PTGB Law Legal Blog

On September 1, 2026, several amendments to the New Jersey Rules of Court took effect as part of the Supreme Court’s 2026 Omnibus Rule Amendment Order. These changes can impact any individuals or businesses currently in the midst of litigation.

On July 29, 2026, the Office of the New Jersey Attorney General and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development announced a $2.775 million settlement with STG Logistics and related entities, resolving allegations that hundreds of truck drivers were improperly classified as independent contractors.

Following a sharp rise in e-bike crashes, New Jersey’s Governor, Phil Murphy, signed Senate Bill S4834/Assembly A6235 into law on January 19, 2026, establishing new requirements to operate motorized bicycles (e-bikes) in the state. Full enforcement and penalty phases for the new requirements became effective on July 2026.

When an individual passes away, their will is intended to be an accurate reflection of their final wishes. However, it is not always so simple, under New Jersey law, wills may be challenged under certain circumstances. Understanding the most common grounds for contesting a will can help you determine whether a challenge may be warranted.

Accidents may be caused by the negligence of more than one party. A driver who was rear ended while on his cell phone; a pedestrian who was hit by a car while she crossed in the middle of traffic; a slip and fall suffered in a convenience store by a customer who ignored warnings. Under New Jersey law, being partially at fault does not automatically bar recovery by an injured party.

Workers have long been presumed to be employees. To rebut that presumption, an employer bears the burden of proving all three elements of what has been known as the ABC Test. On May 5, 2026, New Jersey Department of Labor adopted new rules for independent contractor standards.  Specifically, these new rules clarify the “ABC Test” for determining whether the worker is to be classified as an employee or an independent contractor, including…

Electronic evidence has become an important component of modern litigation. While legal disputes once focused primarily on paper documents and written correspondence, today, many of the important communications and records are now digital. Many clients do not realize the potential consequences of deleting electronic information after a dispute arises. In fact, disputes are often shaped by these potential digital communications long before the lawsuit is even filed.

A preliminary injunction is a powerful tool in commercial litigation. It allows a court to intervene before a case is fully decided and take actions to, for example, preserve the status quo of a business relationship while litigation is pending. Given the significant consequences to a business that a dispute can cause, waiting until the end of litigation can result in damage already being done.

National banks play a crucial role in helping the government investigate financial crimes by reporting “suspicious activities” to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCen), a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. But what are “suspicious activities” and when are banks required to file a report?

On March 1st, 2026, a new statute took effect that changed New Jersey’s public notice requirements. Under P.L. 2025 c. 72, if an existing statute requires a party to post a public legal notice, they may no longer post the notice in a print based newspaper, which had been custom for decades. Rather, the new law shifts the method of posting to websites and online platforms.

Landlord-tenant matters in New Jersey are typically designed to move quickly. Summary dispossess actions, or eviction proceedings, are handled in the Special Civil Part with one main goal: to efficiently determine whether a landlord is entitled to possession of the property. These proceedings are intentionally simplified. There is no discovery, no counterclaims, and no jury trials. In straightforward cases involving nonpayment of rent, this system works well. However, not every landlord-tenant dispute is simple.

As one of his final acts in office, on January 17, 2026, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law a bill (A3451/S2950) that significantly expands the scope of the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA), as well as amending job-protection obligations under the Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) and Family Leave Insurance (FLI) programs.

The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) recently implemented new requirements pertaining to how businesses report employee separations. Effective December 8, 2025, the rules impose new compliance obligations on employers of all sizes, intended to assist the state in processing unemployment claims.

Marriage is intended to be a lasting partnership, but when a relationship reaches its end, the focus must shift from preserving the marriage to protecting

Under the New Jersey Pay and Benefit Transparency Act, which went into effect June 1, 2025, employers must disclose pay and benefits information in job postings or advertisements. The Act currently applies to employers with 10 or more employees for at least 20 calendar weeks if the employer operates or accepts job applications in New Jersey.

“I wonder how that would work.” Is that statement alone sufficient to support a legal claim of sex discrimination? According to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in the matter of Elizabeth F. Warner v. Louis Dejoy, Postmaster General of the United States Postal Service, the answer is yes.

What is New York’s General Obligations Law § 5-326?
We’ve all done it. You signed a waiver at the gym, amusement park, recreational facility or pool without reading the fine print. Most assume that signature means: “If I get hurt, I’m on my own.”

On September 19, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) launched Project Firewall, signaling a commitment to “maximize H-1B program compliance.” An H-1B visa is a nonimmigrant classification granted to people who wish to perform certain specialty occupations in the United States. Under Project Firewall, the Secretary of Labor will “personally certify the initiation of investigations for the first time in the department’s history.”  USDOL intends to conduct investigations to ensure that “employers prioritize qualified Americans when hiring workers.”

On September 3, 2025, Governor Murphy signed a new law that prohibits employers from requiring employees to attend meetings or communications about political or religious matters. “Political matters” are defined very broadly to include electioneering and an employee’s decision to join or support a political party, civic group, community organization, fraternal association or labor union. The law bars mandatory meetings on religious topics; however, religious organizations may still require employees to attend meetings about their own beliefs or practices. 

