This bill amends existing New Jersey law regarding the venue for juveniles charged with specific acts of delinquency, particularly those related to motor vehicle offenses. It introduces a new provision that establishes a presumption for venue in cases where a juvenile is charged with acts such as theft of a motor vehicle, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, carjacking, or burglary with the intent to commit theft of a motor vehicle, provided that the juvenile has previously been adjudicated delinquent for one of these offenses. Under this new provision, the venue will be presumed to be in the county where the complaint was filed, rather than the juvenile's domicile, unless the court finds good cause to retain the venue in the juvenile's home county.

The bill aims to streamline the judicial process for handling juvenile delinquency cases related to serious motor vehicle offenses by clarifying the venue rules. This change is intended to ensure that cases are heard in a location that is more directly connected to the alleged offense, thereby potentially improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the juvenile justice system. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2A:4A-24