TL;DR: Daniel's Law is a 2020 New Jersey law that lets covered people, including active and former judges, prosecutors, police officers and child-protection investigators and the family members who live with them, ask businesses and agencies to stop publishing their home address and unlisted phone number. A business that doesn't comply within 10 days can be sued for $1,000 per violation. In August 2026 the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled the law needs no proof of intent, while its constitutionality is still being fought in federal court.
Why the law exists
In July 2020 a gunman who had found Judge Esther Salas's home address online went to her New Jersey house, killed her 20-year-old son Daniel Anderl and wounded her husband. New Jersey passed Daniel's Law later that year so that people who face threats because of their public-safety jobs could get their addresses taken offline. New Jersey Monitor has followed the law and the legal challenges to it.
Who is covered
According to New Jersey Monitor's reporting, the law covers:
- Active and former judges
- Prosecutors
- Law enforcement officers
- Child protection investigators
- Immediate family members who live with them
Lawmakers have amended the law to widen the group it covers since 2020. If you're unsure whether you qualify, check with your employer or union, since many agencies help members file requests.
What it protects and how it works
- What: home address and unpublished home phone number.
- From whom: businesses (including data brokers and people-search sites) and government agencies that publish or sell the information.
- How: a covered person, or someone acting for them, sends a written takedown request.
- Deadline: the business must remove the information within 10 days.
- Penalty: if it doesn't, the covered person can sue for $1,000 per violation, and later amendments allow attorneys' fees and punitive damages for wilful violations.
The Atlas lawsuits and the court fights
A company called Atlas Data Privacy Corp. took assignments from many covered people, sent takedown requests in bulk, and then sued dozens of data brokers that it said missed the 10-day window. The brokers argued the law is unconstitutional because it restricts publishing truthful information.
- The US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit asked the New Jersey Supreme Court whether the law requires the business to have acted with any particular state of mind, such as negligence.
- On August 12, 2026, the New Jersey Supreme Court unanimously answered no: the law has no mental-state requirement, so plaintiffs don't need to show the company was careless.
- The state court said it was not deciding whether the law is constitutional. New Jersey Monitor reported the ruling was seen as a win for the brokers' constitutional challenge, which goes back to federal court.
If you're covered: practical steps
- Send takedown requests to the biggest people-search sites first. Our guide to opting out of US people-search sites lists them.
- Keep copies of every request and the date sent, so you can show when the 10 days started.
- Ask county and municipal offices about redacting your address from property and tax records.
- Check results again after a few weeks; brokers often relist people from new data feeds.
- Lock down social media so family photos don't give away your street. See how geotagged photos reveal your address.
If you're not covered
Most people don't qualify for Daniel's Law, but similar protections exist. Many states run address confidentiality programs for survivors of abuse and stalking, and state privacy laws give deletion rights; see US state privacy laws. Anyone can also opt out of individual brokers such as LexisNexis.
Addresses usually get linked to you through your email and phone number. A free email exposure check shows which breaches your email appears in.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Daniel's Law?
A 2020 New Jersey law that lets covered public-safety officials and the family members living with them ask businesses and agencies to stop publishing their home address and unlisted phone number.
Who is covered by Daniel's Law?
Active and former judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers and child protection investigators, plus immediate family members who live with them. The law has been amended to widen coverage.
How long does a company have to comply with a Daniel's Law request?
The law gives businesses 10 days to remove the information after a valid request.
What are the penalties under Daniel's Law?
Covered people can sue for $1,000 per violation, and amendments allow attorneys' fees and punitive damages for wilful violations.
Is Daniel's Law constitutional?
That is still being decided. In August 2026 the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled the law needs no proof of intent but did not decide its constitutionality, which is being litigated in federal court.
Sources
- New Jersey Monitor: NJ Supreme Court Daniel's Law ruling (Aug 2026)
- New Jersey Monitor: Federal appeals court hears challenge to New Jersey privacy law