What is required for a defendant who settles with the plaintiff to obtain contribution toward that settlement from another defendant? Can the settlement, itself, furnish the basis for claiming contribution? In New Jersey the answer is: No. A judgment is required to support the contribution claim against another defendant. Why? Because the Joint Tortfeasors Contribution Law (JTCL) says so. Should that law be changed to allow the settlement, itself, to trigger a right to contribution? We think so.