- R.B. VS. E.A.C. (FM-13-1159-18, MONMOUTH COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) (RECORD IMPOUNDED) A-3383-21 Appellate Oct. 3, 2023
- STATE OF NEW JERSEY VS. ALBERTO MARTINEZ (19-09-1452, MIDDLESEX COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) A-1063-21 Appellate Oct. 4, 2023
- MAHWAH BP, LLC VS. ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MAHWAH (L-4119-21, BERGEN COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) A-1675-21 Appellate Oct. 4, 2023
- CRAIG PEREIRA, ET AL. VS. O&J CONTRACTING LLC, ET AL. (L-0289-19, MONMOUTH COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) A-3701-21 Appellate Oct. 4, 2023
- D.S. VS. E.R. (FV-09-1381-22, HUDSON COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) (RECORD IMPOUNDED) A-3792-21 Appellate Oct. 4, 2023
- NAILAH TAYLOR VS. TOWN OF MORRISTOWN, ET AL. (L-1533-22, MORRIS COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) A-2725-22 Appellate Oct. 4, 2023
- A.B. VS. BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, BERGEN COUNTY (NEW JERSEY COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION) A-0999-21 Appellate Oct. 5, 2023
- LAKEWOOD REALTY ASSOCIATES, LLC VS. TOWNSHIP OF LAKEWOOD PLANNING BOARD, ET AL. (L-2888-20, OCEAN COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) A-1899-21 Appellate Oct. 5, 2023
- JOSEPH CASTRACANE VS. BOARD OF TRUSTEES, ET AL. (POLICE AND FIREMEN'S RETIREMENT SYSTEM) A-2755-21 Appellate Oct. 5, 2023
- DR. LUDMILLA MECAJ VS. AFTNJ, ET AL. (L-0579-20, SUSSEX COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) A-3417-21 Appellate Oct. 5, 2023
- DCPP VS. M.T. AND J.Z.-T., IN THE MATTER OF THE GUARDIANSHIP OF J.Z.-T. (FG-03-0023-22, BURLINGTON COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) (RECORD IMPOUNDED) A-0330-22 Appellate Oct. 5, 2023
- STEVEN WRONKO VS. MONMOUTH COUNTY SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS, ET AL. (L-0696-23, MONMOUTH COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) A-3643-23 Appellate Jan. 9, 2026 Summary A-3643-23 Plaintiff appealed from the trial court's order finding defendant Monmouth County Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MCSPCA) is not a public agency under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 to -13. The question before the court was whether the MCSPCA—a non-profit entity that provides humane law enforcement services for the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office (MCPO) under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)—is a public agency required to disclose records under OPRA. The court concluded the MCSPCA is not a public agency under OPRA because the MCPO is not a political subdivision under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1, but rather an office. Therefore, the MCSPCA is an instrumentality of an office, analogous to the volunteer fire company in Verry v. Franklin Fire District No. 1 , 230 N.J. 285 (2017), which our Supreme Court held did not fall within OPRA's definition of a public agency. The court concluded the MCSPCA derived its authority to perform law enforcement functions from the MCPO through an MOU. The MCPO has the discretion to appoint the MCSPCA but was not required to do so. Moreover, the MCPO is responsible to supervise the law enforcement functions of the MCSPCA. N.J.S.A. 4:22-14.4(a)(2)(b). This delegation of authority does not transform the MCSPCA into a public agency for the purpose of N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1. The court was mindful the law enforcement responsibilities of the MCSPCA are considered traditional government functions. However, that was not dispositive of whether the MCSPCA is a public agency subject to OPRA under our jurisprudence. Volunteer fire companies also exercise a governmental function. See Verry , 230 N.J. at 300; N.J.S.A. 40A:14-70.1(b). Nevertheless, the Verry Court determined the volunteer fire department at issue there was not a public agency under OPRA's statutory framework. 230 N.J. at 288. Lastly, the court observed plaintiff is not without recourse. Law enforcement-related documents may be requested through the MCPO based on its supervisory authority over the MCSPCA as set forth in N.J.S.A. 4:22-14.4(a)(2)(b) and the MOU. Close
- PETER J. DECARLO VS. ANTONIO D'ANGELO, ET AL. (L-4878-19, ESSEX COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) A-3654-23 Appellate Jan. 9, 2026
- WELLS FARGO BANK, NA, ETC. VS. GLENN L. BROWN, ET AL. (F-012971-22, MERCER COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) A-0512-24 Appellate Jan. 9, 2026
- IN THE MATTER OF J.L.B. (1002 XTR 2023 000001, HUNTERDON COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) (RECORD IMPOUNDED) A-0836-24 Appellate Jan. 9, 2026
- O.S. VS. NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, ETC. (NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES) (RECORD IMPOUNDED) A-1689-23 Appellate Jan. 9, 2026
- STATE OF NEW JERSEY VS. WALTER O. PEREZ-RAMOS (21-08-0867, MONMOUTH COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) (RECORD IMPOUNDED) A-2925-22 Appellate Jan. 12, 2026
- STATE OF NEW JERSEY VS. SHAKEYSHA L. PRUITT (14-06-1806, CAMDEN COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) A-2861-23 Appellate Jan. 12, 2026
- STEVEN SCHULZ VS. THE BOROUGH OF WEST LONG BRANCH, ET AL. (L-3272-23, MONMOUTH COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) A-3736-23 Appellate Jan. 12, 2026
- J.W. VS. BOARD OF TRUSTEES, ETC. (POLICE AND FIREMEN'S RETIREMENT SYSTEM) A-0249-24 Appellate Jan. 12, 2026