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Bill

A 1340

Requires Administrative Office of the Courts to collect and publish statistical information about consumer debt lawsuits.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Dan Hutchison and 1 co-sponsor

The bill requires the AOC to annually publish statewide and county data on consumer debt lawsuits, including filings, pendings, attorney representation, judgments, and dispositions

Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Commerce Committee
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Bill Summary · A 1340

Summary of Bill A 1340 (Session 222) – New Jersey

Purpose and intent

  • Requires the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to collect and publicly report statistical information specific to consumer debt lawsuits.
  • Aims to provide annual, transparent data to the Governor and Legislature, and to inform court personnel, policymakers, advocates, and the public about the scope and characteristics of consumer debt litigation.
  • Aligns New Jersey reporting with benchmarks from the National Center for Access to Justice (NCAJ) and the Fordham University School of Law’s March 2024 report “The Consumer Debt Litigation Index.”

Key provisions and changes

  • Definitions:
    • “Consumer debt lawsuit” includes civil actions in the Superior Court enforcing a consumer credit contract or to collect a medical debt.
  • Data collection and reporting (new requirements for AOC):
    • Annual statewide and county-level statistics on:
    • Number of new consumer debt lawsuits filed, by court division (Law Division, Special Civil Part, Small Claims Section of the Special Civil Part).
    • Number of consumer debt lawsuits pending for three months or more.
    • Number of consumer debt lawsuits where the defendant has attorney representation.
    • Number of consumer debt judgments granted, including default judgments.
    • Number of consumer debt dispositions other than judgments (e.g., settlements, dismissals).
    • Any other relevant statistics related to consumer debt lawsuits as the AOC deems appropriate.
  • Publication and dissemination:
    • The statistics must be publicly reported annually to the Governor and to the Legislature.
  • Effective date:
    • Takes effect on the first day of the fourth month after enactment; AOC may implement sooner if necessary to ensure timely rollout.

Who/what is affected

  • AOC is the primary agency responsible for data collection and public reporting.
  • Statewide and county-level data on consumer debt lawsuits will be collected and disclosed.
  • Stakeholders include lawmakers, court personnel, legal advocates, researchers, and members of the public interested in consumer debt litigation trends.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The bill passed the Assembly by a wide vote and moved to the Senate for consideration.
  • Enactment triggers annual reporting cadence to the Governor and Legislature.
  • AOC is authorized to begin preparations in advance to ensure timely implementation.

Potential impact

  • Increases transparency around consumer debt litigation, enabling better understanding of:
    • Trends in filing and disposition
    • The prevalence of attorney representation
    • The rate of default judgments
    • The duration and backlog of cases
  • Provides data-driven insight to assess policy impacts, access to justice, and potential reforms in the handling of consumer debt disputes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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