COVID-19: Compilation of NJ Court Orders, Directives & Notices

• 6/4/21 - Notice to the Bar and Public - COVID-19 – Next Phase of Court Operations: (1) Continued Increase in On-Site Presence of Judges and Employees; (2) Expanded Capacity for In-Person Court Events; and (3) Continuation of Certain Proceedings Remotely
  
  
• 6/3/21 - Notice and Order – Landlord Tenant – Resumption of Commercial Landlord Tenant Trials
  
  
• 5/19/21 - Notice to the Bar – COVID-19 – Criminal and Civil Jury Trials – Public Information and Guidance Pursuant to the Supreme Court’s May 11, 2021 Order
  
  
• 5/14/21 - Order – COVID-19 – Conclusion of General Suspension of Depositions and Appearances for Health Care Professionals Involved in Responding to the Public Health Emergency
  
  
• 5/7/21 - Notice – Court Operations and Public Access: (1) Increased On-Site Presence in State Court Locations; and (2) Remote and In-Person Access to Virtual and In-Person Court Events
  
  
• 4/12/21 - Notice to the Bar - COVID-19 – Extension of Post-Indictment Excludable Time; Delay in Resumption of In-Person Jury Trials
  
  
• 3/24/21 - Notice to the Bar - COVID–19 – Eleventh COVID-19 Omnibus Order
  
  
• 3/5/21 - Notice to the Bar - COVID-19 – Summoning of Jurors for Possible In-Person Jury Trials on or After May 17, 2021
  
  
• 2/25/21 - Notice to the Bar – COVID-19 – Health and Safety Precautions in Municipal Courts
  
  
• 2/25/21 - Notice to the Bar – COVID-19 – Reminders: (1) Health and Safety Precautions in State Court Facilities; and (2) Availability of Courthouse Technology Rooms to Facilitate Remote Participation in Court Events
  
  
• 2/24/21 - Directive #06-21 - COVID-19 – Protocol for Matters that Cannot Proceed in a Remote Format Without Consent – In Furtherance of the Supreme Court’s Orders Dated April 20, 2020 and February 22, 2021
  
  
• 2/24/21 - Notice to the Bar - COVID-19 – Refinement of Court Matters That Can Proceed Remotely: Supreme Court’s February 22, 2021 Order and Administrative Directive # 06-21
  
  
• 2/18/21 - Notice and Order – COVID-19 - Tenth COVID-19 Omnibus Order on Court Operations and Legal Practice
  
  
• 2/8/21 - Notice to the Bar – COVID-19 – Resumption of Issuance of Writs of Possession in Commercial Foreclosures
  
  
• 2/8/21 - Notice and Order - COVID-19 – Landlord/Tenant – Application for a Commercial Landlord/Tenant Trial in Certain Circumstances
  
  
• 2/3/21 - Notice and Order – Virtual Civil Jury Trials – Amending Two Provisions of the Supreme Court’s January 7 Authorizing Order
  
  
• 12/29/20 - Notice to the Bar - COVID-19 – Elimination of Emergent Filing Mailboxes; Affirmation of Requirement to File in eCourts or in Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) System
  
  
• 12/9/20 - Notice and Order - COVID-19 – Healthcare Professionals Involved in Pandemic Response Not Required to Submit to Depositions or Appear for Court Event
  
  
• 12/1/20 - Order - Further Amendments to the Omnibus Order Designating Municipal Court Judges Authorized to Handle Civil Commitment Hearings Act Compliance Certifications
  
  
• 11/23/20 - Supplement to Directive #20-20 - Special Civil Part - Landlord/Tenant Matters During COVID-19 – CARES Act Compliance Certifications
  
  
• 11/20/20 - Notice and Order – COVID-19 – Family – Consent Not Required for Family Quasi-Criminal (FO) Matters to Proceed Remotely
  
  
• 11/18/20 - COVID-19 – Continuation of “Remote First” Court Operations with Limited In-Person Events and Services
  
  
• 11/16/20 - Notice and Order - COVID-19 – Suspension of New In-Person Jury Trials and In-Person Grand Jury Sessions: Revised End-Dates for Excludable Time
  
  
• 11/12/20 - Notice to the Bar - COVID-19 – Adoption of New Rule 3:4-7 (“Pre-indictment Hearing”)
  
  
• 10/21/20 - Election Day Court Hearings for the November 3, 2020. General Election – Statewide Procedures and Protocols
  
