Over the years, New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act has been amended by the legislature and expanded by the courts into an enormous and unwieldy piece of legislation. In fact, there are multiple bills in the New Jersey Legislature that would expand the CFA to cover even more situations:

 

  • A308/S2203 – Prohibits escrow agent evaluation services from charging escrow agents fees.
  • A628 – Requires printers to display average cost per 1,000 printed pages and ink cartridges to display yield.
  • A651/S2113 – Concerns credit card interchange fees and consumer protection.
  • A1364/S386 – “Consumer Protection Act of 2012.”
  • A1977 – Includes payday lending as a violation of the Consumer Fraud act.
  • A2505 – Regulates sale of olive oil.
  • A2793 – Includes certain deceptive practices in the advertising of floral or ornamental products or services as a violation of the Consumer Fraud act.
  • A3519– Requires manufacture date of tires be posted at point of sale; requires information concerning used tires over 10 years old be provided at point of sale.
  • A3599 – Requires printed advertisements to bear the word “advertisement.”
  • A3646 – Limits overlimit fee assessed by issuer of credit or debit cards.
  • A3648 – Prohibits fees for certain bill payments.
  • S1879 – Regulates placement of charges for products or services on telephone bills.
  • S1517 – Regulates sale of certain bicycles with quick release wheels.

 

NJCJI opposes expanding the CFA to allow additional lawsuits to be filed under its auspices. The judicial system is well suited for settling disputes between parties; it is not well suited to establishing and enforcing standards for businesses.

 

On October 2, NJCJI and the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) are co-hosting an event to further explore this topic featuring Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Commissioner Joshua Wright; Emory University School of Law professor Joanna Shepherd; and New Jersey attorneys Gavin Rooney of Lowenstein and William J. Pinilis of Pinilis Hapern, who have experience pursuing and defending CFA claims in New Jersey.

 

Panelists will provide their thoughts on the evolution of the CFA, its current effectiveness, and what reforms, if any, they would like to see in this area of law. Former federal district judge Dennis Cavanaugh, who is now of counsel at McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP, will moderate the discussion.

 

This event is free and open to the public. Click here to register or call 609-392-6557.