Fraternal Order of Police, Newark Lodge No. 12 v. City of Newark, ___ N.J. ___ (2020). [Disclosure: My firm, Lite DePalma Greenberg, LLC, represents the City of Newark in various matters but had no involvement in this case]. By ordinance, the City of Newark established a Civilian Complaint Review Board (“CCRB”) to (as Justice LaVecchia put it in her majority opinion for the Supreme Court) “”increase police accountability and create stronger relationships between the community and the police.” That was done in the context of a consent decree between Newark and...

Today, May 1, is Law Day. Law Day was first celebrated on February 3, 1958, when President Eisenhower issued a proclamation establishing it. In 1961, Congress passed a joint resolution, Pub. L. 87-20, 75 Stat. 43, fixing May 1 of each year as Law Day. That Public Law was codified in 36 U.S. Code 113. That statute states that Law Day is “a special day of celebration by the people of the United States (1) in appreciation of their liberties and their reaffirmation of their loyalty to the United States and of their rededication to the ideals of equality and justice under law in their...

With Passover beginning tonight, there won’t be any posts on this blog until April 17 at the earliest. In calendar order, happy Passover, and happy Easter, to those who are celebrating. And, to everyone, stay healthy and safe.