Investigative Journalist Leroy Truth Scores Major Legal Victory as NJ Court Reinstates Lawsuit Against Union City and Mayor Brian Stack

Hudson County, NJ — December 24, 2025 — In what civil liberties advocates are calling a significant affirmation of the First Amendment and accountability for public officials, a New Jersey Superior Court judge has reinstated a lawsuit brought by independent investigative journalist Leonard Filipowski, widely known by his reporting alias Leroy Truth, in his long-running legal conflict with Union City Mayor and State Senator Brian P. Stack and other municipal defendants.

The December 24th order from the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division in Hudson County restores Filipowski’s state-court civil rights complaint and establishes a full discovery and trial calendar extending into 2026 with a full trial set for July 20th, 2026.

The court vacated earlier rulings, set new deadlines for discovery, and scheduled a trial for July 20, 2026 before Hon. Joseph A. Turula. The judge also clarified that prior sanctions awarded to the defendants remain owed but are no longer a condition to reinstating the case. 

“This is a major win for Leroy Truth,” said a a prominent New Jersey civil liberties attorney not connected to the case. “It underscores that even powerful public officials can and must be held to account when citizens allege violations of constitutional rights.”

Court Revives Case & Opens Door for Depositions, Including of Mayor Brian Stack

The court’s order directs that:

Written discovery be completed by January 16, 2026 Fact and expert depositions conclude by April 30, 2026 Trial begins on July 20, 2026

This timeline means that Mr. Filipowski will be able to take depositions and cross-examine key defendants, including Union City Mayor Brian Stack, as part of civil discovery — a development supporters are hailing as a huge breakthrough. 

Legal analysts point out that the reinstatement — after prior rulings that had dismissed claims — reverses the notion that public officials are immune from scrutiny for actions that may implicate free speech rights, and places the case on a direct path toward judicial fact-finding.

Background: A Controversial Legal Battle Over Free Speech

Leonard Filipowski, who reports under the name Leroy Truth and operates Leroy Truth Investigations, has gained a substantial online following for his coverage of public meetings and alleged government misconduct. Earlier in his legal fight, a federal lawsuit he filed alleging civil rights violations against Stack, New Jersey State Police, and others was dismissed by U.S. District Court Judge Susan D. Wigenton in September 2025, including claims related to his removal from public meetings. 

That federal ruling cited immunities available to legislators and law enforcement officers, though it allowed for potential amendment. Regardless, the federal dismissal did not decide the merits of the underlying free speech claims — a point now renewed in the state case.

Separately, municipal criminal charges against Truth stemming from his unlawful arrest while he was speaking during his public home time for saying words mayor Brian stack didn’t like at a Union City Board of Commissioners meeting by Union City, NJ Police Captain Omar Hernandez and Officer Fernando Muro, were dismissed earlier in 2025 by Newark Municipal Court, a ruling described by reporting outlets as a huge and important victory for free speech and constitutional rights. 

A Test for Accountability — and Public Perception

To supporters of Filipowski’s reporting, this ruling represents more than a procedural win. It signals that all Americans — journalists and activists alike — may pursue remedies when they believe government power has improperly curtailed protected political speech especially when it comes to being unlawfully arrested for exercising that for some member protected free speech when exposing alleged corrupt government officials. .

Critics of Mayor Stack’s administration have long alleged that his dual roles as Union City mayor and State Senator AND also as head of the New Jersey state Senate judiciary committee confer outsized influence in Hudson County politics where she has been accused by many about to say to New Jersey as a family abusing that authority.

Stack has been in office for more than 25 years, and his political leadership is often described as dominant in local affairs as well as that he allegedly micro-manages every aspect of every single department in Union City, NJ government departments, thus boosting his ego on preserving political power for his own personal interests.

What’s Next

Filipowski must file an amended or reinstated complaint by January 12, 2026, or seek a fee waiver by January 9, 2026. Failure to comply with these procedural requirements could lead to dismissal without prejudice. Once complaint reinstatement is complete, discovery obligations kick in immediately.

The trial date remains set for July 20, 2026.

Why This Matters

Experts note that the reinstatement and forthcoming discovery — including depositions of public officials — sends a strong message about government accountability and the role of citizen journalists:

In an age when public officials wield significant power, the courts remain a vital arena to test the boundaries of constitutional protections.

Whether this case will result in substantive remedies or significant precedents on the First Amendment remains to be seen. But for now, Leroy Truth and his supporters are celebrating a hard-fought legal moment that keeps the quest for answers and accountability of the allegedly extremely corrupt Union City, NJ Mayor, NJ State Senator and Head of the Senate Judiciary Committee Brian Stack very much alive.