Stuart M. Lederman and James L. Lott, Jr. were tapped by Law360 to provide insight on 2015 decisions of the New Jersey Supreme Court and the Appellate Division at the half-way mark.
Stuart commented on the impact of Burgos v. State of New Jersey, a Supreme Court decision finding that Gov. Christie's $1.57 billion cut in pension funding did not violate a 2011 law providing public workers with a contractual right to State pension contributions. Stuart noted, "The decision reinforces that multiyear spending commitments could require a public referendum to pass constitutional muster and has the potential to influence how policymakers address problems such as funding for transportation infrastructure."
Jim addressed the Supreme Court's recent unanimous decision concerning the Council on Affordable Housing, finding that municipalities are no longer shielded from affordable housing suits. In the article, Jim was quoted as saying, "The decision resolves the state's 15-year failure to adopt valid affordable housing rules, but the path going forward is pocked with unknowns." He went on to say, "There's not a lot of clarity, for municipalities particularly."
For the complete article, please go to Law360.