Notice and Order Multicounty Litigation MCL Designation of Litigation Involving Allegations of Sexual Abuse in Juvenile Detention Facilities Operated by the State of New Jersey as MCL

A previous Notice to the Bar requested comments on an application for multicounty litigation (MCL) designation of New Jersey state-court litigation alleging injuries to juvenile inmates arising out of sexual assaults at state owned and operated juvenile detention facilities. This Notice is to advise that the Supreme Court, after considering the application and the comments received, has determined to designate these cases as multicounty litigation. The Court has assigned this MCL to Middlesex County for centralized case management by Superior Court Judge Bruce J. Kaplan.

Published with this Notice is the Supreme Court’s May 28, 2025 Order. This Order is posted in the Multicounty Litigation Center https://www.njcourts.gov/attorneys/multicounty-litigation on the Judiciary’s website (www.njcourts.gov). Judge Kaplan’s Initial Case Management Order will be posted in the Multicounty Litigation Center.

Questions concerning this matter may be directed to Melissa A. Czartoryski, Chief, Civil Practice Division, Administrative Office of the Courts, Hughes Justice Complex, P. O. Box 981, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0981; telephone: (609) 815-2900 ext. 54901; e-mail address: Melissa.Czartoryski@njcourts.gov.

On application made pursuant to Rule 4:38A and the Multicounty Litigation Guidelines and Criteria for Designation (Revised) promulgated by Directive #02-19 in accordance with that Rule, it is hereby ORDERED that all pending and future New Jersey state court actions against the State of New Jersey alleging injuries to juvenile inmates arising out of sexual assaults at state owned and operated juvenile detention facilities be designated as multicounty litigation (“MCL”) for centralized management purposes; and

It is FURTHER ORDERED effective immediately that any and all such complaints that have been filed in the various counties and that are under or are awaiting case management and/or discovery shall be transferred from the county of venue to the Superior Court, Law Division, Middlesex County and that, pursuant to N.J. Const., Art.VI, sec.2, par.3, the provisions of Rule 4:3-2 governing venue in the Superior Court are supplemented and relaxed so that all future such complaints, no matter where they might be venued, shall be filed in Middlesex County; and

It is FURTHER ORDERED that Superior Court Judge Bruce J. Kaplan, effective immediately and until further order, shall oversee management and trial issues for such cases and shall have discretion to return such cases to the original county of venue for disposition; and

It is FURTHER ORDERED that no Mediator or Master may be appointed in this litigation without the express prior approval of the Chief Justice.