Read NJLRA's op-ed in the Star-Ledger to find out

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Judge David Rand rejected the plaintiff’s effort to hold the text sender liable.   “Were I to extend a duty of care [to the text sender] in this case, in my judgment any form of distraction could potentially serve as a basis of liability,” he said.

It was a horrible accident: the Morris County teenager, tinkering with unimportant texts while behind the wheel, struck a motorcycle ridden by a couple. They were severely injured and each had a leg amputated. They've described it as being in prison, and their lives will never be the same.

But the couple's attorney has filed a lawsuit against not just the teenager - but the person he was conversing with via text at the time of the accident.

If enacted, plaintiffs and defendants would be able to appeal class action certification immediately. 

4/20/12- Even in the best of times, small business owners' days are long and downtime scarce. Time spent away from one's business often requires a trade off in commerce. And keeping up with the ever-changing rules, regulations, and requirements can be a job in itself.

Too often, small business owners say that they don't vote in "off year" elections for the state legislature because they're not as important as Presidential elections.

4/26/12- As noted in your editorial, "Look for savings in New Jersey anti-bullying law," (April 3), the state's anti-bullying law for schools continues to be an underfunded mandate, despite the bipartisan efforts of Gov. Chris Christie and the Legislature.

In addition to stretching valuable resources to train staff, the law has so many bureaucratic nuances that lawsuits are all but assured. Taxpayers and school districts will have to bear these costs as well, and with a multi-million-dollar settlement already granted in a North Jersey school district, the stage is set for a lot of litigation at a high cost to everyone involved.

4/4/12 - If you are a New Jersey resident, there is a good chance that you know someone who is employed by one of the 24 pharmaceutical and medical technology companies which have crowned us the nation's medicine chest. Some 51,000 residents earn their livelihood at one of these entities, which produce everything from life-saving drugs to baby shampoo. Another 70,000 New Jersey residents collect paychecks from the industry through service contracts.

3/19/12 - It's not the president, but those in the levels of government closest to the people - the mayor, town council and state senators and Assembly members - who decide the best use for the empty lot across the street from one's business, vet factors that affect the small-business owners' liability insurance rates and determine how long trash will remain near a storefront.