  
• 10/15/20 - COVID-19 – Cash Payments for Child Support – Limited Reopening of Vicinage Finance Windows
  
  
• 10/13/20 - Notice and Order – Landlord/Tenant – Attorneys Permitted to Participate in Pretrial Settlement Conferences as Part of Limited Representation – Relaxation of Rule 1:11-2(c)
  
  
• 10/8/20 - Notice to the Bar – COVID-19 – Ninth Omnibus Order on Court Operations and Legal Practice – Expanding Grand Juries; Excludable Time; Relaxing Pre-Indictment Discovery; Provisional New Pre-Indictment Hearing
  
  
• 9/23/20 - Notice to the Bar and Public – COVID-19 – Update on Court Operations During “Phase 2.5” of the Supreme Court’s Post-Pandemic Plan
  
  
• 9/23/20 - Notice to the Bar and Public – COVID-19 – Additional Guidance on the Requirements to Wear Face Mask in Court Facilities
  
  
• 9/18/20 - Notice to the Bar – COVID-19 Eighth Omnibus Order on Court Operations and Legal Practice
  
  
• 9/18/20 - Notice & Order – COVID-19 – First New Jury Trials – Additional Information on Statewide Schedule, Selection of Cases, and Options for Virtual Selection
  
  
• 9/14/20 - COVID-19 – Update on Resumption of Criminal and Civil Jury Trials: Next Steps
  
  
• 9/11/20 - Notice to the Bar – COVID-19 – Protocols for Sidebar Communications and Confidential Attorney-Client Communications During In-person Court Events
  
  
• 8/14/20 - Notice – Revised Instructions for Submitting SASPA Protective Order Application During COVID-19
  
  
• 8/12/20 - Notice – COVID-19 – Update on Court Operations During Phase 2 of the Supreme Court's Post-Pandemic Plan
  
  
• 8/4/20 - Notice to the Bar and Public – COVID-19 – Statewide Policy Regarding COVID-19 Exposure Risks in Judiciary Facilities
  
  
• 7/29/20 - Directive #20-20 – Special Civil Part – Landlord/Tenant Matters During COVID-19
  
  
• 7/29/20 - Directive #19-20 – Family – Domestic Violence Temporary Restraining Orders – Procedure for Taking Applications Remotely
  
  
• 7/27/20 - Notice to the Bar – COVID-19 – Seventh Omnibus Order on Court Operations and Legal Practice – Concluding Certain General Extensions; Continuing Individualized Adjustments
  
  
• 7/22/20 - Notice to the Bar – COVID-19 – Criminal and Civil Jury Trials to Resume Incrementally Using a Hybrid Process with Virtual (Video) Jury Selection and Socially Distanced In-Person Trials
  
  
• 7/15/20 - Notice to the Bar – Procedures for Writs and Warrants of Removal that have Expired During the COVID-19 Pandemic
  
  
• 7/15/20 - Notice to the Bar – COVID-19 – Landlord/Tenant – Amendment of Landlord/Tenant Summons and Complaint Forms; Interim Rule Relaxations; and Authorization to Apply for Order to Show Cause in an Emergency
  
  
• 7/13/20 - Notice to the Bar – Supplement to Directive #01-15 (“Special Civil Part Officers”) – COVID-19 Protocols for Special Civil Part Officers
  
  
• 7/13/20 - Notice to the Bar – COVID–19 Sixth Omnibus Order on Court Operations and Legal Practice
  
  
• 6/26/20 - Notice to the Bar – COVID–19 Fifth Omnibus Order on Court Operations and Legal Practice
  
  
• 6/22/20 - Addendum to Directive #1-17 – COVID-19 Pandemic-Affirmation and Expansion of the New Jersey
  
  
• 6/12/20 - Notice and Order – COVID-19 – Fourth Omnibus Order on Court Operations and Legal Practice
  
  
• 6/10/20 - COVID-19 – New Jersey Courts Post-Pandemic Plan Transition from Phase 1 (Remote Operations) to Phase 2 (Limited Onsite Presence and In-Person Court Events)
  
  
• 6/10/20 - COVID-19 – All Persons In Judiciary Facilities for Judiciary Business Required to Wear Masks or Face Coverings and Maintain Social Distancing
  
  
• 6/8/20 - Directive #18-20 Family – Entry of Default and Uncontested Dissolution Judgments Without Personal Appearances (divorce on the papers)
  
  
• 5/29/20 - COVID-19 – Third Omnibus Order on Court Operations and Legal Practice
  
