Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Plaintiff-Respondent v. County of Essex, Defendant, and Jessie Williams…

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey held that no contract—express or implied—was formed between Essex County and Saint Barnabas Medical Center, limiting the County’s liability to the hospitalization costs incurred while the inmate was in custody; the Court affirmed in part and reversed in part, remanding for a determination of the amount attributable to the period the inmate would have remained under sentence. Justice Pollock, in a concurring opinion, agreed with the allocation but emphasized the quasi‑contract analysis and the legislative scheme for spreading indigent care costs.