TRENTON, N.J. — A bill sponsored by Senator Kristin Corrado (R-40) to change how juvenile delinquency cases are handled in New Jersey has passed the state Senate.

The legislation, Senate Bill 3190, would require juveniles accused of delinquency to appear before a court in the county where the alleged offense occurred, rather than in the county of their residence.

“Our justice system should be most convenient for the victims of crimes, not the offenders,” Corrado said. “This bill will right that wrong and mandate that the court that hears the case will be in the county where the offense was committed.”

Under current court rules, juvenile cases are typically heard in the juvenile’s home county unless a judge finds cause to keep the case in the county where the incident took place. The bill eliminates the home county as the default venue and also requires courts to provide reasonable transportation accommodations to ensure the juvenile appears in court.

The measure now heads to the Assembly for further consideration.

New Jersey lawmakers move to shift juvenile delinquency cases to courts where the offenses occurred.

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