Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 2A:53A-7.1

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • person: includes corporations, companies, associations, societies, firms, partnerships and joint stock companies as well as individuals, unless restricted by the context to an individual as distinguished from a corporate entity or specifically restricted to one or some of the above enumerated synonyms and, when used to designate the owner of property which may be the subject of an offense, includes this State, the United States, any other State of the United States as defined infra and any foreign country or government lawfully owning or possessing property within this State. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
  • State: extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
a. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no person serving without compensation, other than reimbursement for actual expenses, as a trustee, director, officer or voluntary member of any board, council or governing body of any nonprofit corporation, society or association as provided in P.L.1959, c.90 (C. 2A:53A-7 to 2A:53A-11), or nonprofit federation council or affiliated group composed of these organizations or a voluntary association as provided by P.L.1979, c.172 (C. 18A:11-3) or to a conference under the jurisdiction of such a voluntary association, shall be liable for damages resulting from the exercise of judgment or discretion in connection with the duties of his office unless the actions evidence a reckless disregard for the duties imposed by the position.

b. Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, no person who provides volunteer service or assistance for any nonprofit corporation, society or association as provided in P.L.1959, c.90 (C. 2A:53A-7 to 2A:53A-11), or nonprofit federation council or affiliated group composed of these organizations or a voluntary association as provided by P.L.1979, c.172 (C. 18A:11-3) or to a conference under the jurisdiction of such a voluntary association shall be liable in any action for damages as a result of his acts of commission or omission arising out of and in the course of his rendering the volunteer service or assistance.

Nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to grant immunity to any person causing damage by his willful, wanton or grossly negligent act of commission or omission.

Nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to grant immunity to any person causing damage as the result of his negligent operation of a motor vehicle.

c. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to supersede or modify any provision of P.L.1986, c.13 (C. 2A:62A-6) dealing with the civil liability of persons involved with nonprofit sports teams.

d. (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the provisions of subsection a. of this section shall be applicable to any person serving without compensation, other than reimbursement for actual expenses, as a trustee, director, officer or voluntary member of the board or governing body of any nonprofit corporation, society or association which is organized pursuant to the laws of the State of New Jersey for the purpose of operating or maintaining a cemetery or place of burial.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the provisions of subsection b. of this section shall be applicable to any person who provides volunteer service or assistance to any nonprofit corporation, society or association organized pursuant to the laws of the State of New Jersey for the purpose of operating or maintaining a cemetery or place of burial.

e. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the provisions of subsection a. of this section shall be applicable to any person serving without compensation, other than reimbursement for actual expenses, as a trustee, director, officer or voluntary member of the board or governing body of any nonprofit corporation which is organized pursuant to the provisions of Title 15A of the New Jersey Statutes and whose purpose is the encouragement of economic development in a municipality or a county.

L.1987, c.87, s.1; amended 1988,c.87,s.2; 1989,c.249; 1989,c.283,s.1.