Grewal v. Greda, ___ N.J. Super. ___ (App. Div. 2020). This far too belated post is about a very informative opinion by Judge Vernoia last week. The case was one brought by the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights (hence the appearance of Attorney General Grewal as the named plaintiff) against defendants, Elizabeth landlords who allegedly discriminated unlawfully against a Muslim would-be tenant, Fatma Farghaly, by refusing to rent an apartment to her. A jury ruled in favor of defendants, but the Appellate Division reversed due to evidence errors, an abuse of discretion, and remanded for a...

McGory v. SLS Landscaping, ___ N.J. Super. ___ (App. Div. 2020). Judge Vernoia pulled no punches in this opinion for the Appellate Division today. Writing for a unanimous panel, Judge Vernoia concluded that a Judge of Workers Compensation had denied due process to the injured claimant in multiple ways. The claimant alleged that he had fractured his foot when he jumped from a loft while working at respondent’s premises. Respondent claimed that the injury occurred when the claimant jumped off a ladder at his home, not while at work for respondent. The claimant refused medical treatment...

C.C. v. J.A.H., ___ N.J. Super. ___ (App. Div. 2020). The Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, N.J.S.A. 2C;25-17 et seq., allows the issuance of a restraining order for the protection of any “victim of domestic violence.” Such victims include “any person who has been subjected to domestic violence by a person with whom the victim has had a dating relationship.” But the statute does not define “dating relationship.” The question in today’s opinion by Judge Rose was whether the parties had a “dating relationship” even though they never went...