As part of the State of New Jersey’s new budget, (i) tax rates will increase on certain high-value real estate transactions, and (ii) responsibility for the State of New Jersey “Mansion Tax” will shift from the Buyer to the Seller.
Multimillion dollar real property sales in New Jersey will be subject to higher fees. The tax used to be paid by homebuyers, who were charged a 1% transfer tax upon buying a home worth $1 million or more. Taking effect on all agreements beginning on July 10, 2025, this new bill will shift the burden of this tax from property buyers to sellers.
This bill also changes the transfer tax rates on more expensive real property sales. For sales worth $1 million to $2 million, the tax remains at 1%. However, beginning at sales between $2 million and $2.5 million, the fee goes up to 2%. It then increases to 2.5% for sales between $2.5 million and $3 million. From $3 million to $3.5 million, it increases again to 3%. And finally, for properties sold for $3.5 million or more, the rate tops out at 3.5%.
This new tax applies to residential real estate, as well as commercial properties, farm properties, and other forms of real property, as well as property interests. There are exemptions to the tax, for entities which are deemed to be tax-exempt under the IRS, as well as for incidental transfers of property due to corporate acquisitions and mergers.
Lori C. Duffy, Esq. handles commercial and residential real estate matters and is available to help answer any specific questions you may have regarding these changes to New Jersey law. Please contact Ms. Duffy with any questions.
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is pleased to announce that Richard J. Tamn and Jason M. Altschul have joined the firm as partners in its Morris Plains office.
Mr. Tamn is a well-respected civil trial attorney, and Mr. Altschul is a well-respected civil litigation attorney. Both have extensive experience representing hospitals, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals in complex civil litigation in New Jersey state and federal court.
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is excited that Mr. Tamn and Mr. Altschul have chosen to continue their careers with the firm. They will continue to handle complex civil litigation including presentation of hospitals, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, and will add further depth and experience to the firm’s health care law practice.
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. and Rosenberg, Jacobs, Heller & Fleming, P.C. – two of New Jersey’s most prominent civil litigation boutiques – are pleased to announce that on June 1, 2025, the 10 litigation attorneys from Rosenberg, Jacobs, Heller & Fleming, P.C. joined Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. in Morris Plains, New Jersey. The addition of these 10 litigation attorneys creates one of New Jersey’s strongest and deepest benches of civil trial and litigation teams.
Craig A. Domalewski, Managing Partner of Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C., stated: “We are thrilled that Sam Rosenberg, Scott Heller, and their highly accomplished team of trial and litigation attorneys have joined our firm. They are true professionals and effective and experienced advocates and, together with the opening of a new office in Morris County, allow us to grow our presence and better serve our clients throughout New Jersey.”
Sam Rosenberg, Managing Partner of Rosenberg, Jacobs, Heller & Fleming, P.C., added: “The single most important factor in our team joining Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski is the culture that our lawyers share – we have worked closely together for decades, know each other well, and focus on providing our clients with the highest levels of service.”
About Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. has a statewide practice with 3 offices in New Jersey, more than 40 lawyers, and a 45-year history of successfully representing and advocating for clients in a dozen different areas of practice. Mr. Domalewski stated the addition of these 10 experienced trial and litigation attorneys will enhance DH&D’s position as one of the state’s best trial and litigation boutique law firms: “As a medium-sized law firm in New Jersey, we pride ourselves in offering clients the skill and resources of a big New Jersey firm, but without the crippling costs. We strive to deliver to our clients individualized attention and professional excellence in each representation. The addition of this talented group of lawyers we are announcing today will further support our unique position in the New Jersey legal marketplace and ensure we can continue to provide our clients with high-quality legal service and fierce advocacy at a reasonable price.” For more information, please visit www.dughihewit.com
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Dughi, Hewit and Domalewski P.C. is pleased to announce that Robert J. Brass, Esq., Of Counsel to the Firm, will be moderating and speaking on a continuing legal education panel on Artificial Intelligence’s Impact on Trial Practice at the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Annual Meeting, on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.
This program offers a comprehensive technical and legal update on the use of AI technology for trial lawyers while addressing the emerging ethical challenges in this rapidly evolving field. Designed to equip legal professionals with actionable guidance, the panel will examine how AI is reshaping courtroom procedures – particularly through the increasing complexity of forensic evidence – and explore the ethical obligations of defense attorneys and prosecutors when evaluating and presenting such evidence. The discussion will integrate insights from recent SCOTUS case law, ABA Model Rules for the Defense and Prosecution Function, and the New Jersey Rules of Professional Conduct, providing a framework for ethically managing criminal cases involving AI-driven forensic tools. Additionally, the program will address the phenomenon of AI-generated “hallucinations”, offering practical recommendations to help attorneys avoid citing nonexistent or incorrect materials in their submissions.
