Bill > A552

This bill allows a commercial farmer, referred to as a "respondent," who successfully defends against a complaint under the "Right to Farm Act" to recover their reasonable legal expenses, including attorney fees, from the person who filed the complaint, known as the "complainant." This recovery is permitted if the complaint is determined to have been filed in bad faith, meaning it was brought without a legitimate basis or with malicious intent. The "Right to Farm Act" is a New Jersey law designed to protect commercial agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits. The bill outlines a process where the farmer must apply to the county board or committee, detailing their costs, and if bad faith is found, the board will determine the reasonableness of those costs and order the complainant to pay them.