Wednesday, February 26, 2020

7:4-1. Right to Pretrial Release

7:4-1. Right to Pretrial Release

(a) Defendants Charged on Complaint-Warrant (CDR-2) with Disorderly
Persons Offenses. Except as otherwise provided by R. 3:4A (pertaining to preventative
detention), defendants charged with a disorderly persons offense on an initial
Complaint-Warrant (CDR-2) shall be released before conviction on the least restrictive
non-monetary conditions that, in the judgment of the court, will reasonably ensure their
presence in court when required, the protection of the safety of any other person or the
community, and that the eligible defendant will not obstruct or attempt to obstruct the
criminal justice process, pursuant to R. 3:26-1(a)(1). In accordance with Part III,
monetary bail may be set for a defendant arrested on a disorderly persons offense on
an initial Complaint-Warrant (CDR-2) only when it is determined that no other conditions
of release will reasonably assure the eligible defendant’s appearance in court when
required. For these defendants the court shall make a pretrial release determination no
later than 48 hours after a defendant’s commitment to the county jail; the court shall
consider the Pretrial Services Program’s risk assessment and recommendations on
conditions of release before making a release decision.

(b) All Other Defendants. All defendants other than those set forth in paragraph

(a) shall have a right to bail before conviction on such terms as, in the judgment of
court, will insure the defendant’s presence when required, having regard for the
defendant’s background, residence, employment and family status and, particularly, the
general policy against unnecessary sureties and detention; in its discretion, the court
may order defendant’s release on defendant’s own recognizance and may impose
terms or conditions appropriate to such release. All other defendants include: (i) those
charged on an initial Complaint-Warrant (CDR-2) with a petty disorderly persons offense
or other non-disorderly persons offense within the jurisdiction of the municipal court,and

(ii) all defendants brought before the court on a bench warrant for failure to appear or
other violation, including defendants initially charged on a Complaint-Warrant (CDR-2)
and those initially charged on a summons. Defendants issued a bench warrant who
were charged with a disorderly persons offense on an initial Complaint-Warrant (CDR-2)
may also be subject to reconsideration of conditions of release pursuant to Rule 7:4-9.

(c) Domestic Violence; Conditions of Release. When a defendant is charged
with a crime or offense involving domestic violence, the court authorizing the release
may, as a condition of release, prohibit the defendant from having any contact with the
victim. The court may impose any additional limitations upon contact as otherwise
authorized by N.J.S.A. 2C:25-26.

(d) Issuance of Restraining Orders by Electronic Communication.

(1) Temporary Domestic Violence Restraining Orders. Procedures
authorizing the issuance of temporary domestic violence restraining orders by electronic
communication are governed by R. 5:7A(d).

(2) N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5.7 and N.J.S.A. 2C:14-12 Restraining Orders. A
judge may as a condition of release issue a restraining order pursuant to N.J.S.A.
2C:35-5.7 (“Drug Offender Restraining Order Act of 1999”) or N.J.S.A. 2C:14-12
(“Nicole’s Law”) upon sworn oral testimony of a law enforcement officer or prosecuting
attorney who is not physically present. Such sworn oral testimony may be
communicated to the judge by telephone, radio, or other means of electronic
communication. The judge shall contemporaneously record such sworn oral testimony
by means of a tape-recording device or stenographic machine if such are available;
otherwise the judge shall make adequate longhand notes summarizing what is said.

Subsequent to taking the oath, the law enforcement officer or prosecuting attorney must
identify himself or herself, specify the purpose of the request, and disclose the basis of
the application. This sworn testimony shall be deemed to be an affidavit for the
purposes of issuance of a restraining order. Upon issuance of the restraining order, the
judge shall memorialize the specific terms of the order. That memorialization shall be
either by means of a tape-recording device, stenographic machine, or by adequate
longhand notes. Thereafter, the judge shall direct the law enforcement officer or
prosecuting attorney to memorialize the specific terms authorized by the judge on a
form, or other appropriate paper, designated as the restraining order. This order shall be
deemed a restraining order for the purpose of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5.7 ("Drug Offender
Restraining Order Act of 1999") and N.J.S.A. 2C:14-12 ("Nicole's Law"). The judge shall
direct the law enforcement officer or prosecuting attorney to print the judge's name on
the restraining order. A copy of the restraining order shall be served on the defendant
by any officer authorized by law. Within 48 hours, the law enforcement officer or
prosecuting attorney shall deliver to the judge, either in person, by facsimile
transmission, or by other means of electronic communication, the signed restraining
order along with a certification of service on the defendant. The certification of service
shall be in a form approved by the Administrative Director of the Courts and shall
include the date and time that service on the defendant was made or attempted to be
made. The judge shall verify the accuracy of these documents by affixing his or her
signature to the restraining order.

(3) Certification of Offense Location for Drug Offender Restraining
Orders. When a restraining order is issued by electronic communication pursuant to
N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5.7 ("Drug Offender Restraining Order Act of 1999") where the law
enforcement officer or prosecuting attorney is not physically present at the same
location as the court, the law enforcement officer or prosecuting attorney must provide
an oral statement describing the location of the offense. Within 48 hours thereafter the
law enforcement officer or prosecuting attorney shall deliver to the judge, either in
person, by facsimile transmission, or by other means of electronic communication, a
certification describing the location of the offense.

Note: Source-R. (1969) 7:5-1, 3:26-1(a). Adopted October 6, 1997 to be effective February 1, 1998.; text designated as paragraph (a), paragraph (a) caption adopted, new paragraphs (b) and (c) adopted July 9, 2013 to be effective September 1, 2013; caption amended, new paragraph (a) adopted, former paragraph (a) redesignated as paragraph (b) and caption and text amended, and former paragraphs (b) and (c) redesignated as paragraphs (c) and (d) August 30, 2016 to be effective January 1, 2017; paragraphs (a) and (b) caption and text amended November 14, 2016 to be effective January 1, 2017; subparagraph (d)(1) amended July 29, 2019 to be effective September 1, 2019.

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