A federal judge in Newark has entered judgment for New Jersey in a civil suit brought on behalf of plaintiffs who were caught in traffic jams brought on by the September 2013 George Washington Bridge access lane closures.

The state was granted judgment on the pleadings on a civil conspiracy claim that was based on a theory of respondeat superior in Galicki v. State of New Jersey. The plaintiffs filed no answer to the state's motion. The suit alleged that state employees acted in concert to engage in misconduct that injured the plaintiffs.

Chief U.S. Judge Jose Linares granted the state's motion for a judgment on the pleadings. He agreed with the state's assertion that it cannot be held vicariously liable on a conspiracy claim based on alleged willful misconduct of state employees because the Tort Claims Act bars the state from being found liable for employees' intentional misconduct. The Tort Claims Act applies to both negligent and intentional torts, Linares said.