiff's claim satisfies the Act's "due care" requirement. The third involves review of the manner in which the specific plaintiff engaged in the specific activity. That conduct is only relevant to proximate causation . . . and comparative fault. 

[Vincitore, 169 N.J. at 126 (quoting, Garrison, 154 N.J. at 292).] 

Here, the pothole is undisputedly a dangerous condition. The question is whether plaintiff's use of the property was foreseeable. 

The motion judge noted the size of the pothole and the seven to ten feet distance from the pothole to the crosswalk. The judge further noted that plaintiff's fall occurred in a busy commercial area surrounded by casinos, hotels, and restaurants. He explained that a jury could consider the fact that plaintiff was walking outside of the crosswalk, but that in "giving the plaintiff the benefit of all of the facts and all the inferences that flow from the facts" it is foreseeable that a person crossing Pacific Avenue would walk outside of the crosswalk. We agree with the motion judge's analysis and therefore discern no error. 

Defendant also argues plaintiff did not use the property with due care as a matter of law. Specifically, defendant relies heavily on the fact that plaintiff crossed Pacific Avenue outside of the crosswalk, violating N.J.S.A. 39:4-33.

N.J.S.A. 39:4-33 provides: "[a]t intersections where traffic is directed by a police officer or traffic signal, no pedestrian shall enter upon or cross the highway at a point other than a crosswalk. Pedestrians shall move, whenever practicable, upon the right half of crosswalks."

A plaintiff uses property with due care when: 1) the condition of the property poses a danger to the general public when used in a reasonable and foreseeable manner; and 2) when the plaintiff's conduct is not "so unreasonable" that the property cannot reasonably be said to have caused the injury. Vincitore,  169 N.J. at 126. The parties rely primarily on the New Jersey Supreme Court's ruling in Garrison.

The parties also cite to an unreported case of this court and an unreported case from the District of New Jersey. Rule 1:36-3 prohibits citation to "appellate opinions not approved for publication."

In Garrison, the New Jersey Supreme Court determined that a plaintiff who injured himself on a known declivity in a poorly lit and uneven railroad station parking lot while playing touch football acted without due care as a matter of law. Garrison, 154 N.J. at 293. The court emphasized that the TCA requires that a dangerous condition can only be found when a public entity's property is used with due care. Id. at 287. The court explained that "[t]he purpose of the evaluation is to ascertain whether the plaintiff had engaged in an activity that is so objectively unreasonable that liability for resulting injuries may not be attributed to the condition of the property." Id. at 292. 

Here, plaintiff crossed Pacific Avenue outside of the crosswalk in a commercial district in Atlantic City. The fact that she was outside of the crosswalk does not preclude a finding of due care. A plaintiff was unaware of the existence of the defect, unlike the plaintiff in Garrison. The most important inquiry, however, is whether plaintiff's actions were reasonable from a  community perspective. See id at 291 ("A use that is not objectively reasonable from the community perspective is not one 'with due care.'"). 

Anyone who spends time in urban centers in the United States will observe individuals crossing the street outside of the designated crosswalk. Plaintiff did not cross in the middle of the block, but was instead seven to ten feet away from the crosswalk in a commercial district. Even though plaintiff was not supposed to cross in this manner, it is entirely possible that this practice is common enough to be reasonable from a community perspective. A jury should make that call. 

Affirmed. 

A-1067-20 ACCOUNTEKS.NET, INC., ETC. VS. CKR LAW, LLP, ET AL

 Plaintiff information technology firm brought multiple claims against defendants, its former employee and the law firm that hired him as its in-house technology specialist.  Among other claims, plaintiff alleged the former employee breached his non-compete agreement with plaintiff by taking the job with the law firm, a long-term client of plaintiff.  Plaintiff also alleged the law firm tortiously interfered with the non-compete agreement between plaintiff and its former employee.  After a trial, the Chancery Division enforced the non-compete agreement and found the law firm had tortiously interfered with the agreement between plaintiff and its former employee.

