SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 188

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 11, 2026

      The Senate Judiciary Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 188.

      This bill requires certain juveniles to appear before the court in the county where the incident giving rise to the delinquency complaint allegedly occurred.

      Currently, under Court Rule 5:19-1(a)(1), “when the juvenile charged is domiciled in a county other than the county of the alleged occurrence, venue shall be laid in the county of the juvenile’s domicile unless the court finds good cause for venue to be retained in the county where the incident allegedly occurred.”  This bill would generally eliminate the county of the juvenile’s domicile as the default venue and make the county in which the alleged act of delinquency occurred the venue for the delinquency proceedings.

      Specifically, the bill requires juveniles 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 to appear before the court in the county where the incident giving rise to the complaint allegedly occurred. 

      In addition, the bill requires juveniles accused in a delinquency complaint of an offense which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a fourth-degree crime, a disorderly persons offense, or a petty disorderly persons offense to appear before the court in the county in which the juvenile is domiciled, unless the court finds good cause to retain venue in the county where the incident giving rise to the complaint allegedly occurred.  Further, the bill requires any objection to the transfer of venue to the county where the juvenile is domiciled to be made to the court in the county where the complaint was filed within five days of receiving the delinquency complaint.

      The bill permits the prosecutor or the defense to file a motion for change of venue, with notice to the other party, to the Family Presiding Judge or designee in the county where the matter is currently venued. 

      Lastly, the bill requires venue to be laid in the county where the incident giving rise to the complaint allegedly occurred if there are multiple defendants, either juvenile or adult.

      This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 2026-2027 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.