Supreme Court Committee Reports

Reports are published for comment before the Supreme Court takes action on any proposed changes to the Rules of Court or other aspects of court operations. Instructions and deadlines for submitting comments are included with each report.

The Court welcomes diverse viewpoints on any proposed changes. Judges, attorneys, and professionals in related fields are invited to serve on committees in order to share their perspective and their expertise. Email CommAppts.Mailbox@njcourts.gov to inquire about this volunteer opportunity. The subject line should say, "Interest in Supreme Court Committees." Please include your full name and the name(s) of the committee(s) in which you are interested. Attorneys should include their attorney ID, the county or counties in which they practice, and a resumé.

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
#001-Notice Virtual Judicial Conference on September 7, 2023	Aug. 10, 2023 - Email	Stephanie McClure, Esq. (Jersey City, NJ; New York, NY) Note: Request subsequently withdrawn.
#002-Notice Virtual Judicial Conference on September 7, 2023	Aug. 31, 2023 - Letter	New Jersey Association for Justice - (1) Patricia M. Giordano, Esq., President; also (2) Christina Vassiliou Harvey, Esq. [request to speak; see also #005]
#003-Notice Virtual Judicial Conference on September 7, 2023	Aug. 31, 2023 - Letter	New Jersey State Bar Association – Timothy F. McGoughran, Esq., President [written comment only; not a request to speak]
#004-Notice Virtual Judicial Conference on September 7, 2023	Sept. 6, 2023 - Email	Joseph E. Krakora, Esq., New Jersey Public Defender [written comment and request to speak – speaker will be Deputy Public Defender Malaeika Montgomery, Esq.]
#005-Notice Virtual Judicial Conference on September 7, 2023	Sept. 6, 2023 - Letter	New Jersey Association for Justice -Patricia M. Giordano, Esq., President [written comment; see also #002]

Proposal to Amend Rules of Evidence

Notice to the Bar - July 31, 2023

Referenced Documents:

Proposed Amendments - Statement Against Interest Hearsay

Comment period closed on

Oct. 2, 2023

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
#001-Proposed Amendments to Rules 1:40-5 and 1:40-12	Aug. 14, 2023 - Letter	New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence (NJCEDV), By Denise Higgins, Esq., Legal Director
#002-Proposed Amendments to Rules 1:40-5 and 1:40-12	Sept. 1, 2023 - Letter	New Jersey State Bar Association, by Timothy F. McGoughran, Esq. President

Proposed Amendments to Rules 1:40-5 and 1:40-12 to Support the Domestic Violence Economic Mediation (DVEM) Program – Request for Comment

Notice to the Bar - July 13, 2023

Comment period closed on

Aug. 14, 2023

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
#001-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment for Knowing Misappropriation	July 8, 2023 - Letter	Lewis Goldshore, Esq. (Princeton, NJ)
#002-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment	July 17, 2023 - Letter	Nelson C. Johnson, J.S.C. (Ret.) (Hammonton, NJ)
#003-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment	July 18, 2023 - Letter	Gavin Rozzi (Forked River, NJ)
#004-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment	July 18, 2023 - Letter	Robert Rutherford (Louisville, KY)
#005-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment	July 21, 2023 - Letter	Alfred H. Sauer, Esq., Sauer and Fitzpatrick (Manasquan, NJ)
#006-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment	July 24, 2023 - Letter	John G. DeSimone, Esq., DeSimone Law Offices (Woodbury, NJ)
#007-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment	July 27, 2023 - Letter	Bergen County Bar Association, by William I. Strasser, Esq., President
#008-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment	July 28, 2023 - Letter	Stephen N. Dratch, Esq., The Dratch Law Firm (Livingston, NJ)
#009-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment	July 31, 2023 - Email	Donald J. Meliado, Jr.
#010-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment	July 31, 2023 - Email	Lawrence Litwin, Esq. (Mendham, NJ)
#011-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment	July 31, 2023 - Letter	New Jersey Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection, by Carmen Cortes-Sykes, Esq., Chair
#012-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment	Aug. 1, 2023 - Letter	New Jersey State Bar Association, by Timothy F. McGoughran, Esq., President
#013-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment	Aug. 1, 2023 - Email	Elliot J. Wiesner, Esq., Elliot J. Wiesner, P.C. (Allentown, NJ)
#014-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment	Aug. 1, 2023 - Letter	Dionne L. Wade (Clifton, NJ)
#015-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment	Aug. 1, 2023 - Letter	Kenneth F. Irek
#016-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment	July 27, 2023 - Email	Alan Pollack
#017-Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment	Aug. 24, 2023 - Letter	Greg Riley, Esq

Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment for Knowing Misappropriation

Report Document(s):

Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court special Committee on the Duration of Disbarment for Knowing Misappropriation

Notice to the Bar - June 29, 2023

Comment period closed on

Aug. 1, 2023

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
#001-Recommendations of the Judiciary Working Group on Elder Justice	July 18, 2023 - Letter	Disability Rights New Jersey, by Mary A. Ciccone, Director of Policy
#002-Recommendations of the Judiciary Working Group on Elder Justice	July 21, 2023 - Letter	National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, New Jersey Chapter, by Beth L. Barnhard, Esq., President, NJNAELA
#003-Recommendations of the Judiciary Working Group on Elder Justice	July 21, 2023 - Letter	Supreme Court Committee on Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement, by Hon. Hany A. Mawla, Committee Chair
#004-Recommendations of the Judiciary Working Group on Elder Justice	June 15, 2023 - Email	Alyson Honrath, Assistant Chief, Court & Judicial Security Unit, New Jersey Judiciary
#005-Recommendations of the Judiciary Working Group on Elder Justice	Sept. 15, 2023 - Letter	New Jersey State Bar Association, by Timothy McGoughran, Esq., President

Recommendations of the Judiciary Working Group on Elder Justice

Notice to the Bar - June 14, 2023

Comment period closed on

July 21, 2023

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
Comment#001	June 15, 2023 - Letter	Pro Bono Partnership, By Nancy Eberhardt, Esq., Executive Director and Christine Michelle Duffy, Esq., Director, New Jersey Program
Comment#002	June 8, 2023 - Resolution	Salem County Bar Association resolution
Comment#003	June 19, 2023 - Letter	CJ Griffin, Esq., Pashman Stein Walder Hayden, PC (Hackensack)
Comment#004	June 18, 2023 - Letter	Somerset County Bar Association, by Ryan S. Carey, Esq., President (letter and resolution)
Comment#005	June 19, 2023 - Comments	Lowenstein Sandler LLP
Comment#006	June 19, 2023 - Letter	New Jersey State Bar Association, By Timothy F. McGoughran, Esq., President

Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court Working Group on Attorney Pro Bono Assignments

Report Document(s):

Report and Recommendations of the Supreme Court Working Group on Attorney Pro Bono Assignments

Notice to the Bar - May 8, 2023

Comment period closed on

June 19, 2023

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
Comment#001	May 23, 2023 - Letter	By Robyn Veasey, Assistant Public Defender
Comment#002	June 2, 2023 - Letter	by Traci Telemaque, Assistant Public Defender
Comment#003	June 5, 2023 - Letter	By Meredith Pindar, Director, Office of Legal Affairs

Proposed Amendments to Rule 5:12-4 - Protocol for Handling Child Protection Complaints that Contain Allegations of Both (1) Abuse or Neglect (Title 9), and (2) Failure to Provide for the Safety of the Child (Title 30)

Notice to the Bar - May 1, 2023

Comment period closed on

June 2, 2023

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
Comment#002	March 24, 2023 - Letter	Bruce P. Matez, Esq., President, New Jersey Association of Professional Mediators

2021-2023 Supreme Court Rules Committee Reports - Committee on Complementary Dispute Resolution

Report Document(s):

2021- 2023 Committee on Complementary Dispute Resolution

Notice to the Bar - Jan. 20, 2023

Comment period closed on

March 31, 2023

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
Comment#001	March 30, 2023 - Letter	Jeralyn L. Lawrence, Esq., President, New Jersey State Bar Association

