Vincent Polistina
TRENTON - Senator Vince Polistina's (R-02) bill to clarify regional municipal court jurisdiction over State Police and other matters originating outside of participating municipalities was passed by the New Jersey Senate Monday, Dec. 11.
The goal of the pilot program is to make the courts more efficient and cut down on governmental waste, Polistina said in a release. However, requiring the central municipal court to handle these cases without the corresponding revenue has become unnecessarily burdensome and costly.
S4040 clarifies that the Atlantic County Central Municipal Court will no longer be required to hear State Police or county police cases originating from outside the participating municipalities. Counties may still, by ordinance, confer upon the regional municipal court with certain countywide jurisdiction if it chooses to do so.
Ventnor City petitioned to withdraw from the regional court system in favoir of creating a joint municipal court with Brigantine. A Superior Court judge recommended defections from the Atlantic County Central Municipal Court be put on hold until the bill is signed into law.
The regional municipal court will retain jurisdiction over currently pending countywide cases, but new cases originating from non-participating municipalities brought after the effective date of the bill will be filed in their municipality of origin.
You can read the full bill here.
https://www.downbeach.com/2023/12/08/superior-court-judge-delays-ventnor-leaving-atlantic-county-central-municipal-court/
