Noah Franzblau
How Judge Franzblau rules, drawn from 12 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Franzblau
Noah Franzblau is a judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey in the Morris and Sussex Vicinage. He joined the bench in January 2017 and became the vicinage's Complex Business Litigation Program judge in July 2026. He is serving as Acting Civil Presiding Judge from August through November 2026.
Judge Franzblau's practices and standing orders
The court's website lists no individual practices or standing orders of Judge Franzblau's own (checked October 11, 2026), so the court's local rules and general orders are the place to look (court page ↗).
Standing orders for every case in this court
Orders the court applies to all of its cases, whichever judge has them, as published on the court's website (checked October 11, 2026).
How Judge Franzblau decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Progressive Garden State v. Allstate, Franzblau found that the Legislature's failure to address Med-Pay benefits in its 2003 amendments supported the existing interpretation excluding those benefits from AICRA.
“The judge found the legislative non-action supported the inference the Legislature accepted the Court's interpretation of the statute.”
In Township of Morris v. Borough of Morris Plains, Franzblau awarded the township summary judgment on sewer connection fees, finding his reading of the 1999 agreement consistent with the parties' prior course of dealing.
“the court noted that its interpretation of the 1999 Agreement was 'consistent with the parties' prior course of dealing in which the Township is entitled to connection fees for properties outside the Borough.'”
In Ledgewood Circle Shopping Center v. Kush at 46, Franzblau granted summary judgment against a landlord’s second rent suit after finding an earlier judgment had resolved the parties’ rights under the lease. He also found the new complaint frivolous and awarded the defendants fees and costs.
“Judge Franzblau also found that the complaint was frivolous under N.J.S.A. 2A:15-59.1 and Rule 1:4-8(b)(1) and awarded defendants attorney's fees and costs.”
Procedural preferences
In Luciano v. Public Storage, Franzblau excluded an incident report at trial because the plaintiff had not authenticated it; he found that its production in discovery did not establish admissibility.
“[D]ocuments including the incident report may be provided in response to discovery demands but that does not mean that they are admissible during trial.”
In Sobotor v. Mt. Arlington Holdings, with all counsel consenting, Franzblau heard a summary judgment argument on a contractual indemnification cross-claim on the first day of trial.
“On the first day of trial, with the consent of all counsel, the court held argument on Double O's motion requesting summary judgment on its cross-claim for indemnification against Mt. Arlington.”
In 10 Millpond Drive v. Lamson Airtubes, Franzblau rejected an excusable-neglect claim after defense counsel failed to review two court letters about the transport fee needed for the defendant's attendance at a peremptory trial.
“We discern no basis to disturb the court's finding defendant's claim he was not aware of the requirement to pay the transport fee before trial ‘defies credulity.’”
Cautions
In 10 Millpond Drive v. Lamson Airtubes, Franzblau denied reinstatement of a counterclaim dismissed after a defendant missed a peremptory trial date. The defendant’s incarceration did not excuse the absence where counsel had received written notices about the required transport fee but did not arrange payment.
“Defendant's failure to appear at trial was not due to an exigent or unforeseeable circumstance.”
In Luciano v. Public Storage, Franzblau excluded photographs of mopping and warning signs placed after the plaintiff's fall because they showed remedial measures rather than the floor's condition at the time of the accident.
“The judge ruled the post-accident photographs were inadmissible under N.J.R.E. 407.”
In a multi-claim employment suit with an arbitration agreement, he was willing to split the case, sending non-sexual-harassment claims to arbitration while keeping only the sexual-harassment claims in court, an approach the Appellate Division later reversed in a published opinion, holding that a single viable sexual-harassment claim exempts the ENTIRE case from arbitration under the federal EFAA, not just the related claims.
“The court permitted her LAD claims to proceed in the Law Division but severed the rest for prosecution in an arbitral forum and rejected her later application for reconsideration.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“On October 23, 2023, Judge Noah Franzblau issued two written decisions granting Progressive's motions for summary judgment... Med-Pay subrogation is prohibited by New Jersey law and not subject to arbitration under the Agreement.”
“A November 3, 2023 order denied Allstate's motion in aid of litigant's rights as moot.”
“In a cogent, well-reasoned opinion, Judge Franzblau determined that the Township was entitled to the connection fees, thus granting their motion for summary judgment and denying the Borough's motion for summary judgment.”
“On December 1, 2023, after considering counsel's arguments and written submissions, the judge denied the motion... 'Allowing evidence... that defendant[] mopped the floor and/or placed caution signs in the lobby would violate Rule 407.'”
“On February 5, 2024, the court granted summary judgment to plaintiff, granting enforcement on the Note, dismissing defendant's claims against her, and granting her application for attorney fees.”
“The court also granted partial summary judgment for the third-party defendants, dismissing all counts against them except defendant's claim for contribution.”
“The court denied defendant's cross-motion for summary judgment.”
“On February 26, 2024, defendant moved for reconsideration of those decisions. The court denied the motion on March 15, 2024.”
“On April 26, 2024, the court entered an order denying the motion to reinstate supported by a written opinion. It found: 'Defendant's failure to appear at trial was not due to an exigent or unforeseeable circumstance... That defendant and his counsel were not attuned to this issue defies credulity.'”
“On June 7, the court entered an order denying the motion supported by a written opinion. It held the motion was procedurally deficient and denied it substantively for the reasons set forth in the April 26 order.”
“The trial court found 'the clear and unambiguous language within... section four of the indemnity, which is supplemented by paragraph two, to reflect the parties' intentions' that Mt. Arlington is required to indemnify Double O for claims arising from its own negligence and granted Double O's motion for summary judgment.”
“The court permitted her LAD claims to proceed in the Law Division but severed the rest for prosecution in an arbitral forum and rejected her later application for reconsideration.”
“The court also denied defendants' motion to dismiss plaintiff's LAD sexual harassment claim as time barred, a decision they challenge by way of a cross-appeal... We agree, however, with both courts' decision that, through the indulgent lens of a Rule 4:6-2(e) application, as pled plaintiffs' LAD-based sexual harassment claims are not time-barred.”
“The court denied McDermott's application to reconsider the portion of the court's order compelling arbitration on counts four through fourteen.”
“On December 20, 2024, in a ten-page written opinion, Judge Noah Franzblau granted summary judgment in favor of defendants, holding that, in light of the prior judgment, plaintiff's action was barred by res judicata, collateral estoppel, and the entire controversy doctrine.”
“Judge Franzblau also found that the complaint was frivolous under N.J.S.A. 2A:15-59.1 and Rule 1:4-8(b)(1) and awarded defendants attorney's fees and costs.”
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