Bruce S. Rosen Obtains Reversal of 2024 Uniform Public Expression Protection Act Ruling

Bruce S. Rosen, partner at Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C., recently obtained a reversal of a trial court's finding that a complaint to a prosecutors' office was not a matter of public concern and remanded the case to the trial court. A different judge is now handling the case to decide the remaining issues.

The New Jersey Appellate Division ruled that certain statements made to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office in Surdoval v. Surdoval may qualify as matters of public concern under the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, reversing a lower court’s decision and allowing that portion of the defamation case to proceed under the statute. The court also remanded the case for further analysis of other alleged statements. The ruling helped affirm that under the anti-SLAPP law, complaints to public agencies are matters of public concern and even if only part of the complaint was at issue, an anti-SLAPP action may proceed.

“This complaint was meant to stop our clients from petitioning law enforcement for an investigation, their right and a matter of public concern. It is important that the Court ruled that such approaches to law enforcement are protected by the anti-SLAPP law,” said Rosen.

To read the full article in the New Jersey Law Journal, click here.