A revolution has occurred. There were no heroic sacrifices, no massive protests, no ramming the ramparts. No one made a speech that changed the tides of history, no one rallied the masses, no one stood up and said, “I’m angry and I’m not going to take it anymore!” Not a single shot was fired in anger. Not a drop of blood was spilt. It occurred faster than anyone could have expected, changing an institution that withstood well intentioned reform for over 70 years. It was random, sudden and, from all appearances, final.

Seemingly in a puff, the New Jersey Municipal Court system came crashing down as a result of a confluence of events. Taken by themselves, these events had little to do with the ministrations of the courts. Together however, they created a synergy that only the most prescient of us could have anticipated would lead to the end of the municipal court system as we have known it.