Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 2A:58B-3

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • 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
1. a. As used in this act:

“Public entity” means this State or any department, public authority, public agency, public commission or any instrumentality of this State authorized by law to make contracts for the making of any public work, but shall not include any county, municipality or instrumentality thereof.

“Contractor” means a person, his assignees or legal representatives, with whom a contract with a public entity is made.

b. A covenant, promise, agreement or understanding in, or in connection with or collateral to a contract, agreement or purchase order, to which a public entity is a party, relative to the construction, alteration, repair, maintenance, servicing or security of a building, structure, highway, roadway, railroad, appurtenance and appliance, including moving, demolition, excavating, grading, clearing, site preparation or development of real property connected therewith, purporting to limit a contractor’s remedy for delayed performance caused by the public entity’s negligence, bad faith, active interference, or other tortious conduct to an extension of time for performance under the contract, is against public policy and is void and unenforceable.

c. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to void any provisions in a contract, agreement or purchase order which limits a contractor’s remedy for delayed performance caused by reasons contemplated by the parties nor shall the negligence of others be imputed to the State.

d. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to void any provision in a contract, agreement or purchase order which requires notice of delays, provides for arbitration or other procedures for settlement or provides for liquidated damages.

L.1994,c.80.