The Supreme Court announced that it has granted review (one on a motion for leave to appeal and one on a petition for certification) in two more criminal cases. In State in the Interest of C.K., the question presented, as phrased by the Supreme Court Clerk’s Office, is “Does the imposition of Megan’s Law lifetime registration requirements, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:7-2(g), violate the constitutional rights of juvenile offenders?” The Court granted leave to appeal in that case, which accentuates its potential importance.
The other case is State v. Sutherland, a police stop case, which is before the Court on certification. The question presented there is phrased as “Under the circumstances presented, was the officer justified in stopping defendant’s vehicle for having an inoperable tail light?” In a published decision by Judge Guadagno, 445 N.J. Super. 358 (App. Div. 2016), the Appellate Division reversed a Law Division ruling that had granted a defense motion to suppress evidence obtained as a result of that traffic stop. Now the Supreme Court will weigh in.