Chapter 2, PART 1: The Court System

Dec 2

As we begin Season 2 of the Socially Distant Lawyer, we are forced (yet again) to remind ourselves that we have been asked by the Judiciary in New Jersey not to be too critical. Your SDL will heed these instructions… even though it can be somewhat difficult (at times).

Recently, the Supreme Court of New Jersey put out a press release that was supposed to provide a “framework” for future in-person and remote court proceedings. Your SDL assumed that we would see clear guidance on what a real re-opening of the New Jersey Court System could look like after so much time. Very exciting news, indeed. You can read the press release here.

Instead, prepare for disappointment. For starters, there is no mention of in-person civil jury trials at all in the press release. There are references to criminal jury trials but nothing about civil. Apparently, they are still very much on hold (unless they are simple cases). Going forward, it is up to the individual judges to decide what proceedings will be remote and/or in-person which is, at best, inconsistent and confusing (respectfully, of course).

At the end, the court takes a bit of bow for claiming that remote proceedings have reduced requests for adjournments and scheduling conflicts. This is a hard notion to understand. The court has been adjourning trials on its own (without the need for a request) and my schedule is still conflicted (as am I about this new “framework”).

While remote court proceedings are certainly here to stay (and should be), we are still a long, long way away from whatever “normal” used to be or may turn out to be in future. ss. Wash up and sanitize and see you in September. Stay well.

Christopher Fusco

Mr. Fusco has been a founding partner of the Firm since 2001. Mr. Fusco is also the Firm’s Managing Partner. Mr. Fusco's practice concentrates on the defense of the Firm's clients in commercial, construction, insurance, transportation, general liability, public entity, constitutional law, and high-profile tort litigation. He has completed major jury trials including negligence cases, NY Labor Law lawsuits, and alleged police misconduct constitutional law claims.

Prior to being the Firm’s Managing Partner, from 1992 through 1996, Mr. Fusco was an Assistant District Attorney with the Kings County District Attorneys Office in Brooklyn, New York. As a Senior Trial Attorney, he was responsible for managing major felony cases. He completed over fifty jury trials including cases involving murder, armed robbery, and undercover investigations. He was assigned high-profile cases with special victims. Mr. Fusco also drafted and successfully argued People's Appeals before the Appellate Division.

From December 1996 to September 1998, Mr. Fusco was an associate in the New York City firm of Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker where he specialized in complex construction, commercial, labor, insurance coverage, professional liability, employment, civil rights and personal injury litigation in both federal and state courts. Mr. Fusco completed jury trials involving negligence and construction cases. Mr. Fusco was also responsible for handling corporate and construction-related contractual and lien law disputes.

From September 1998 to October 2001, Mr. Fusco was a partner in the firm of Wright & Fusco, LLC where he successfully defended mass toxic tort actions filed against major chemical and asbestos manufacturers. In addition, Mr. Fusco was responsible for managing the firm's insurance defense and transportation clients.

https://www.callahanfusco.com/christopher-g-fusco

Chapter 2, PART 1: The Court System

Ch. 2, PART 2: There Are Twenty-Four Letters in the Greek Alphabet

PART 18: TO MASK OR NOT TO MASK, THAT IS THE AWKWARD QUESTION. AND HAPPY SUMMER