Title 9, Title 9: CHILDREN--JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURTS

9:6-3.1 Suspension; due process rights; remedial plan. 7. a. A teacher, employee, volunteer or staff person of an institution as defined in section 1 of P.L.1974, c.119 (C.9:6-8.21) who is alleged to have committed an act of child abuse or neglect as defined in R.S. 9:6-1, sectio…

9:6-4. Jurisdiction of complaints 9:6-4. Complaints for violation of the provisions of this chapter may be made to the Superior Court or any municipal court. Whenever any person, who shall be charged with any such offense upon oath before any court or by indictment, shall, in wri…

9:6-5. Complaints, who may prefer Any board of education or police department of any municipality, township, towns and boroughs, its designated officers, members or agents, or any society, association or board incorporated or organized under the laws of this State, having as one …

9:6-6. Disposition of fines, penalties and forfeitures All fines, penalties and forfeitures imposed and collected in any case when any society, association or board incorporated or organized under the laws of this state having as one of its objects the prevention of cruelty to ch…

9:6-7. Agents of societies commissioned as police officers and constables 9:6-7. Any duly organized or incorporated humane society, having for one of its objects the protection of children from cruelty, may offer any agents or officers employed by such society to the mayor or oth…

9:6-8. Warrants to enter place of supposed violation, arrest. 9:6-8. Whenever any person shall, before the Superior Court, or municipal court, make oath that the affiant believes that this chapter has been or is being violated in any place or house, such court shall forthwith iss…

9:6-8.10 Report of abuse. 3. Any person having reasonable cause to believe that a child has been subjected to child abuse, including sexual abuse, or acts of child abuse shall report the same immediately to the Division of Child Protection and Permanency by telephone or otherwise…

9:6-8.100 Function of center, staffing. 2. Each center shall demonstrate a multidisciplinary approach to identifying and responding to child abuse and neglect. The center staff shall include, at a minimum, a pediatrician, a consulting psychiatrist, a psychologist and a social wor…

9:6-8.101. Purpose of center 3. The regional centers shall: evaluate and treat child abuse and neglect; be resources for the region and develop additional resources within the region; provide training and consultative services; and be available for emergency phone consultation 24…

9:6-8.102 Services provided by staff of center. 4. Services provided by the center's staff shall include, but not be limited to: a. Providing psychological and medical evaluation and treatment of the child, counseling for family members and substance use disorder assessment and m…

9:6-8.103. Safety of child undergoing treatment assured 5. The regional center shall ensure the safety of a child undergoing treatment while the child is at the regional center to the extent permitted by law. The appropriate law enforcement officials and protective services provi…

9:6-8.104 Establishment, maintenance of county-based multidisciplinary teams; "child advocacy center" defined. 6. Regional centers shall act as a resource in the establishment and maintenance of county-based multidisciplinary teams which work in conjunction with the county prosec…

9:6-8.106 Rules, regulations. 8. The Commissioner of Children and Families shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act. L.1998, c.19, s.8; amended 2006, c…

9:6-8.107 Findings, declarations relative to child advocacy centers and multidisciplinary teams. 1. The Legislature finds and declares that: a. Child advocacy centers are child-friendly centers where a multidisciplinary team of law enforcement, child protective services, prosecut…

9:6-8.108 Definitions relative to child advocacy centers and multidisciplinary teams. 2. As used in this act: "Child advocacy center" means a county-based center as defined in section 6 of P.L.1998, c.19 (C.9:6-8.104). "Multidisciplinary team" means a county-based team as establi…

9:6-8.109 Child Advocacy Center-Multidisciplinary Team Advisory Board. 3. a. There is established in, but not of, the Department of Children and Families in the Executive Branch of State government the Child Advocacy Center-Multidisciplinary Team Advisory Board. For the purpose o…

9:6-8.10a Records of child abuse reports; confidentiality; disclosure. 1. a. All records of child abuse reports made pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1971, c.437 (C.9:6-8.10), all information obtained by the Department of Children and Families in investigating such reports including …

