At its January meeting, the New Jersey State Bar Association's (NJSBA) governing body took action on a range of topics, including proposed rule changes to ensure the protection of incapacitated adults. The Board of Trustees also was briefed on how to stay safe amid cybersecurity threats.

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Rule changes to protect incapacitated adults

The board agreed to submit comments on proposed rule changes to ensure the protection of incapacitated adults from the risks of potential abuse, neglect and financial exploitation by guardians.

The NJSBA lauded the proposed changes to Rule 4:86 but expressed concerns that the certification and fingerprinting requirements could have a disproportional impact on individuals with lower incomes. Further, the NJSBA said the requirement to disclose all civil and criminal judgments is overly broad and could result in proposed guardians having to provide information that is not germane to a determination about their qualifications.