The Supreme Court of New Jersey has authorized the resumption of in-person jury trials effective on or after June 15, 2021. Criminal jury trials will take priority, while most civil jury trials will be conducted remotely. In some of the busier counties, such as Essex County-Newark, the court will commence trying 2016 and 2017 docket cases with only one plaintiff and one defendant, and then proceed to try a backlog of over 40 medical malpractice cases. In New Jersey federal courts, criminal trials will commence on June 1, 2021, with civil jury trials commencing September 1, 2021. However, only one federal civil jury trial may be conducted at a time in each of the district’s courthouses. New Jersey Federal District Courts are currently the busiest in the nation, with the average judge having a caseload of over 2,500 cases to manage. Contrary to the assertions of plaintiff’s attorneys, average civil claims and older complex and/or multi-party claims will not be tried any time soon, which will continue to provide leverage to obtain more favorable settlements.
For more information, contact Doug Sanchez at 201-474-7100 or dsanchez@cmlawfirm.com.