State v. Anderson, ___ N.J. Super. ___ (App. Div. 2020). Defendant, formerly employed by the Jersey City Tax Assessor’s office, pled guilty to a federal criminal charge of interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right for accepting a $300 bribe to alter the description of a two-unit dwelling to a three-unit dwelling. After that plea, the State filed suit seeking, among other things, the complete forfeiture of defendant’s pension and related retirement benefits. N.J.S.A. 43:1-3.1 mandated pension forfeiture upon a conviction such as that here. Proceeding...

Chartis Property Casualty Co. v. Inganamort, ___ F.3d ___ (3d Cir. 2020). Yesterday, the Third Circuit issued its first published opinion in nearly two weeks. The ruling, authored by Judge Jordan, involved the question of whether defendants were entitled to coverage under their all-risk insurance policy with plaintiff when defendants’ 65-foot fishing vessel sank “enough to sustain serious damage.” The plaintiff insurer filed a declaratory judgment action seeking a ruling that there was no coverage. On cross-motions for summary judgment, the District Court ruled for the...

Chief Justice Rabner announced the temporary assignment of two judges to the Appellate Division. The two judges, Katie Gummer and Morris Smith, will begin their temporary assignments on September 1, 2020. Judge Gummer was appointed to the Monmouth County bench by Governor Christie in 2013. She sat in the Civil Division before becoming Presiding General Equity Judge in the Chancery Division. A graduate of Bryn Mawr College and Yale Law School, Judge Gummer was in private practice at large firms before taking the bench. She also served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Daniel J....