The Chancery Division entered judgment against defendants for damages, including awarding of attorney's fees against the law firm as damages for its tortious interference.  Defendants appealed.

On appeal, the court held the Chancery Division properly awarded attorney's fees as damages for the law firm's tortious interference with contractual relations as an exception to the American Rule, pursuant to DiMisa v. Acquaviva, 198 N.J. 547 (2009).

A-1879-21/A-1882-21 MERCK & CO., INC., ET AL. VS. ACE AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY, ET AL.

     In 2017, a malware/cyberattack infected Merck's computer and network systems.  Prior to that date, someone had gained access to the computer systems of a Ukrainian company that had developed an accounting software called M.E. Doc used by Merck and other companies in Ukraine.  The malware was delivered into the accounting software.  Ultimately, over 40,000 machines in Merck's network were infected, resulting in "massive disruptions" to Merck's global operations.  The malware spread to at least sixty-four different countries, including Russia.  
     Merck sought coverage for its losses under defendants' "all risks" property insurance policies.  Defendants denied coverage under the "Hostile/Warlike Action" exclusion included in all their policies.  Although defendants conceded the word "warlike" might not be applicable, they asserted the word "hostile" should be read in the broadest possible sense, as meaning "adverse," "showing ill will or a desire to harm," "antagonistic," or "unfriendly."  Defendants contend that any action that "reflects ill will or a desire to harm by the actor" falls within the hostile/warlike action exclusion, as long as the actor was a government or sovereign power.
     The court found the plain language of the exclusion does not support defendants' interpretation.  The exclusion of damages caused by hostile or warlike action by a government or sovereign power in times of war or peace requires the involvement of military action.  The exclusion does not state the policy precluded coverage for damages arising out of a government action motivated by ill will. 
     The court also considered the history of the war exclusion, which has been included in policies for more than a century.  The few applicable cases reaffirm that similar exclusions have never been applied outside the context of a clear war or concerted military action.
     The court concludes the exclusion did not include a cyberattack on a non-military company that provided accounting software for commercial purposes to non-military consumers, regardless of whether the attack was instigated by a private actor or a "government or sovereign power."  Defendants could not assert the exclusion to bar coverage for Merck's losses.

ESTATE OF RICHARD M. LASIW, ET AL. VS. PEDRO M. PEREIRA M.D., E

  In this medical malpractice litigation, plaintiff, individually and as executrix of her late husband's estate, moved to compel defendants to permit her expert to conduct an onsite inspection of decedent's electronic medical record (EMR).  Plaintiff contended that pursuant to Rule 4:18-1, she had the right to inspect and examine the "metadata" associated with the EMR, which exceeded more than 2,000 pages and had already been produced in PDF format by defendants.  Plaintiff agreed that defendants would control the log in to the computer system and the mouse guiding the expert's review.  Plaintiff also agreed not to access the system through the use of thumb drives or discs to copy any information.  Plaintiff also sought production of an "audit trail" of the EMR for nearly a full year after decedent's discharge.

         Defendants objected, arguing the discovery request was unduly burdensome and posed security risks and the risk of exposing other patient's EMR.  They argued that plaintiff should identify specific entries in the record for which she sought metadata, and they would produce it, subject to assertions of confidentiality or privilege.  Defendants also objected to producing the audit trail, claiming it, too, was unduly burdensome and irrelevant.

         The Law Division judge granted plaintiff's motion, and the court granted defendants leave to appeal.

         The court concluded that plaintiff was entitled to access metadata in decedent's EMR pursuant to Rules4:10-2(f) and 4:18-1, and that defendants bore the burden of demonstrating the discovery request was unduly burdensome.  The court agreed with the motion judge's conclusion that defendants failed to do so, and the proposed inspection was reasonable.  The court affirmed that portion of the judge's order granting the inspection as modified by reasonable restrictions, including a time limit for the inspection of four hours.

         The court, however, reversed that portion of the judge's order requiring defendants to produce a post-discharge audit trail that extended beyond the date of the last entries made to decedent's EMR, finding plaintiff failed to demonstrate the potential for relevant information from such a broad request. 

