match the operating budget of the richer districts. Since then there have been seven "Abbott cases", many of which ended with the court finding the New Jersey Legislature's latest educational acts unconstitutional. In 1975 and 1983, two cases, both named Southern Burlington County N.A.A.C.P. v. Mount Laurel Township, were decided by the Court. The Constitution was interpreted to require that zoning authorities institute inclusionary zoning of their land to create affordable housing, that the districts had to equally take on the required load of housing, and that exclusionary zoning was illegal. These requirements are now commonly referred to as the Mount Laurel Doctrine. State v. Kelly, 91 N.J. 178 (1984), is a Supreme Court case where the defendant, Gladys Kelly, was on trial for allegedly murdering her husband, Ernest Kelly, with a pair of scissors. The Supreme Court reversed the case for further trial after finding that expert testimony regarding the defense's submission that Kelly suffered from battered woman syndrome was incorrectly excluded, as the syndrome was a proper subject for expert evidence despite being a new field. In Democratic Party v. Samson, 814 A.2d 1028 (2002), the Court allowed the state Democratic Party to change their candidate for the upcoming federal Senate race from Robert Torricelli to Frank Lautenberg despite the deadline having passed. In its opinion it cited previous cases before the Court, including one stating "Election laws are to be liberally construed", to decide that the change was in the interest of the electorate. References Notes External links Official website Supreme Court appeals New Jersey