Read the full stored bill text
S188 TR
SENATE, No. 188
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
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, O'Scanlon and Stack
SYNOPSIS
���� Requires certain juveniles to appear before court in
county where incident giving rise to delinquency complaint allegedly occurred.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee with
technical review.
��
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.��
Exclusive jurisdiction of the court and nature of jurisdiction.
����� 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 in a delinquency complaint of 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 Statutes shall appear before the court in the county
where the incident giving rise to the complaint allegedly occurred.
�����
A
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.
(cf:
P.L.1982, c.77, s.5)
���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.