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 establishes a new provision that creates a presumption for venue to be in the county where the complaint was filed when a juvenile is charged with offenses 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.

The bill modifies Section 5 of P.L.1982, c.77 (C.2A:4A-24) by adding a new subsection (e) that outlines this presumption of venue. This change aims to streamline the judicial process for handling juvenile delinquency cases related to serious motor vehicle crimes, ensuring that such cases are addressed in the county where the alleged offense occurred, rather than allowing for potential venue changes based on the juvenile's domicile. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

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