Bill > A5618

This bill requires the Administrative Director of the Courts to collect and publicly report detailed statistical information about consumer debt lawsuits in New Jersey. Specifically, the bill defines a "consumer debt lawsuit" as a civil action in the Superior Court seeking to enforce a consumer credit contract or collect medical debt. The Administrative Office of the Courts must compile and report annual statewide and county-level statistics, including the number of new consumer debt lawsuits filed (across different court divisions), the number of pending lawsuits that have been ongoing for three months or more, the number of cases where defendants have legal representation, the number of judgments granted (including default judgments), and the number of lawsuit dispositions other than judgments. The Administrative Director may also include additional relevant statistics. These statistics must be reported annually to the Governor and the Legislature. The bill originally proposed consulting with the Division of Consumer Affairs in this process, but that requirement was removed. The act will take effect on the first day of the fourth month following its enactment, with provisions allowing the Administrative Director to take preparatory actions in advance.

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https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/A5618