This notice publishes for comment the Report of the Supreme Court Working Group on Business Litigation. This report also will be available on the Judiciary’s internet web site at http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/reports2014/index.htm.
The Working Group, formed by Chief Justice Stuart Rabner and chaired by Assignment Judge Peter E. Doyne, was charged with the task of identifying and assessing the court needs of the business community, reviewing the Judiciary’s current practices, and recommending steps to address legitimate concerns and streamline the process for handling complex commercial litigation. In its report, the Working Group recommends no changes to the existing court structure, but rather a statewide expansion of the existing Bergen/Essex Complex Commercial Pilot Program, which allows the Assignment Judge to designate a judge with expertise or an interest in developing expertise in business or commercial litigation to oversee the resolution of all commercial matters from beginning to end and which provides for disposition time goals. That proposed statewide program (1) would include a protocol to identify each case that qualifies as commercial litigation, with a $200,000 threshold value for participation in the program; (2) would encourage but not require mediation of those cases; and (3) would encourage the program judges to write and publish written opinions addressing novel issues or issues of particular interest.