  
• 5/22/20 - Directive #17-20 - Criminal and Family – Co-Occurring Orders Involving No-Contact Release Conditions and Domestic Violence or Custody Matters
  
  
• 5/18/20 - Notice and Order – Clarification of Four Provisions of the Court’s Second Omnibus Order Regarding Court Operations During the COVID-19 Crisis
  
  
• 5/11/20 - Notice and Order – COVID-19 – Electronic Filing in eCourts and the Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) System – Attorneys Required to File in eCourts Where Available
  
  
• 5/6/20 - COVID-19-ATTORNEYS LICENSED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS TEMPORARILY PERMITTED TO PROVIDE PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES TO NEW JERSEY INDIVIDUALS AND SMALL BUSINESSES
  
  
• 4/28/20 - Public Access to Court Events During COVID-19 — Directives #11-20 and #12-20
  
  
• 4/27/20 - Directive #11-20 — Supreme Court Guidelines on Media Access and Electronic Devices in the Courts
  
  
• 4/27/20 - Directive #12-20 — Principles and Protocols for Virtual Court Operations During the COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic – (1) Methods of Conducting Remote Court Events; (2) Access to the Public Record; and (3) Posting of Events Guidance
  
  
• 4/24/20 - Notice and Order — COVID-19 — Second Omnibus Order on Court Operations and Legal Practice – More Operations To Be Conducted Remotely; Limited Discovery Extensions and Tolling Periods
  
  
• 4/22/20 - Notice — Family Division - COVID-19 — Conducting Matrimonial Early Settlement Panels (MESPs) by Telephone or Video — Updated Instructions and Guidance
  
  
• 4/22/20 - Notice — Tax Court – Attorneys Required to Use JEDS (Judiciary Electronic Document Submission) System for Complaints in State Tax Appeals
  
  
• 4/20/20 - Notice and Order — Continuation of Remote Court Proceedings; Public Access; Sentencing
  
  
• 4/17/20 - Notice — Civil Arbitration — COVID-19 — Conducting Arbitration by Video or Telephone
  
  
• 4/15/20 - Notice — Deadline Extensions and Tolling Periods in the Appellate Division Related to COVID-19
  
  
• 4/9/20 - Order — COVID-19 — Permitting Electronic Service by Email on the State of New Jersey — Relaxation of Rule 4:4-4(a)(7)
  
  
• 4/9/20 - Notice and Order — Relaxation of Rule 4:86 Regarding Guardianship of Incapacitated Adults During the COVID-19 Crisis
  
  
• 4/9/20 - Notice — Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) System
  
  
• 4/3/20 - Notice — Sexual Assault Survivor Protection Act of 2015 (SASPA) — Procedure for Obtaining a Temporary Protective Order — Modified to Address COVID-19 – Application Packet
  
  
• 3/31/20 - Notice — COVID-19 — Family Division – (1) Conducting Matrimonial Early Settlement Panels (MESPs) by Telephone or Video; (2) Temporary Suspension of Domestic Violence Economic Mediation (DVEM) Program
  
  
• 3/29/20 - Notice — COVID-19 Coronavirus — Supreme Court’s March 27, 2020 Omnibus Order Continuing the Suspension of Court Proceedings and Extending Deadlines and Timeframes through April 26, 2020
  
  
• 3/27/20 - Omnibus Order on COVID-19 Issues
  
  
• 3/25/20 - Order — Rule Relaxation Regarding “Courtesy Copies” of Civil Motion Papers During the COVID-19 Public Health Crisis
  
  
• 3/25/20 - Order — Suspending Depositions and Appearances of Medical Professionals Involved in Addressing COVID-19
  
  
• 3/25/20 - Notice and Order — Emergent Applications During the COVID-19 Crisis – Webpage; New Vicinage Email Mailboxes for Attorneys and Litigants
  
  
• 3/19/20 - Order — Measures Relating to Civil Arbitration and Matrimonial Early Settlement Panel Sessions to Address COVID-19 Concerns
  
  
• 3/17/20 - Order — Adjourning Civil Commitment Initial Hearings — Adult and Juvenile — COVID-19 Coronavirus
  
  
• 3/17/20 - Order — (a) Permitting the Extension of Civil and Family (Dissolution) Discovery Deadlines and (b) Tolling Filing Deadlines through March 27 for All Matters
  
  
• 3/17/20 - Order — Relaxation of Rules on Municipal Court Plea by Mail to Temporarily Remove the Requirement of Showing an Undue Hardship