 Trial judge William J. Arnold had Judge Trautwein address the issues related to the release of the papers in his role as an assignment judge for all Bergen County courts.In July 1978, Trautwein sentenced Farber to six months in jail and assessed fines of $5,000 each day to "The Times", saying that Farber had chosen placing "your privilege and your concept of your constitutional rights above the rights of the people of this state and this defendant"

With several breaks for appeals, Farber ended up spending a total 40 days in the Bergen County Jail and was not released until October 24 after Jascalevich was acquitted.The New Jersey Supreme Court upheld Trautwein's decision and stripped reports of shield law protections, though the New Jersey Legislature responded by passing even stronger shield laws to protect reporters.