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A2272
ASSEMBLY, No. 2272
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman MARGIE DONLON, M.D.
District 11 (Monmouth)
Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
Assemblyman STERLEY S. STANLEY
District 18 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
���� Concerns venue for juveniles charged with certain
acts of delinquency.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.
��
An Act
concerning juveniles 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:
���� 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.���� When a juvenile is
charged with a delinquent act which if committed by an adult would constitute theft
of a motor vehicle pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2023, c.101 (C.2C:20-10.1);
unlawful taking of a motor vehicle pursuant to N.J.S.2C:20-10; carjacking
pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1993, c.221 (C.2C:15-2); or burglary with the
intent to commit theft of a motor vehicle pursuant to N.J.S.2C:18-2 and the
juvenile has previously been adjudicated delinquent for one of the offenses set
forth in this subsection, there shall be a presumption that venue shall be laid
in the county where the complaint was filed.
(cf:� P.L.1982, c.77, s.5)
���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill concerns venue for
juveniles who are charged with certain acts of delinquency.
���� Under current New Jersey Court
Rules, juvenile delinquency complaints are filed in the county where the
incident giving rise to the complaint allegedly occurred.� However, when the
juvenile charged is domiciled in a county other than the county of the alleged
occurrence, venue is to be laid in the county of the juvenile�s domicile unless
the court finds good cause for venue to be retained in the county where the
incident occurred.� Venue is the county in which an action or prosecution is
brought for trial.
���� Under the provisions of this
bill, when a juvenile is charged with a delinquent act which if committed by an
adult would constitute theft of a motor vehicle, unlawful taking of a motor
vehicle, carjacking, or burglary with the intent to commit theft of a motor
vehicle and the juvenile has previously been adjudicated delinquent for one of
the offenses set forth above, there is a presumption that venue is laid in the
county where the complaint was filed.