This bill amends New Jersey's domestic violence restraining order procedures to strengthen protections for victims. It requires courts to hold hearings within 10 days, apply a standard where the victim must show abuse is more likely than not, and consider factors like past abuse and immediate safety risks. The bill mandates that restraining orders prohibit defendants from possessing firearms and require immediate surrender of weapons, while also allowing courts to order monetary compensation for victims' losses - including counseling costs, property damage, and other expenses. These changes directly affect victims and defendants in domestic violence cases by clarifying court procedures and enhancing safety measures.
This bill requires judges, law enforcement officers, and court personnel in New Jersey to receive updated training on domestic violence, specifically adding instruction about "coercive control." Coercive control refers to patterns of controlling behavior, such as isolating victims from support networks, monitoring their movements, threatening immigration status, or making false reports to authorities. The training must cover recognizing these indicators, understanding trauma, safety planning, and racial bias impacts. Existing training curricula for these groups will be revised to include these requirements, ensuring consistent, informed responses to domestic violence cases.
This New Jersey bill strengthens protections for crime victims by ensuring their location remains confidential in stalking and domestic violence cases. It requires courts to automatically issue restraining orders upon a stalking conviction (Section 3), prevents victim locations from appearing on documents accessible to defendants, and extends these protections to children, developmentally disabled individuals, and vulnerable adults (Section 2). The bill also mandates confidentiality for domestic violence cases (Section 9) and applies to all stalking-related court documents (Section 4). These changes directly affect victims of stalking, domestic violence, and their legal representatives, while limiting defendants' access to sensitive location information.
This bill (A 412) allows prosecutors to charge domestic violence or child endangerment offenses as one degree more serious during declared emergencies (national, state, or county). It directly affects individuals committing these acts while a state of emergency is in effect. Under current law, such offenses are charged at their standard level, but this bill gives prosecutors discretion to elevate the charge classification during emergencies. The change applies specifically to cases where a criminal complaint is filed under existing domestic violence or child endangerment statutes.
This New Jersey bill requires courts to conduct a criminal background check for any name change application. Applicants must consent in writing, pay for the check, and provide fingerprints for verification against state and federal records. The bill prohibits name changes for individuals convicted of violent crimes (like assault or robbery) or domestic violence offenses (including stalking or harassment), unless the request is for religious reasons. Courts must also notify victims or their immediate family members if an applicant with such a conviction seeks a name change. The bill is pending and would not take effect until three months after enactment.
This bill would allow judges to admit evidence of a defendant's prior domestic violence, child abuse, or sexual assault offenses in related criminal cases. It directly affects prosecutors and victims in these specific cases by providing additional evidence to support prosecutions when victim testimony is unreliable or unavailable. Currently, New Jersey's evidence rules block such prior acts, making cases harder to prove despite statistics showing 63,058 annual domestic violence reports. The change aligns New Jersey with states like California that permit this evidence to strengthen prosecutions without requiring multiple trials.
This New Jersey bill (A1598) prohibits the expungement (clearing from public records) of any arrest, charge, or conviction related to domestic violence, even if the case was dismissed, the person was acquitted, or discharged without conviction. It directly affects individuals with domestic violence-related cases in their criminal history, barring them from having those records sealed under standard expungement rules. The key provision adds a specific exception to existing expungement law, stating that "any person who has been arrested or held to answer for a crime or offense involving domestic violence" cannot qualify for record sealing, regardless of case outcome. This change applies uniformly to all domestic violence cases under New Jersey law, without exceptions for dismissed charges or acquittals. The bill remains in early legislative stages (introduced January 2026, referred to Judiciary Committee).
This bill (A 336), titled "Monica's Law," requires New Jersey courts to use evidence-based risk assessments in child custody cases where domestic violence is alleged. It mandates a standardized parenting time questionnaire for parents raising safety concerns and an evidence-based guide for judges to evaluate risks like prior violence, substance abuse, or child exposure. Courts must temporarily restrict parenting time while gathering information, then consider safety-focused alternatives like supervised visits or counseling. The law directly affects parents in custody disputes, courts making custody decisions, and children at potential risk from domestic violence.
This bill (A 3267) requires New Jersey law enforcement agencies and correctional facilities to refuse federal immigration detainer requests unless the person has been convicted of specific serious crimes, such as murder, sexual assault, domestic violence, or terrorism. It prohibits agencies from detaining, transferring, or notifying federal authorities about a person solely based on immigration requests unless one of these 21 offenses applies. The bill does not prevent agencies from sharing immigration status information with other government entities under existing federal law (8 U.S.C. 1373). It aligns with court rulings confirming states are not obligated to comply with immigration detainers and mirrors California’s "Trust Act" approach. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.
This New Jersey bill (S 3338) requires courts to issue restraining orders as a condition of release for defendants charged with crimes before trial. It bars defendants from entering specific locations related to the alleged crime - such as victims' homes, workplaces, or schools - unless exceptions apply. The court must issue these orders when defendants are released on bail (via warrant, summons, or juvenile complaint), defining the prohibited areas clearly. Exceptions allow the court to waive the order if the defendant proves a legitimate need to be at the location (e.g., residence) or if the order would cause undue hardship to innocent people.
