SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1578

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JANUARY 14, 1997

      The Senate Judiciary Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 1578.

      The "Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act" deals with the enforcement in New Jersey of judgments, decrees or orders of federal and other state courts. S-1578 would adopt the practices used in federal courts for the inter-district enforcement of federal district courts judgments.

      Since it was promulgated by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and the American Bar Association, forty-two states have enacted this uniform act.

      The committee adopted amendments that are intended to help New Jersey courts identify those cases in which foreign judgments are not properly enforceable in this State. Under the bill, New Jersey courts would not enforce a judgment where an appeal is pending in the court of origin or where that court has granted a stay of execution. The intent of the amendment is to give the court the information necessary to ascertain the legal status of the underlying foreign judgment.