A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_URI::$config is deprecated
Filename: core/URI.php
Line Number: 101
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Router::$uri is deprecated
Filename: core/Router.php
Line Number: 127
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$benchmark is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$hooks is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$config is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$log is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$utf8 is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$uri is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$exceptions is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$router is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$output is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$security is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$input is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$lang is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 82
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::open($save_path, $name) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::open(string $path, string $name): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 132
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::close() should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::close(): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 294
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::read($session_id) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::read(string $id): string|false, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 168
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::write($session_id, $session_data) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::write(string $id, string $data): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 237
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::destroy($session_id) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::destroy(string $id): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 317
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::gc($maxlifetime) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::gc(int $max_lifetime): int|false, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 358
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 282
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: session_set_cookie_params(): Session cookie parameters cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 289
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 304
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 314
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 315
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 316
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 317
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 375
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: session_set_save_handler(): Session save handler cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 110
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: session_start(): Session cannot be started after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 143
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$session is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 1283
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$email is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 1283
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$pdf is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 1283
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$db is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 396
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_DB_mysqli_driver::$failover is deprecated
Filename: database/DB_driver.php
Line Number: 371
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$form_validation is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 1283
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$adminmodel is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 358
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$leadmodel is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 358
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$clientmodel is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 358
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$pagination is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 1283
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/models/Pagemodel.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$pagemodel is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 358
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$load is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$benchmark is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$hooks is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$config is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$log is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$utf8 is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$uri is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$exceptions is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$router is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$output is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$security is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$input is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$lang is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$session is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$email is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$pdf is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$db is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$form_validation is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$adminmodel is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$leadmodel is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$clientmodel is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$pagination is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$pagemodel is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 931
Backtrace:
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/application/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/agentsof/public_html/index.php
Arbitration Agreement is Unenforceable if it Does Not Clearly State that the Signer is Waiving the Right to Pursue Legal Remedies in Court
Arbitration Agreement is Unenforceable if it Does Not Clearly State that the Signer is Waiving the Right to Pursue Legal Remedies in Court
By Thomas Paschos, Esq. of Thomas Paschos & Associates, P.C.
In
Perez v. Zagami, LLC, ___ N.J. Super. ____ (App.Div. Jan. 12, 2016) , Perez and Zagami had a long history of litigation between them. After Perez voiced his objections to the renewal of Zagami's liquor license during a public hearing on the matter, Zagami retained the Nash firm to file a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) suit, alleging defamation and the related torts of commercial disparagement, trade libel, interference with business relations and civil conspiracy. The court affirmed the dismissal of that suit, finding Perez's statements at the municipal hearing to be protected by the litigation privilege and therefore non-actionable.
Following that decision, Perez filed a SLAPP-back suit against Zagami for malicious use of process, alleging that the defamation complaint: (1) lacked probable cause, (2) was actuated by malice, (3) had concluded in Perez's favor, (4) caused Perez to incur substantial attorney's fees, and (5) had the effect of discouraging Perez from participating in future public proceedings. Zagami moved to dismiss the complaint, stating that Perez had failed to state a cause of action under Rule 4:6-2(e) in that the defamation allegations were privileged as they were based on the advice of counsel. Perez, thereafter, moved for leave to amend his complaint to name Nash and the individual attorneys as defendants. The trial judge granted Zagami's motion to dismiss, finding that Perez had failed to meet the required element that Zagami's defamation complaint lacked probable cause and denied Perez's cross-motion to amend the complaint.
After the case had gone to the Appellate Division once, and was thereafter returned to the Law Division, Nash moved to dismiss the complaint on the grounds that Perez had failed to provide an affidavit of merit, which Nash contended was required by the Affidavit of Merit statute, N.J.S.A. 2A:53A-27. Nash argued that this was in fact a aEURoedisguisedaEUR? professional negligence or malpractice case, and that Perez had to establish the applicable standard of care and deviations from that standard via expert testimony, thus mandating an affidavit of merit. The Law Division denied the motion.
On appeal, the court was faced with this issue of first impression whether an affidavit of merit is required to support a malicious use of process claim when an advice of counsel affirmative defense is asserted in a SLAPP-back suit. The court concluded it is not. The court upheld the trial judge's denial of the motion to dismiss. The court found that a malicious use of process action is an intentional tort requiring proof of malice and not a deviation from a standard of care and therefore no affidavit of merit is needed to support the claim.
For additional information, please contact Thomas at
TPaschos@paschoslaw.com or (
856)354-1900
VIEW RATINGS FOR INSURERS
Enter name of Insurance Company and press GO button.
© 2026 AGENTSOFAMERICA.ORG. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