2021-2023 Supreme Court Rules Committee Reports - Criminal Practice Committee

Report Document(s):

2021-2023 Criminal Practice Committee

Notice to the Bar - Jan. 20, 2023

Comment period closed on

March 31, 2023

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
Comment#001	March 30, 2023 - Letter	Jeralyn L. Lawrence, Esq., President, New Jersey State Bar Association

2021-2023 Supreme Court Rules Committee Reports - Committee on Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement

Report Document(s):

2021-2023 Committee on Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement

Notice to the Bar - Jan. 20, 2023

Comment period closed on

March 31, 2023

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter

2021-2023 Supreme Court Rules Committee Reports - Committee on the Rules of Evidence

Report Document(s):

2021-2023 Committee on the Rules of Evidence

Notice to the Bar - Jan. 20, 2023

Comment period closed on

March 31, 2023

No comments received

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
Comment#001	March 30, 2023 - Letter	Jeralyn L. Lawrence, Esq., President, New Jersey State Bar Association
Comment#003	March 31, 2023 - Letter	Denise A. Wennogle, Esq., President, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, New Jersey Chapter

2021-2023 Supreme Court Rules Committee Reports - Family Practice Committee

Report Document(s):

2021-2023 Family Practice Committee

Notice to the Bar - Jan. 20, 2023

Comment period closed on

March 31, 2023

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter

2021-2023 Supreme Court Rules Committee Reports - Municipal Court Practice Committee

Report Document(s):

2021-2023 Municipal Court Practice Committee

Notice to the Bar - Jan. 20, 2023

Comment period closed on

March 31, 2023

No comments received

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
Comment #001	Feb. 14, 2023 - Email	Rosemary Spohn, Esq., Deputy General Counsel for Operations, Morgan Properties (Cranford, NJ)
Comment #002	Feb. 13, 2023 - Letter	Jeralyn L. Lawrence, Esq., President, New Jersey State Bar Association
Comment #003	Feb. 13, 2023 - Letter	Hon. Hany A. Mawla, Chair, Supreme Court Committee on Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) - Proposed Amendments to CLE Regulations

Notice to the Bar - Dec. 13, 2022

Referenced Documents:

Notice – Extension of Comment Period on Proposed Amendments to Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Regulations – Date Extended to February 13, 2023

Comment period closed on

Feb. 13, 2023

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
Comment #001	Nov. 14, 2022 - Letter	New Jersey State Bar Association

Proposed 2023 Attorney Discipline Budget

Notice to the Bar - Oct. 14, 2022

Comment period closed on

Nov. 14, 2022

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
Comment#001	Oct. 7, 2022 - Email	John J. Sheerin, Esq., of Mullooly Jeffrey Rooney & Flynn, LLP (Syosset, NY)
Comment#002	Oct. 7, 2022 - Email	J. Andrew Velez, Esq., Of Counsel to Law Offices of Edgar Navarrete, LLC (North Bergen)
Comment#003	Oct. 8, 2022 - Email	John J. Welch, Esq.
Comment#004	Oct. 10, 2022 - Email	Bryan T. Kurtzberg, Esq., Law Offices of Leslie A. DeTorres (West Orange)
Comment#005	Oct. 11, 2022 - Email	James H. M. Savage, Esq. (Germantown, MD)
Comment#006	Nov. 11, 2022 - Email	Eli L. Eytan, Esq. (Toms River)
Comment#007	Oct. 13, 2022 - Email	Richard P. Maggi, Esq.
Comment#008	Oct. 19, 2022 - Email	Howard N. Wiener, Esq., of Tobin Kessler Greenstein Caruso Wiener & Konray (Clark)
Comment#009	Oct. 31, 2022 - Email	Steven M. Tanenbaum, Esq., Tanenbaum Law, LLC (Metuchen)
Comment#010	Nov. 11, 2022 - Letter	John E. Corbett, Esq., Corbett Law Firm LLC (Evesham)
Comment#011	Oct. 10, 2022 - Letter	Joseph T. Calabria, Esq., Garruto & Calabria, LLC (Nutley)
Comment#012	Oct. 18, 2022 - Letter	Frederick D. Miceli, Esq. (West Caldwell)
Comment#013	Nov. 21, 2022 - Letter	New Jersey State Bar Association, by President Jeralyn L. Lawrence, Esq.
Comment#014	Nov. 21, 2022 - Letter	New Jersey Association for Justice, by President James S. Lynch, Esq.
Comment#015	Nov. 22, 2022 - Email	Mark G. Esposito, Esq. (Cherry Hill)

