News

Beth Mason criminal trial against MSV postponed by Court

At the request of the court, the Beth Mason criminal trial against MSV set for today in Jersey City Municipal Court is postponed to next week, March 1st.

The trial’s completion set for next Tuesday is dependent on the confirmed availability of defense witnesses. 
The short postponement comes at the request of the court. Confirmation of the Tuesday, March 1st date in the Jersey City trial will follow.
Related: Last month, Grafix Avenger published a feature piece on New Jersey law and penalties for perjury. That story is available at the link: Perjury Penalties in the State of New Jersey
Talking Ed Note: Hoboken’s Dana Wefer is featured as a guest writer in the prestigious New Jersey Law Journal with an authored article on SLAPP-suits.
The article: “SLAPPing Back: Responding to Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation” highlights where NJ sits nationally in the legislative process of protecting speech against frivolous lawsuits. 26 states have passed anti-SLAPP laws and proposed NJ legislation moved from the NJ Assembly but is stalled in the State Senate.
Featured in the article is the infamous Hoboken SLAPP-suit of Lane Bajardi and Kimberly Cardinal Bajardi publicly supported by Beth Mason.  From the article:
The article also highlights where NJ currently sits in the climate nationally to stop SLAPP-suits:
New Jersey does not have a SLAPP-back statute, although a bill which would allow an early motion to dismiss has been in legislative committees since 2014. Instead, SLAPP victims in New Jersey have two potential ways to be made whole: 1) they may win attorney fees pursuant to the frivolous litigation statute; or 2) after prevailing in the underlying litigation, they may bring a malicious use of process claim. 
Wefer currently serves as the Chair on the Hoboken Housing Authority and ran on the reform ticket last fall as a council candidate in the three way race with Tim Occhipinti in the fourth ward won by Ruben Ramos.

She is the principal of the Law Office of Dana Wefer in Englewood Cliffs. She is a litigator with experience that includes complex business law, labor and employment issues and constitutional law.

Wefer may be reached at dwefer@weferlawoffices.com

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