The whistleblower lawsuit rocking Jackson Township is moving forward — and former Township employee Marianne Horta has scored another courtroom victory, with a Superior Court judge now ordering Jackson Township and two of its top current and former officials to answer Horta's discovery demands, FAA News reports.
Ocean County Superior Court Judge Christopher B. Leitner on this week granted Horta's Motion to Compel Discovery and ordered Jackson Township, former Mayor Michael Reina, and current Mayor Jennifer Kuhn to answer Horta's interrogatories within 14 days.
The ruling comes approximately six months after Judge Leitner rejected the defendants' attempt to dismiss Horta's lawsuit, allowing her explosive whistleblower and discrimination claims to proceed into discovery.
As previously reported by FAA News, Horta, Jackson Township's former Personnel Officer and Purchasing Agent, filed the lawsuit against the Township, Reina and Kuhn alleging a months-long campaign of retaliation after she pushed back against what she contends were illegal and improper actions inside Town Hall. Horta alleges that she was stripped of her Purchasing Agent position and $12,000 stipend, restricted in her duties, subjected to repeated harassment, and ultimately told to retire or face termination.
The lawsuit further alleges that Horta's adult son Anthony, a Township employee with disabilities, became a target of the retaliation. Horta alleges that her son was demoted and transferred and that a coworker reported hearing that Kuhn intended to "get rid of" Horta and her son. Horta's Complaint asserts claims including whistleblower retaliation under New Jersey's Conscientious Employee Protection Act, age and disability-related discrimination, hostile work environment, and wrongful constructive termination.
Following the Court's refusal to throw out the case, Horta began demanding evidence from the officials she has accused of wrongdoing.
According to a Certification filed by Horta's attorney, F. Kevin Lynch, Jackson Township was served on May 21, 2026 with Horta's First Set of Interrogatories and First Notice to Produce documents. Then, on June 17, 2026, Reina and Kuhn were served with their own interrogatories, with Kuhn additionally being served with a Request for Admissions.
But according to Horta's attorney, the defendants failed to provide the requested discovery within the time required by the Rules of Court.
On August 6, Lynch sent defense counsel a letter advising that the discovery was overdue and requesting that the information be produced within ten days so that Horta would not be forced to file a motion.
That apparently did not resolve the problem.
As of September 10 — nearly four months after discovery was first served upon the Township — Horta's attorney certified to the Court that the requested discovery still had not been provided.
Horta then went back to court.
Judge Leitner has now granted Horta's Motion to Compel.
In an Order entered October 9, the Court directed:
"Defendants shall answer Plaintiff's interrogatories within 14 days."
Perhaps equally notable, the Court marked Horta's motion "UNOPPOSED."
Horta had actually asked the Court for even stronger relief. Her proposed Order requested that the defendants be required to answer within ten days and further requested that, if they failed to comply within that period, their Answer and Defenses be stricken.
Judge Leitner granted the motion to compel and imposed a 14-day deadline, but did not include Horta's proposed provision automatically striking the defendants' Answer and defenses if they fail to comply.
Nevertheless, the ruling means that the Township, Reina and Kuhn are now under a direct Court Order to provide answers to Horta's interrogatories as the lawsuit moves deeper into discovery.
The discovery ruling marks another significant procedural victory for Horta.
Jackson officials previously attempted to end the case at the pleading stage, asking Judge Leitner to dismiss Horta's claims before the case could proceed to discovery.
The Court refused.
Now that the case has survived that challenge, Horta is entitled to pursue evidence concerning the allegations underlying her lawsuit — including through interrogatories, document discovery and, eventually, depositions.
And the discovery phase could prove particularly consequential in a lawsuit centered upon allegations about what Township officials knew, what they said, why employment decisions were made, and whether Horta was targeted because she challenged conduct she believed was improper.
The defendants' obligation to respond to discovery does not establish that Horta's underlying allegations are true, and the merits of her claims have not yet been decided.
But one thing is now clear: the lawsuit isn't going away — and Jackson Township's current and former leadership will have to start answering questions.
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