Ayers v. Jackson Tp.

• Citation: 106 N.J. 557,525 A.2d 287
• Parties: , 25 ERC 1953, 76 A.L.R.4th 571, 55 USLW 2620, 17 Envtl. L. Rep. 20,858 Robert AYERS and Mae Ayers; Warren J. Adelung, Jr., Cheryl Adelung, and Jill Adelung, by her guardian ad litem, Warren J. Adelung, Jr.; Chris Baralus, Joyce Baralus, and Stella Baralus; John Bortolometti, Martha Bortolometti, and Adam Bortolometti, by his guardian ad litem, John Bortolometti; Carl L. Battaglia, Denise Battaglia, and Sherry Ann and Joseph Peter Battaglia, by their guardian ad litem, Carl L. Battaglia; Theodore R. Beekman and Holly Beekman and Jacqueline and Jeffrey Beekman, by their guardian ad litem, Theodore R. Beekman; Anthony Bender, Marjorie Bender, David Bender, and Scott, James and Steven Bender, by their guardian ad litem, Anthony Bender; Reginald Benesch, Kathleen Benesch, and Kelly and Reggie Benesch, by their guardian ad litem, Reginald Benesch; Bruce R. Bidwell; Daniel Bodnarchuk, Margaret Bodnarchuk, and Matthew Bodnarchuk, by his guardian ad litem, Daniel Bodnarchuk; Anthony Bracco, Jo Ann Bracco, and Lori Ann, Stephanie and Michelle Bracco, by their guardian ad litem, Anthony Bracco; Louis Brandenberg, Patricia Brandenberg, Tami Brandenberg, and Rebecca, Melissa, and Jack Brandenberg, by their guardian ad litem, Louis Brandenberg; Clarence Brownlee, Gayle Brownlee, and Matthew and Adam Brownlee, by their guardian ad litem, Clarence Brownlee; Gary J. Burns; Angelo Christo and Marie Christo; Mildred M. Clayton; James Coburn, Judy Coburn and James, Jr., and Jennifer Coburn, by their guardian ad litem, James Coburn; Richard Cope, Christine Cope and Jason Cope, by his guardian ad litem, Richard Cope; Gerald Cribb and Linda Cribb; Joseph Cristantiello, Yvonne Cristantiello, and Gina, John and Patricia Caroccia, by their guardian ad litem, Joseph Cristantiello; Peter J. Cullari; Teresa Davis and Christina Davis, a/k/a Concetta Francesca Davis, by her guardian ad litem, Teresa Davis; Martin Dean, Bernice Dean, and Jerome, Steven and Robert Harrelson, by their guardian ad l
• Decision Date: 07 May 1987
• Court: United States State Supreme Court (New Jersey)

Page 557

106 N.J. 557

525 A.2d 287, 25 ERC 1953, 76

A.L.R.4th 571, 55 USLW 2620,

17 Envtl. L. Rep. 20,858

Robert AYERS and Mae Ayers; Warren J. Adelung, Jr., Cheryl

Adelung, and Jill Adelung, by her guardian ad litem, Warren

J. Adelung, Jr.; Chris Baralus, Joyce Baralus, and Stella

Baralus; John Bortolometti, Martha Bortolometti, and Adam

Bortolometti, by his guardian ad litem, John Bortolometti;

Carl L. Battaglia, Denise Battaglia, and Sherry Ann and

Joseph Peter Battaglia, by their guardian ad litem, Carl L.

Battaglia; Theodore R. Beekman and Holly Beekman and

Jacqueline and Jeffrey Beekman, by their guardian ad litem,

Theodore R. Beekman; Anthony Bender, Marjorie Bender, David

Bender, and Scott, James and Steven Bender, by their

guardian ad litem, Anthony Bender; Reginald Benesch,

Kathleen Benesch, and Kelly and Reggie Benesch, by their

guardian ad litem, Reginald Benesch; Bruce R. Bidwell;

Daniel Bodnarchuk, Margaret Bodnarchuk, and Matthew

Bodnarchuk, by his guardian ad litem, Daniel Bodnarchuk;

Anthony Bracco, Jo Ann Bracco, and Lori Ann, Stephanie and

Michelle Bracco, by their guardian ad litem, Anthony Bracco;

Louis Brandenberg, Patricia Brandenberg, Tami Brandenberg,

and Rebecca, Melissa, and Jack Brandenberg, by their

guardian ad litem, Louis Brandenberg; Clarence Brownlee,

Gayle Brownlee, and Matthew and Adam Brownlee, by their

guardian ad litem, Clarence Brownlee; Gary J. Burns;

Angelo Christo and Marie Christo; Mildred M. Clayton;

