Opinion
089292
09-27-2024
JERSEY CITY UNITED AGAINST THE NEW WARD MAP, Downtown Coalition of Neighborhood Associations, Greenville Neighborhood Alliance, Friends of Berry Lane Park, Riverview Neighborhood Association, Pershing Field Neighborhood Association, Sgt. Anthony Neighborhood Assoc., Gardner Avenue Block Association, Lincoln Park Neighborhood Watch, Morris Canal Redevelopment CDC, Harmon Street Block Association, Crescent Avenue Block Association, Democratic Political Alliance, and Frank E. Gilmore, in his individual and official capacity as Ward F Councilman, Plaintiffs, v. JERSEY CITY WARD COMMISSION and John Minella, in his official capacity as Chair of the Commission, Defendants. James Calderon, Plaintiff-Petitioner, v. City of Jersey City Ward Commission, John Minella, Chairman, Sean J. Gallagher, Secretary, and Commissioners Daniel E. Beckelman, Paul Castelli, Janet Larwa, and Daniel Miqueli, Defendants-Respondents.
A petition for certification of the judgment in A-0356/0560-22 having been submitted to this Court, and the Court having considered the same;
It is ORDERED that the petition for certification is granted, limited to the issues concerning the interpretation of the "compactness" requirement of the Municipal Ward Law; the challenge under the Equal Protection Clause of the New Jersey Constitution; and the dismissal of the claim brought under the Civil Rights Act. Certification is denied as to all other issues; and it is further
ORDERED that further proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with the following expedited, peremptory schedule: any entity seeking to participate as amicus curiae shall serve and file its motion for leave to appear as amicus curiae, together with its proposed amicus curiae brief on the merits, on or before November 12, 2024. The parties may serve and file answers to any motions for leave to participate, together with responses to the amicus curiae briefs on the merits, on or before December 4, 2024. No further submissions shall be accepted without leave of Court. The parties, and any amicus curiae entities who are granted leave to participate, shall appear for oral argument on a date and time to be scheduled by the Clerk of Court.