Report on Consumer Harm Ruling

Edward Fanning is quoted in Law360’s reporting on the New Jersey Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling finding that litigants who sue under the state’s consumer contracts protection law must show they endured actual harm. “This puts some commonsense, reasonable limits on these suits,” Ed commented, adding that the “aggrieved consumer” language is a key message of the ruling for plaintiffs; “The legislature didn’t just throw it in there for no reason. The ‘aggrieved consumer’ language has real meaning, and that’s really the most important takeaway from this decision.” McCarter’s amicus brief and oral argument submitted on behalf of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association had supported this interpretation of the statute.