Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 2A:23-4

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • 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
  • Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
  • 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
All contracts and instruments of every kind, nature or description, which have been executed after June 27, 1935, or which hereafter may be executed within this state in payment, satisfaction, settlement or compromise of any claim or cause of action abolished or barred by this chapter, whether such claim or cause of action arose within or without this state, are hereby declared to be contrary to the public policy of this state and absolutely void.

It shall be unlawful to cause, induce or procure any person to execute such a contract or instrument, or cause, induce or procure any person to give, pay, transfer or deliver any money or thing of value in payment, satisfaction, settlement or compromise of any such claim or cause of action, or to receive, take or accept any such money or thing of value as such payment, satisfaction, settlement or compromise.

It shall be unlawful to commence or cause to be commenced, either as party or attorney, or as agent or otherwise in behalf of either, in any court of this state, any proceeding or action seeking to enforce or recover upon any such contract or instrument, knowing it to be such, whether the same shall have been executed within or without this state.

This section shall not apply to the payment, satisfaction, settlement or compromise of any causes of action which are not abolished or barred by this chapter, or any contracts or instruments executed prior to June 27, 1935, or to the bona fide holder in due course of any negotiable instrument executed since that date.

L.1951 (1st SS), c.344.