23andMe, the company that has used at-home DNA testing kits to help an estimated 15 million people learn more about their ancestry, now claims they can sell the private information of their customers to third parties.

With the World Cup on the horizon and tourism expected to surge across the region, many New Jersey residents are considering turning extra rooms or apartments into short-term rentals. But before you list your space on Airbnb, it’s important to understand that some cities, especially popular destinations like Jersey City and Newark, have strict regulations in place for short-term rentals (STRs).

On January 20, 2025, an Executive Order (Order #14168) was issued directing the federal government to recognize only two sexes: male and female. How does this affect your workplace? It has lead to major shifts in how the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission handles claims of gender identity discrimination. 

Discovery is a key part of the litigation process where all parties share important information, documents, evidence and testimony with one another. This process helps make the issues and relevant facts transparent to all parties, allowing them to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the various issues and claims at play in a case. The most common discovery tools used to request and gather information from other parties include: written questions (interrogatories), requests for production of documents (document demands), asking the other side to admit certain facts (requests for admission), and interviews under oath (depositions).

Two New York laws – one pertaining to pregnant employees, one to employees who are nursing – have been enacted, marking a significant change in the rights and protections afforded to pregnant employees and parents in the workplace. Signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul, these laws reflect the state’s commitment to supporting employees both during and after pregnancy and represent a notable change for New York employers and employees alike.

Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) has become intertwined with business operations and management in rapid and breathtaking new ways.  However, with such rapid growth and adoption comes new legal pitfalls for businesses.  New Jersey has just issued a clear warning to New Jersey businesses: your AI can get you sued for discrimination.  

In today’s celebrity-driven media world, defamation lawsuits are a common occurrence, particularly when public figures feel their reputations have been unfairly damaged by the press. Recently, Justin Baldoni, the director and co-star of It Ends With Us, filed a high-profile libel lawsuit against the New York Times, seeking $250 million in damages. The lawsuit centers on an article that reported on allegations of misconduct made by Blake Lively, Baldoni’s co-star. This case presents a unique opportunity to examine the legal standards for libel, especially when it involves public figures.

The New York Clean Slate Act took effect on November 16, 2024. The goal of the Clean Slate Act is to “curb discrimination” of formerly incarcerated individuals and minimize barriers to employment for those individuals “by sealing from public access the conviction records of individuals for certain state convictions.” This sealing would occur after an individual has “satisfied their sentence and the required period of time has passed,” so long as that individual has “remained a law-abiding citizen.”

For employers looking to hire, a recent New Jersey law is mandating an important change on transparency requirements. On November 18, 2024, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation into law requiring most covered businesses to disclose wage or salary information and a description of benefits in job postings.

In New Jersey divorce proceedings, the Case Information Statement (CIS) is a central and crucial document that provides a detailed snapshot of the financial situation of the parties.  Once a divorce complaint is filed, both parties must complete and submit the CIS to help the court understand key aspects of their finances. While completing the CIS can be time-consuming, it is essential to provide accurate and comprehensive information, as it will directly impact the outcome of your divorce and determine how the court will view your case. Below we will guide you through these key sections of the New Jersey link to sample form.

When the interests of homeowners and developers come into conflict, do New Jersey courts typically favor one over the other? While the state’s legislature has passed laws that put restraints on developers, the courts have found reasons over time to loosen those restraints. One recent decision from the NJ Appellate Division provides an example.

As the makeup of the family changes, so too does the law.  In a recent decision by the New Jersey Appellate Division, L.N. v. B.R, A-1141-23 (07/08.24),the Appellate Division reinstated grandparents’ claim that their granddaughter’s father was not entitled to custody or must share custody because the grandparents had become the “psychological parents” of their granddaughter. The child’s mother unexpectedly died during childbirth.    

When you step into an Uber, did you know you are likely giving up your right to go to court if your uber driver injures you in a car accident? So says a recent decision by the Appellate Division of New Jersey.

In today’s political climate, it is very common for people to express their opinions on social media. These conversations no longer take place only at the water cooler. More often, individuals are expressing themselves on social media, either with an original post or with a “like” or other support for another’s political post. But if you supervise others, or own the company, the risk of doing so, even from your personal account, cannot be understated.

If you have children or have reached your 30’s or 40’s, you have probably heard a million times that you need three important legal documents: A will (and maybe a trust), a healthcare directive, and power of attorney. Yet, most people do not have these documents for reasons as different as people are. But the number ONE reason for having these documents is this: YOU choose who controls you and your money when you are sick or dead. Otherwise a court may have to choose after an expensive court process?

In Padilla v. Young, (A-43-22), the Supreme Court of New Jersey, in a 4-3 decision, tossed away centuries of common law and decades of New Jersey decisional law. From now on, a business owner has the duty to keep the public sidewalks that border all of its business property free from defects and hazards that could endanger pedestrians – even if the business property is a vacant lot.