The New Term’s First Grant of Supreme Court Review

Kicking off its new term, the Supreme Court announced its first grant of review last Friday.  The Court granted leave to appeal in State v. Dickerson, another case under the Criminal Justice Reform Act, N.J.S.A. 2A:162-15 to -26.  The question presented, as phrased by the Supreme Court Clerk’s Office, is “Is the State required to produce search warrant information (including the affidavit filed in support of the search warrant and supporting investigative reports) prior to a detention hearing held pursuant to the Criminal Justice Reform Act (CJRA), N.J.S.A. 2A:162-15 to -26?”  In an unpublished opinion, the Appellate Division vacated portions of orders of the Law Division that denied the State’s application to detain defendant prior to trial, a denial that had been based on failure to produce search warrant information.

The Court has accelerated this appeal and will schedule it for oral argument on a peremptory date to be set by the Clerk’s Office.  Any proposed amici must file motions to participate, including their proposed briefs, by noon on September 25, and the State and the defendant are to file answers to any such motions, including proposed response briefs, by October 13 at noon.