James Coburn, Judy Coburn and James, Jr., and Jennifer

Coburn, by their guardian ad litem, James Coburn; Richard

Cope, Christine Cope and Jason Cope, by his guardian ad

litem, Richard Cope; Gerald Cribb and Linda Cribb; Joseph

Cristantiello, Yvonne Cristantiello, and Gina, John and

Patricia Caroccia, by their guardian ad litem, Joseph

Cristantiello; Peter J. Cullari; Teresa Davis and

Christina Davis, a/k/a Concetta Francesca Davis, by her

guardian ad litem, Teresa Davis; Martin Dean, Bernice Dean,

and Jerome, Steven and Robert Harrelson, by their guardian

ad litem, Martin Dean; Joseph A. DeAngelo and Janice

DeAngelo; Elizabeth DeWaard and Arie DeWaard and Jolanda

DeWaard, by her guardian ad litem, Arie DeWaard; Joseph

DeVito, Joann DeVito and Michelle, Lenore and Joseph DeVito,

by their guardian ad litem, Joseph DeVito; Vera Djambinov

and Anna Djambinov; Kevin F. Doyle, Joann Doyle and James

Doyle, by his guardian ad litem, Kevin Doyle; George

Eckelson, Patricia Eckelson and John Eckelson, by his

guardian ad litem, George Eckelson; Robert Etling,

Elizabeth Etling and Keith and Robin Ann Etling, by their

guardian ad litem, Robert Etling; John H. Floystrop and

Linda, Deborah, David, James and Kenneth Floystrop, by their

guardian ad litem, John H. Floystrop; Stephen Forgus, Jr.,

Rosemary Forgus and Stephen, III, by his guardian ad litem,

Stephen Forgus, Jr.; Frederick Gattola; John Gerdes and

Patricia Gerdes and Kathleen, John D. and Robert Gerdes, by

their guardian ad litem, John Gerdes; Robert Grillo, Adele

Grillo and Gina Grillo,

by her guardian ad litem, Robert Grillo; Gary L. Gundacker,

Janice M. Gundacker and Amy and Adam Gundacker, by their

guardian ad litem, Gary L. Gundacker; Forrest Harpe and

Else Harpe, Robert Helle and Else Helle and Julie Helle, by

her guardian ad litem, Robert Helle; Mark E. Hayward, Susan

Hayward and Mark E. Hayward, III, by his guardian ad litem,

Mark E. Hayward; Edwin L. Keil and Marianne Keil and Edwin

Keil, Jr., by his guardian ad litem, Edwin L. Keil; Robert

Kelemen and Arlene Kelemen and Michael Kelemen, by his

guardian ad litem, Robert Kelemen; Joseph E. Kelly,

Anneliese Kelly and Sandra Kelly; Betty Ann Kemerle and

Steven and Christina Kemerle, by their guardian ad litem,

Betty Ann Kemerle; Arne Kjems, Else Kjems, Inge Lisa Kjems,

and Arne, Jr., and Donna Marie Kjems, by their guardian ad

litem, Arne Kjems; Edward Korzenok and Julia Korzenok and

Christine Ann and Karen Lee Korzenok, by their guardian ad

litem, Edward Korzenok; James Lafkas and Helen Lafkas;

Joseph LaMonica, Peggy LaMonica, Joseph LaMonica, Jr., Lisa

and Jennifer LaMonica, by their guardian ad litem, Joseph

LaMonica; Kenneth C. LaPlante and Celeste LaPlante; J.

Peter Leighton, Elayne A. Leighton and Sandra Claire

Leighton, by her guardian ad litem, J. Peter Leighton;

Richard Lindes and Mavis Lindes; Pearl Lippincott; William

J. Lodato and Patricia C. Lodato and Robin Aumack and Brian

Aumack, by their guardian ad litem, William J. Lodato; Paul

Logue and Mary Logue; Michael Luster, Erna Luster and

Christine and Cathryn Luster, by their guardian ad litem,

Michael Luster; Anthony Massaro, Phyllis Massaro and

Anthony, III and Teresa Ann Massaro, by their guardian ad

litem, Anthony Massaro; Theodore Mayo and Eileen Mayo and

Robert Mayo, by his guardian ad litem, Theodore Mayo; James

McCarthy, Susan McCarthy and Trevor and Dana McCarthy, by

their guardian ad litem James McCarthy; and Tara McCarthy,

by her administrator ad prosequendum, James McCarthy;

Francis McElroy; Donald McGee and Susan McGee; Gordon

McKinnon and Patricia McKinnon; R. David Merrill and Ruth

Merrill; Eugene D. Mills, Sandra J. Mills and Wayne and

Eric Mills, by their guardian ad litem, Eugene D. Mills;

Dennis Moore, Margaret Moore and Scott Moore, by his

guardian ad litem, Dennis Moore; John Mullen, Diane Mullen

and John, Jr., and Joyce Mullen, by their guardian ad litem,

John Mullen; Norman Myers, Hannah Myers and Mark, David and

Ilana Myers, by their guardian ad litem, Norman Myers;

Gilbert Ochs, Eleanor Ochs, Margaret Rickert and Debbie

Ochs, by her guardian ad litem, Gilbert Ochs, Michael

Palocin, Jean Palocin and Michael J. and Michelle Jean

Palocin, by their guardian ad litem, Michael Palocin;

