Pathri v. Kakarlamath, ___ N.J. Super. ___ (App. Div. 2020). This was a matrimonial matter. Both spouses came to the United States from India. Shortly after plaintiff filed this suit for divorce, he moved back to India. Shortly before trial, plaintiff sought the right to testify from India by contemporaneous video transmission, because he was unable to get a visa to come to the United States to testify in person. The Family Part denied the motion because it would inhibit the judge’s ability to assess plaintiff’s credibility. Plaintiff sought and was granted leave to appeal, and...

Triffin v. Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Auth., ___ N.J. Super. ___ (App. Div. 2020). Judge Fisher issued the Appellate Division’s opinion on this appeal just eight days after it was argued. The issue was not complex. Plaintiff sued several defendants for damages on a dishonored check. One of those defendants was the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (“SEPTA”). SEPTA answered without filing any separate defenses. By the time of trial, only SEPTA remained as a defendant, as one other defendant defaulted and the other was admittedly erroneously...

New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency v. A.L., ___ N.J. Super. ___ (App. Div. 2020). On October 28, 2019, in a per curiam opinion that can be found at 2019 WL 5544014 (App. Div. Oct. 28, 2019), Judges Fisher and Rose affirmed a Family Part decision finding defendant guilty of child abuse and neglect. After summarizing the facts and the arguments presented by defendant and the Law Guardian on appeal, the panel found that those contentions lacked sufficient merit to warrant further discussion in a written opinion, citing Rule 2:11-3(e)(1)(E), and affirmed based on the...