Joining Mr. Brass on the panel will be:
For more information and to register: NJSBA Annual Meeting
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is pleased to announce that the Supreme Court of New Jersey has reappointed Brandon D. Minde to the Criminal Trial Law Certification Committee for another term. The Court also designated Mr. Minde as Chair of this Certification Committee for the same period. As the Chair of the Committee, Mr. Minde is now also a member of the Board on Attorney Certification.
Mr. Minde, a certified criminal trial attorney and past-Chair of the Criminal Law Section of the NJ State Bar Association, will serve another three-year term, ending on December 31, 2025. The firm congratulates Mr. Minde on his appointment and is very proud of the important work he will be doing for the Criminal Trial Law Certification Committee, which plays a vital role in protecting the public and raising the level of competence and expertise of attorneys in New Jersey.
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is proud to announce that seven of its attorneys have been selected to the 2025 New Jersey Super Lawyers list in four practice areas: business litigation, criminal defense, medical malpractice and family law.
Super Lawyers is a part of Thomson Reuters and is a research and peer-review rating service. The Super Lawyers selection process comprises hundreds of thousands of statewide or regional surveys supplemented by a comprehensive examination of each nominee’s background and experience, focusing on such criteria as verdicts and settlements, transactions, representative clients, honors and awards, educational background, and any other outstanding achievements. Only 5 percent of the total lawyers in the state are selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers.
The DHD attorneys recognized on the 2025 Super Lawyers List are:
…
For more information about the selection process methodology for the awards referenced above, please visit SuperLawyers.com
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is pleased to announce that Joshua A. Freeman has joined the firm as a Partner in its Cranford office.
Mr. Freeman brings a wealth of experience to DH&D. Mr. Freeman has exclusively represented family law clients throughout his career. He is experienced in all aspects of matrimonial litigation, including divorce, child custody and parenting time, high net worth dissolutions, equitable distribution, child and spousal support, marital agreements, domestic violence, alternate dispute resolution, civil unions, domestic torts, as well as jurisdictional conflicts.
Over the course of his 20-year career, Mr. Freeman has earned an outstanding reputation for his fierce advocacy on behalf of his clients, his strong work ethic, and sound judgment in resolving complex matrimonial matters.
Prior to embarking on his legal career, Mr. Freeman was a successful college and professional athlete. He earned his undergraduate degree from Syracuse University in 1998, where he was an All-American goalkeeper for the Men’s Soccer Team. Subsequently, he enjoyed a five-year professional career in the United States and England (before coming out of retirement to represent Team USA for the 2017 and 2022 Maccabi Games in Israel as well as the 2019 and 2024 Pan Am Games in Mexico City and Buenos Aires). After completing his professional career in soccer, Mr. Freeman returned to Syracuse University and graduated from the Syracuse University College of Law in 2005, with a Specialty Certificate of Study from the school’s Center for Family Law & Social Policy. Mr. Freeman is also a graduate of the prestigious National Family Law Trial Institute and completed that organization’s intensive trial academy as well as its advanced business valuation and forensic custody programs.
Mr. Freeman is a Panelist for Bergen County’s Early Settlement Panel program, as well as an Associate Editor for the New Jersey Family Lawyer, and has been published on a variety of New Jersey family/matrimonial topics (including submissions to the New Jersey Family Lawyer, Town Topics Magazine, and the Wilentz Family Law Digest). Mr. Freeman is also the host and managing editor of The War of the Roses Podcast – a forum dedicated exclusively to New Jersey family and matrimonial law issues.
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is excited that Mr. Freeman has chosen to continue his career with the firm. He will add significant depth and experience to the firm’s well-established Matrimonial Department.
Dughi, Hewit and Domalewski, PC is proud to announce that Robert J. Brass, Esq., of Counsel to the Firm, will moderate the “Introduction to Criminal Trial Preparation” segment of the NJICLE “New Attorney Day – 2025” virtual program, on Saturday, March 1, 2025. The “Introduction to Criminal Trial Preparation” will include experienced members of the criminal trial bar, and will cover topics from the viewpoint of both the defense and the prosecution bar.
The topics will include:
Registration/information for this virtual program is available at this link: New Attorney Day – 2025
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is proud to announce that Brandon D. Minde is the new author of the 8th Edition of “Criminal Defense Tools and Techniques.” This practical book from James Publishing blends proven strategies, pre-tested arguments, pitfalls to avoid, and wisdom from the trenches with 1,400 case citations. Coverage is start-to-finish, from initial representation through trial and sentencing to appeal. The highlights of Mr. Minde’s first supplement include new and updated text on arrest and initial appearance, bail and pretrial release, search and seizure, motion practice, plea bargaining, trial, sentencing, and more.
Mr. Minde is the head of Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski’s criminal law department, is a former Essex County Assistant Prosecutor, and is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Criminal Trial Attorney. His criminal practice includes representing individuals and corporations undergoing criminal investigations or who have been charged with crimes. To purchase a copy of your book today visit https://jamespublishing.com/product/criminal-defense-tools-and-techniques/