Patrick Piaggio and Francis Piaggio and Jeannette Piaggio,

by her guardian ad litem, Patrick Piaggio; Bruce Reinartsen

and Joyce Reinartsen and Bruce Reinartsen, III, by his

guardian ad litem, Bruce Reinartsen; Joseph Reisinger and

Odette Reisinger; Ismael Rodriguez, Brigid Rodriguez and

Ismael, Jr., Richard and

William Rodriguez, by their guardian ad litem, Ismael

Rodriguez; Renardo Romano and Joyce Romano and Ra and

Carina Romano, by their guardian ad liem Renardo Romano and

Ronald Romano, by his administrator ad prosequendum, Renardo

Romano; Joseph Romeo, Debra Romeo and Rocco and Adena

Romeo, by their guardian ad litem, Joseph Romeo; Vincent

Salek, Marlene Salek, Karen Salek and Vincent Salek, by his

guardian ad litem, Vincent Salek; William W. Schadewald,

Linda Schadewald and Linda, Donna and William F. Schadewald,

by their guardian ad litem, William W. Schadewald; Wayne E.

Schroth, Marie Schroth and Gerard and Marc Schroth, by their

guardian ad litem, Wayne E. Schroth; David Skelton, Eleanor

Skelton and David Skelton, by his guadian ad litem, David

Skelton; Joseph Smedley and Maureen Smedley; Frank P.

Spano and Carmella Spano; Gus Stamos, Karen Stamos and

Helen, John and Ourania Stamos, by their guardian ad litem,

Gus Stamos; John P. Stamos and Sylvia Stamos; James

Swanson, Sheila Swanson and Tighe and Brenn Swanson, by

their guardian ad litem, James Swanson; Laslo Takacs and

Margaret Takacs; Ernest Tobias and Cynthia Tobias; Bello

Toth, Patricia Toth, and Michelle and Robert Toth, by their

guardian ad litem, Bello Toth; Barbara and Kathleen Treacy,

by their guardian ad litem, Brian Treacy; Henry Tyranski,

Joanne Tyranski and Kimberly, Troy and Martin Tyranski, by

their guardian ad litem, Henry Tyranski; Charles Untisz and

Mary Untisz; John M. Urgo and Diana M. Urgo and

John Urgo, by his guardian ad litem, John M. Urgo; Ronald

Van Note, Nancy Van Note and Ronald Van Note, Jr., by his

guardian ad litem, Ronald Van Note; Frank Vilardi and

Concetta Vilardi; Michael Wallace and Judith Wallace;

Richard A. Wendt and Linda Wendt and Melinda and Lauri

Wendt, by their guardian ad litem, Richard A. Wendt;

William Wheeler and Joan Wheeler; Margaret Wojciechowski

and Gregory Wojciechowski; Michael Adelung, by his guardian

ad litem, Warren J. Adelung, Jr.; Toni Ann Bracco, by her

guardian ad litem, Anthony Bracco; Michael Cope by his

guardian ad litem, Richard Cope; Eli Djambinov and Nancy

Djambinov; Richard Eckelson; Jennifer Grillo, by her

guardian ad litem, Robert Grillo; Christine Helle, by her

guardian ad litem, Robert Helle; Frederick Kelly; Kenneth

Lindes and Douglas Lindes, by their guardian ad litem,

Richard Lindes; Christine M. McElroy; John McKinnon, by

his guardian ad litem Gordon McKinnon; Brian Moore, by his

guardian ad litem Dennis Moore; Carlos A. Rodriguez, Carmen

N. Rodriguez and Carlos D. Rodriguez by his guardian ad

litem, Carlos A. Rodriguez; Jennifer Smedley, by her

guardian ad litem, Joseph Smedley; Jason J. Tobias, by his

guardian ad litem, Ernest Tobias; Brian Treacy and Virginia

Treacy; Denise Untisz and Christine, by their guardian ad

litem, Charles Untisz; William F. Wheeler, by his guardian

ad litem, William Wheeler; Deborah Wojciechowski; Kathleen

Fox and Jerome Fox, by his guardian ad litem, Kathleen Fox, Plaintiffs-Appellants and Cross-Respondents, v. TOWNSHIP OF JACKSON, a municipal corporation of the State of

New Jersey, Defendant-Respondent and Cross-Appellant.

Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Argued Feb. 18, 1986.

Decided May 7, 1987.

Steven J. Phillips, New York City, and Arnold C. Lakind, Lawrenceville, for plaintiffs-appellants and cross-respondents (Levy Phillips & Konigsberg, New York City, and Szaferman, Lakind, Blumstein, Watter & Blader, Lawrenceville attorneys; Steven J. Phillips, New York City, Arnold C. Lakind, Lawrenceville, and Donald I. Marlin, New York City, on the briefs).

James Stewart, Roseland, and H. Curtis Meanor, for defendant-respondent and cross-appellant (Podvey, Sachs, Meanor & Catenacci, Newark, attorneys).

The opinion of the Court was delivered by

STEIN, Justice.

In this case we consider the application of the New Jersey Tort Claims Act (the Act), N.J.S.A. 59:1-1 to 12-3, to the claims asserted by 339 residents of Jackson Township against that...