Complex Business Litigation Program

Overview

The program and its rules are designed to better serve the litigation needs of New Jersey businesses by resolving complex business, commercial and construction cases in an expedited manner. Cases in the CBLP usually meet these criteria:

Business or commercial transactions or construction projects that have complex factual or legal issues
A large number of parties
Substantial discovery issues
Multiple experts
Implications for business beyond the decision in the particular case
Probable significant interpretation of a business or commercial statute

Benefits

The program offers several benefits to lawyers and litigants:

Cases are managed by a skilled judge with experience complex business litigation. See the current roster. Case management practices designed specifically for complex business litigation.

An established and growing body of case law.
Sign up for opinion alerts by emailing CBLP.mailbox@njcourts.gov .

Eligibility

A case is automatically assigned to the CBLP if the amount in controversy is at least $200,000 and the litigants self-designate the case as complex commercial or complex construction. For a case not presumptively assigned to the program, litigants can file a motion requesting inclusion where the claim involves complex business-related issues and/or the amount in controversy is less than $200,000. Likewise, a motion can be made to exclude a case from the program. Whether pursuant to a motion, or on the judge’s own accord, the CBLP judge will review a case to determine whether the complex nature of the action or the threshold damages claim amount has been established. The case will then be included or removed from the CBLP, accordingly.

For questions, contact the Civil Practice Division at 609-815-2900 ext. 54900 or CBLP.mailbox@njcourts.gov