STEPHANIE ANGUS VS. BOARD OF EDUCATION, ETC.

STEPHANIE ANGUS VS. BOARD OF EDUCATION, ETC. The court affirms the New Jersey Commissioner of Education's final agency decision finding petitioner Stephanie Angus is entitled to sick leave under N.J.S.A. 18A:30-1 during the period the Board of Education of the Borough of Metuchen excluded Angus from working in her position as a tenured teacher, pursuant to a directive from the New Jersey Department of Health, because of her exposure to a person who tested positive for COVID-19. The court determined Angus qualified for sick leave under N.J.S.A. 18A:30-1's plain language, which in part defines sick leave to include an absence from an employee's "post of duty . . . because he or she has been excluded from school by the school district's medical authorities on account of a contagious disease." The court rejected the Board of Education's claim N.J.S.A. 18A:30-1 qualifies an employee for sick leave when the employee is excluded from school "on account of a contagious disease" only where the employee personally suffers from the disease. The court reasoned the Board's interpretation is not supported by the statute's plain language. The court also determined acceptance of the Board of Education's interpretation of N.J.S.A. 18A:30-1 would render the exclusion-from-work-on-account-of-a-contagious-disease sick leave qualification superfluous because the statute otherwise separately defines sick leave to include an employee's absence from work where the employee suffers a personal disability due to an illness.

DELAWARE RIVER JOINT TOLL BRIDGE COMMISSION, ET AL. VS. GEORGE HARMS CONSTRU

DELAWARE RIVER JOINT TOLL BRIDGE COMMISSION, ET AL. VS. GEORGE HARMS CONSTRU Plaintiff Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission (Commission) is a bi-state entity created by an interstate compact between the State of New Jersey and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and approved by the United States Congress. In this matter, arising out of a construction project to replace the Scudder Falls Bridge that connects the two states, the court considered whether the Commission was authorized to approve, use, and enforce a project labor agreement (PLA) as a mandatory requirement in its bid specifications. This mandate required all bidding contractors and subcontractors to enter into a PLA with certain named unions affiliated with the local building and construction trades councils, recognizing those unions as the sole and exclusive bargaining representatives of the bidder's project workforce. Defendant George Harms Construction Co. was prevented from bidding on the project because it was a party to a collective bargaining agreement with United Steel Workers (USW), which was excluded from the PLA. Harms threatened to seek an injunction if the Commission did not add USW as a signatory union to the PLA. Only one company bid on the project, submitting a bid $69 million over the projected cost of the project and $71 million more than Harms' projected bid. The Commission sought a declaratory judgment permitting it to award the contract, including the PLA, to the successful bidder. Harms answered and asserted numerous counterclaims, including a violation of competitive bidding laws. The trial court dismissed the complaint as moot (the project was completed during the litigation) and granted summary judgment to the Commission on the counterclaims. The court preliminarily determined the issue was not moot because of the importance of interstate compacts and the high likelihood that the Commission would use a PLA in a future contract. The issue, then, was whether the Commission had the authority under its compact to approve and use a PLA in its bidding process. The compact itself is silent on PLAs. Therefore, the panel looked to the two states' treatment of PLAs. The court engaged in an extensive analysis of the case law and legislative history in New Jersey and Pennsylvania regarding PLAs. Currently New Jersey has a statute governing PLAs, N.J.S.A. 52:38-1 to -7. Pennsylvania does not have any legislation. The case law, emanating from the Commonwealth Court disfavors PLAs unless the project involves "extraordinary circumstances" and the PLA treats union and nonunion contractors evenly. Therefore, New Jersey and Pennsylvania do not have parallel or substantially similar state legislation or common law regarding the use of PLAs. The court concluded the Commission did not have the power to create and authorize use of the mandatory PLA for its project because: (1) there is no express authority for unilateral action in the compact; (2) New Jersey and Pennsylvania have not enacted complementary or parallel legislation and do not have similar common law on PLAs; and (3) the Commission has not consented to exercise of single-state jurisdiction. The court affirmed the dismissal of the declaratory judgment complaint, albeit for different reasons than articulated by the trial court. The court reversed the dismissal of the counterclaims and remanded to the trial court.

