NJSBA HQ NJSBA headquarters, New Brunswick, NJ. Credit: Google

Common mistakes to avoid and tips to help process cases in the Appellate Division

Commonsense tactics like reading notices sent from the courts and paying close attention to details can make a big difference in having a case move smoothly in the state Appellate Division.

At a recent New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) Appellate Practice Committee meeting, staff from the Appellate Division pulled back the curtain, sharing insights on how the division operates. The speakers, which included case managers, calendaring and final disposition unit representatives, staff attorneys and judges, focused on common mistakes to avoid and actions to take to help move case processing along.

"We deal with several thousand appeals as a court each year and every week we're very busy writing opinions on cases that we've already considered and on upcoming cases. It's very useful to have things organized in a way that's in compliance with the rules so we don't spin our wheels chasing down where on earth did the ruling that's being appealed show up somewhere in those 15 transcripts," said Judge Jack Sabatino, who presides in the Superior Court Appellate Division.