Court Rejects Press Restraints and Gag Order in Explosive NJ Divorce Case

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Judge Denies Motion to Silence Cristin Badal and the Press in Major Free Speech Win

In a pivotal ruling on March 31, 2025, New Jersey Superior Court Judge James Farber rejected an extraordinary motion by attorney Jessica Sprague, who sought to impose a gag order and preliminary restraints on Cristin Badal, members of the media, and media outlets. Sprague’s motion, filed on behalf of her client J. Bradley "Brad" Badal, attempted to silence reporting on a high-profile divorce case already mired in allegations of judicial misconduct, corruption, and abuse of power.

“This is America,” Judge Farber said in open court. “We don’t do prior restraints here.” He chastised Sprague, saying the remedy she sought—preemptively silencing individuals and journalists—“is not part of American jurisprudence.” The court allowed reporters and members of the public to remain present, reaffirming that the proceedings were open and constitutionally protected.

The ruling came at the tail end of a sprawling hearing in the long-running case of Badal v. Badal, which has drawn attention not only for the toxic custody battle between the parties, but for what critics describe as a weaponization of the family court system to destroy Cristin Badal’s relationship with her child.

Abuse Allegations and Judicial Turmoil
Cristin Badal, appearing pro se, has accused her ex-husband of fraud, coercion, and using his political and police industry connections to manipulate the system. As reported in Richard Luthmann’s investigations on NYNewsPress.com, TheFamilyCourtCircus.com, and Substack, J. Bradley Badal runs Major Police Supply, a politically connected company with millions in law enforcement contracts and ties to disgraced auto mogul Bruce Bendell.

Family court judges in the case—including Judge Peter Bogaard, Judge Catherine Oliveira, and now Judge Farber—have presided over a process that, according to Cristin and independent observers, has repeatedly ignored her due process rights. Cristin has been barred from seeing her child for nearly a year, despite repeated claims—and independent drug test results—demonstrating her sobriety.

New reports show that Cristin Badal's brain injuries may be the result of "wife beating" and not substance abuse, as claimed by Brad Badal's lawyer, Jessica Sprague of Florham Park, New Jersey.

Throughout the case, attorney Jessica Sprague has pushed to exclude evidence, including hair follicle tests, AA records, and evaluations favorable to Cristin. She has also attempted to use suspect reports, including one from a self-described substance abuse expert who reportedly misrepresented his credentials and conducted evaluations in violation of Florida telehealth laws.

A Censorship Campaign Falls Apart
The March 31 hearing became a flashpoint over free speech. In the opening minutes, Sprague asked that the media be removed. Judge Farber denied the request. Later, Sprague demanded the court issue a gag order preventing Cristin and journalists from discussing the case publicly.

Farber refused. “Court proceedings are open to the public,” he said. “That is the national rule.”

The judge’s comments echoed constitutional precedent. Prior restraints—court orders that prevent speech before it occurs—are “the most serious and least tolerable infringement on First Amendment rights,” as the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Nebraska Press Ass’n v. Stuart.

A Judge Who May Bring Fairness to a Rigged Process
Judge Farber, newly assigned to the case, made clear he was still getting up to speed. But his handling of the hearing offered a stark contrast to what had come before. He questioned Sprague’s tactics, blocked efforts to dismiss Cristin’s pleadings, and sought to “level the playing field” by ordering funds released to her so she could obtain legal representation.

He also scheduled a final hearing for May and gave Cristin 10 days to submit legal authority opposing the destruction of embryos created during the marriage—a subject with its own constitutional stakes.

For now, Farber’s decision not to muzzle the press or parties represents a critical check on what many have called a “family court gag machine.” As Cristin Badal put it in her filings, the truth is being exposed “because the people finally have a voice.”