Sponsored by:
Senator PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.
District 18 (Middlesex)
Senator KRISTIN M. CORRADO
District 40 (Bergen, Essex and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Bramnick, Henry, Moriarty and O'Scanlon
SYNOPSIS
Requires certain juveniles to appear before court in county where incident giving rise to delinquency complaint allegedly occurred.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As amended by the Senate on January 30, 2025.
An Act concerning juvenile court appearances and amending P.L.1982, c.77.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 5 of P.L.1982, c.77 (C.2A:4A-24) is amended to read as follows:
5. a. Except as otherwise provided by law, the court shall have exclusive jurisdiction in all cases where it is charged that a juvenile has committed an act of delinquency and over all matters relating to a juvenile-family crisis. Upon the determination that a juvenile has committed an act of delinquency or that a juvenile-family crisis exists, the court may impose such disposition or dispositions over those persons subject to its jurisdiction consistent with the purposes of this act.
Such jurisdiction shall extend in these matters over a juvenile and his parent, guardian or any family member found by the court to be contributing to a juvenile-family crisis. The court shall, in accordance with the Rules of Court, clearly specify the responsibilities of those subject to its jurisdiction with respect to the plan of rehabilitation for the juvenile.
b. The court shall have jurisdiction in respect to the custody of any juvenile who may be held as a material witness in any case pending in the court. Whenever a juvenile is a material witness in any other court, the procedures established by this act shall be followed.
c. Juveniles who appear before the court in any capacity shall be deemed to be wards of the court and protected accordingly.
d. Nothing in this act shall affect the jurisdiction of other courts over offenses committed after a juvenile under the jurisdiction of the court reaches the age of 18 years.
e. A juvenile accused 1[of] in1 a delinquency complaint 1of an offense which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a crime of the first through third degree under Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes1 shall appear before the court in the county where the incident giving rise to the complaint allegedly occurred. 1[The court shall provide the juvenile with reasonable transportation accommodations to ensure that the juvenile is able to appear before the court.]1
1A juvenile accused in a delinquency complaint of an offense which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a crime of the fourth degree, a disorderly persons offense, or a petty disorderly persons offense under Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes shall appear before the court in the county in which the juvenile is domiciled, unless the court finds good cause for venue to be retained in the county where the incident giving rise to the complaint allegedly occurred. Any objection to the transfer of venue to the county where the juvenile is domiciled shall be made to the court in the county where the complaint was filed within five days of receiving the delinquency complaint.
In any case where there are multiple defendants, juvenile or adult, venue shall be laid in the county where the incident giving rise to the complaint allegedly occurred.
A motion for change of venue may be made by the prosecutor or the defense. The motion shall be made to the Family Presiding Judge or designee in the county where the matter is currently venued, with notice to the other party.1
(cf: P.L.1982, c.77, s.5)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.