On Notice: Changes for Legal Notices as Print News Nears End

Municipalities and their lawyers will soon find themselves in a bind when state laws that require them to publish legal notices in print newspapers are no longer possible to comply with as several leading print newspapers are moving to online-only.

A new lawsuit filed by Warren County on November 18, 2024 is asking a New Jersey judge to rule that newspapers available exclusively online, and not in print, can meet the current legal requirements for notice. State laws require municipalities and others to publish notices to the public in print newspapers about everything from public meetings to proposals for contract awards, and other matters impacting the regularly conducted business of a municipal agency and its corresponding divisions. The law requires notices to be printed in the “official newspaper” of a political subdivision that is printed and published in English.

But those requirements have run smack into the recent announcement by the Star-Ledger that it will stop publishing its print newspaper on February 2, 2025and go fully digital. The Jersey Journal, The Trenton Times, the South Jersey Times and The Hunterdon County Democrat will similarly cease print operations in February.

Lawyers should keep a close eye on the Warren County case because a ruling by the court or action by lawmakers to update the law will impact practitioners who represent public entities, land use attorneys and others who rely on the regular publication of legal notices.

As the lawsuit is pending in court, New Jersey lawmakers are scrambling to update the existing law to allow notices to be published in online-only publications. But so far, no legislation has been proposed.

For more information how to stay compliant, please contact Lawrence Bluestone, Esq., firm Partner and Complex Commercial Litigation specialist, via email here or call 973.533.0777.