Frank Kulbacki

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey reversed the Appellate Division and affirmed the trial court's denial of a new trial, holding that the appellate court must apply the strict "manifest denial of justice" standard and give great deference to the trial judge's assessment of the evidence. The Court also clarified the proper test for appellate review of new‑trial motions. A dissent argued that the verdict was contrary to the weight of the evidence, while a concurrence called for further clarification of the "weigh the evidence" standard.