This is a select list of cases decided by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Case nameCitationsSummaryHolmes v. Walton(1780)First instance of judicial review by an American courtHedgepeth and Williams v. Board of Education131 N.J.L. 153, 35 A.2d 622 (1944)Racial segregation in schools found to be in violation of the state constitutionHenningsen v. Bloomfield Motors, Inc.32 N.J. 358, 161 A.2d 69 (1960)Implied warranty of merchantability for a motor vehicle not negatable by dealerState v. Driver38 N.J. 255, 183 A.2d 655 (1962)Defendant's refusal to take polygraph test inadmissible in criminal trials; Audio recordings admissible under certain standards Southern Burlington Country N.A.A.C.P. v. Mt. Laurel Tp. 67 N.J. 151, 336 A.2d 713 (1975)Municipalities prohibited by the state constitution from excluding low and moderate income families through zoningIn re Quinlan70 N.J. 10, 355 A.2d 647 (1976)Termination of life support for persons in a vegetative state allowed New Jersey Board of Higher Education v. Shelton College90 N.J. 470, 448 A.2d 988 (1982)Requirement that religious colleges be licensed in order to grant baccalaureate degrees not a violation of the First Amendment or the state constitutionState v. Kelly97 N.J. 178, 478 A.2d 364 (1984)Expert testimony on battered woman syndrome admissible to establish self-defense in a murder caseNicosia v. Wakefern Food Corp.136 N.J. 401, 643 A.2d 554 (1994)Contents of an employee manual may create an implied contract of employment absent a prominent disclaimerDesilets v. Clearview Regional Board of Education137 N.J. 585, 647 A.2d 150 (1994)Publications in extracurricular school newspapers cannot be excluded unless in violation of specific school policy under the First Amendment Blakey v. Continental Airlines, Inc.164 N.J. 38, 751 A.2d 538 (2000)Defamatory posts made by co-employees over an employer-provided internet messaging board qualifies as workplace harassmentPasqua v. Council186 N.J. 127, 892 A.2d 663 (2006)Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the due process guarantee of the state constitution entitle indigent parents to assignment of counsel when facing incarceration for failure to pay child supportLewis v. Harris188 N.J. 415, 908 A.2d 196 (2006)Legislative recognition of same-sex marriage or civil unions carrying the same rights and benefits as opposite-sex marriage required under state constitutionState v. Reid194 N.J. 386, 954 A.2d 503 (2008)State constitution protects an individual's subscriber information provided to their internet service provider against unreasonable searches or seizuresStengart v. Loving Care Agency, Inc.201 N.J. 300, 990 A.2d 650 (2010)Under state common law, employers may not obtain privileged communications between an employee and their attorney made on a company-owned computer
References Supreme Court of New Jersey Decisions, Justia, retrieved October 5, 2026.
Further reading New Jersey Supreme Court Virtual Museum, Notable Cases. https://www.njcourts.gov/public/museum/notable-cases
External links New Jersey Supreme Court's website – contains recent decisions, oral argument transcripts, and argument schedule