New Jersey Supreme Court Announces Latest Action Plan for Equal Justice

The New Jersey Supreme Court has issued the fifth installment of its annual Action Plan for Ensuring Equal Justice, announcing three new initiatives that seek to eliminate barriers to equitable justice for people of color and other historically marginalized groups.  

The plan announces the Court’s intention to:

• reduce fines and penalties for those who successfully graduate from Recovery Court or participate in other substance abuse treatment, educational, or vocational services programs.
• provide updated information on the Judiciary website on municipal affordable housing obligations and the status of matters referred to the Affordable Housing Dispute Resolution Program. 
• strengthen opportunities for settlement in medical debt collection cases to avoid consequences that can be especially devastating for people experiencing poverty.   

The plan, available at njcourts.gov, also documents the progress achieved in the nine areas announced in the 2023 Action Plan. The Court issued its first Action Plan in 2020.