JEFFREY SANTANA VS. SMILEDIRECTCLUB, LLC (L-3156-21

JEFFREY SANTANA VS. SMILEDIRECTCLUB, LLC (L-3156-21 Plaintiff filed a products-liability complaint against defendant, alleging the invisible tooth aligners he purchased on-line damaged his teeth and resulted in lasting injuries. Defendant moved to dismiss the complaint, citing an arbitration provision that was embedded in the first of three hyperlinked underlined documents that appeared in different colored font. The hyperlinked document, entitled "Informed Consent," included not only the arbitration agreement but also explanations of the benefits and risks of using the aligners, representations by plaintiff regarding his oral health, and his consent to the treatment. Users could not proceed to open an account and order the aligners unless they clicked on a box next to the three hyperlinked documents, "I Agree," and another button, "FINISH MY ACCOUNT." The Law Division denied defendant's motion, relying extensively on our recent decision in Wollen v. Gulf Stream Restoration & Cleaning, LLC, 468 N.J. Super. 483 (App. Div. 2021). The court reversed, drawing distinctions between the "browsewrap" agreement at issue in Wollen, and the "clickwrap" agreement in this case. See, e.g., Skuse v. Pfizer, Inc., 244 N.J. 30, 55 n.2 (2020) ("Contracts that require 'that a user consent to any terms or conditions by clicking on a dialog box on the screen in order to proceed with the internet transaction' are sometimes called 'clickwrap' agreements," and "are 'routinely enforced by the courts.'" Skuse, 244 N.J. at 55 n.2 (first quoting Feldman v. Google, Inc., 513 F. Supp. 2d 229, 236 (E.D. Pa. 2007); and then quoting HealthPlanCRM, LLC v. AvMed, Inc., 458 F. Supp. 3d 308, 334–35 (W.D. Pa. 2020)).

In the Matter of the Alleged Failure of Altice USA, Inc., to Comply with Certain Provisions of the New Jersey Ca

Section 543(a)(1) of the Cable Act does not preempt the proration requirement in N.J.A.C. 14:18-3.8. The regulation does not regulate “rates for the provision of cable service,” but rather prevents cable companies from charging for cable service that customers have cancelled. The regulation does not set the “rate” that companies can charge. It simply protects cable users from paying for service they no longer want. Furthermore, contrary to Altice’s alternative argument, neither Altice nor its predecessor sought or received a BPU waiver from prorating cable bills.

PEGGY BIRMINGHAM, ET AL. VS. TRAVELERS NEW JERSEY INS. CO.

     The court determined an insured's satisfaction of its deductible or copayment obligation under a standard automobile policy does not operate to also reduce the $15,000 statutory Personal Injury Protection (PIP) limits of liability.  In reaching its decision, the court examined the policies' declaration pages, PIP policy provisions, and the incorporated Buyer's Guide, and concluded Travelers did not clearly express to reasonable insureds, like plaintiffs, that the limits of liability would be reduced if their claims exceeded $15,000.  The court also evaluated the legislative history of New Jersey's no-fault scheme and determined its decision did not violate the Legislature's overarching goal of reducing the costs of auto insurance.  
     Further, the court held absent legislative and regulatory approval, defendant was likely precluded from providing less than $15,000 of PIP medical expense benefits, regardless of the clarity of its policies or declaration pages.  Finally, the court distinguished our previous decision in IMO Industries Inc. v. Transamerica Corp., 437 N.J. Super. 577, 622 (App. Div. 2014), as that case involved a commercial general liability policy between sophisticated parties and relied in part on Benjamin Moore & Co. v. Aetna Co., 179 N.J. 87, 93 (2004), which involved a commercial general liability policy whose express language clearly indicated to the insured that the insurer's limit was reduced by the policy's deductible.