This bill amends existing law to require that juveniles charged with a delinquent act be prosecuted in the county where the incident that led to the complaint occurred. The new legal language specifies that "when a juvenile is charged with a delinquent act, venue shall be laid in the county where the incident giving rise to the juvenile delinquency complaint allegedly occurred." This change aims to streamline the prosecution process and ensure that cases are handled in the appropriate jurisdiction based on the location of the alleged offense.

Currently, New Jersey Court Rules allow for juvenile delinquency complaints to be filed in the county of the incident, but if the juvenile resides in a different county, the venue may be shifted to their county of domicile unless the court finds a valid reason to keep it in the original county. The proposed bill eliminates this flexibility, mandating that the prosecution occurs in the county of the incident, thereby reinforcing the principle that the location of the alleged delinquent act should dictate the venue for legal proceedings. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

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