When a party who files a lawsuit unreasonably delays moving the lawsuit toward a resolution (delays prosecution of the case), it is presumed the case has been abandoned, and the court may dismiss the lawsuit for want of prosecution. Such a dismissal for want of prosecution is commonly referred to as a DWOP. A party may ask the court to dismiss a case for want of prosecution, or the judge may do so without a request from a party (sua sponte).
In New Jersey, if a party who has filed a lawsuit fails to actively move the case towards resolution, it may be presumed that the case has been abandoned. This can lead to the court dismissing the lawsuit for want of prosecution, often abbreviated as DWOP. Both the opposing party and the court itself have the authority to seek such a dismissal. A party may file a motion to dismiss the case for lack of prosecution, or the judge may independently decide to dismiss the case sua sponte, which means 'on their own motion' without a request from either party. This mechanism serves to prevent undue delays in the legal process and to ensure that the court's time and resources are used efficiently.