Proposal to Require Submission of Arbitration Statements to the Arbitrator in Advance of the Arbitration Hearing Date - Amendments to Rule 4:21A-4(a)

Notice to the Bar - Oct. 6, 2022

Comment period closed on

Nov. 11, 2022

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
Comment#001	Nov. 4, 2022 - Letter	Ocean County Bar Association Family Law Committee, By Gregory B. Tomlinson, Esq., Chair OCBA Family Law Comm
Comment#003	Nov. 21, 2022 - Letter	New Jersey State Bar Association, by President Jerilyn L. Lawrence, Esq.
Comment#004	Nov. 21, 2022 - Letter	Partners NJ, by Michele C. Lefkowitz, Esq., Director of Legal Programs
Comment#002	Nov. 16, 2022 - Memo	Conference of Family Presiding Judges, By Judge Madelin F. Einbinder, Conference Chair
Comment#005	Nov. 21, 2022 - Letter	New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence, by Denise Higgins, Esq., Legal Director
Comment#006	Dec. 9, 2022 - Letter	Randi Mandelbaum, Esq., Distinguished Clinical Professor of Law, Rutgers Law School; and Catherine Weiss, Esq., Chair, Lowenstein Center for the Public Interest
Comment#007	Jan. 12, 2023 - Letter	New Jersey State Bar Association, by President Jerilyn L. Lawrence, Esq. (see also #003)

Report and Recommendations of the Judiciary Special Committee on the Non-Dissolution (FD) Docket

Report Document(s):

Report and Recommendations of the Judiciary Special Committee on the Non-Dissolution (FD) Docket

Notice to the Bar - Sept. 30, 2022

Comment period closed on

Nov. 4, 2022

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
Comment#001	Nov. 21, 2022 - Email	New Jersey State Bar Association

Guardianship - Background Screening for Proposed Guardians of Incapacitated Adults - Updated Proposed Amendments to Rule 4:86-2(b)(3) and Related Policy

Notice to the Bar - Sept. 29, 2022

Comment period closed on

Nov. 4, 2022

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
Comment#001	Sept. 18, 2022 - Email	Peter Petrou, Esq. (Parsippany)
Comment#002	Oct. 17, 2022 - Letter	Jeralyn L. Lawrence, Esq., President, New Jersey State Bar Association
Comment#003	Oct. 17, 2022 - Letter	John D. Rue, Esq., of John Rue & Associates, LLC (Princeton)
Comment#004	Oct. 17, 2022 - Letter	Donald F. Burke, Jr., Esq., of Law Office of Donald F. Burke (Brick)

Retainer Fee Agreements – Foreclosing Settlement When the Terms of the Settlement Waive the Lawyers’ Fees or Costs – Balducci

Notice to the Bar - Sept. 12, 2022

Comment period closed on

Oct. 17, 2022

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter
#001	Aug. 1, 2022 - Email	Retired Tax Court Presiding Judge Joseph C. Small
#002	July 15, 2022 - Email	Barry J. Cohen, Esq., of Amster & Rosensweig, PC (Waldwick, NJ)
#003	Aug. 5, 2022 - Email	Chad Wolf, Esq.,of Wolf Vespasiano, LLC

Proposed Amendments to Rule 1:36-3 (“Unpublished Opinions”) and Proposed New Rule 8:9-6 (“Publication of Tax Court Opinions”)

Notice to the Bar - July 13, 2022

Comment period closed on

Aug. 15, 2022

Comment ID	Date & Mode	Name of Commenter

Proposed Amendments to Rule 1:38 to Exclude Medical and Related Records from Public Access

Notice to the Bar - May 17, 2022

Comment period closed on

June 20, 2022

No comments received

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