9:6-8.10b. Permitting or encouraging release of record or report; penalty Any person who willfully permits or encourages the release of the contents of any record or report in contravention of this act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of not more than $1,000…

9:6-8.10c Child abuse record information check on designated caretaker. 2. a. Upon receiving the presentencing investigation information from the court pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2003, c.301 (C.2C:44-6.2) concerning a sole caretaker of a child who will be incarcerated and the p…

9:6-8.10d Rules, regulations. 4. The Commissioner of Children and Families shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) to carry out the purposes of sections 2 and 3 of this act. L.2003, c.301, s.4; amended…

9:6-8.10e Check of child abuse registry for guardians. 9. a. In accordance with the provisions of sections 6 and 7 of P.L.2005, c.370 (C.52:27G-37 and C.52:27G-38), the Department of Children and Families shall conduct a check of its child abuse registry for each person seeking r…

9:6-8.10f Check of abuse registry relative to individuals seeking employment. 5. a. The Department of Children and Families shall conduct a check of its child abuse registry for each person who is seeking employment at the Department of Children and Families, or in any facility o…

9:6-8.11 Actions to ensure safety of child; investigation; report. 4. Upon receipt of any such report, the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, or such another entity in the Department of Children and Families as may be designated by the Commissioner of Children and Famil…

9:6-8.110 Duties of board. 4. The board shall: a. direct the development and implementation of a certification program for the State's child advocacy centers and multidisciplinary teams pursuant to section 5 of this act; b. develop a comprehensive plan for evaluating the effectiv…

9:6-8.111 Certification program; goal. 5. a. The board shall establish a certification program for the State's child advocacy centers and multidisciplinary teams. The goal of the program shall be to ensure that: (1) every child advocacy center or multidisciplinary team in the Sta…

9:6-8.112 "Child Advocacy Center-Multidisciplinary Team Fund." 6. There is established in the Department of Children and Families a fund to be known as the "Child Advocacy Center-Multidisciplinary Team Fund." This fund shall be the repository for monies appropriated to support th…

9:6-8.113 Distribution of grants. 7. a. The monies deposited in the Child Advocacy Center-Multidisciplinary Team Fund shall be distributed by the Department of Children and Families as grants to child advocacy centers or multidisciplinary teams certified by the board pursuant to …

9:6-8.114 Rules, regulations. 8. Pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the board and the Department of Children and Families may adopt any rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act. L.2017, c.90, s.8.

9:6-8.12 Emergency telephone services for child abuse and neglect calls. 5. The Division of Child Protection and Permanency shall maintain, at all times, an emergency telephone service for the receipt of calls involving a report, complaint, or allegation of child abuse or neglect…

9:6-8.13. Immunity Anyone acting pursuant to this act in the making of a report under this act shall have immunity from any liability, civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed. Any such person shall have the same immunity with respect to testimony given in a…

9:6-8.14 Violations, degree of crime. 7. a. Except as provided in subsection b. of this section any person knowingly violating the provisions of this act including the failure to report an act of child abuse having reasonable cause to believe that an act of child abuse has been c…

9:6-8.15 Rules and regulations. 8. The Division of Child Protection and Permanency shall from time to time promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to effectuate the provisions of P.L.1971, c.437 (C.9:6-8.8 et seq.). L.1971, c.437, s.8; amended 2012, c.16, s.26.

9:6-8.16. Child taken to physician or hospital for treatment of serious physical injury; protective custody Any physician examining or treating any child, or the director or his designate of any hospital or similar institution to which any child has been brought for care or treat…

9:6-8.17 Report of action of taking protective custody of child. 2. The physician or the director or his designate of a hospital or similar institution taking a child into such protective custody shall immediately report his action to the Division of Child Protection and Permanen…

9:6-8.18 Division of Child Protection and Permanency, actions upon receipt of report. 3. The Division of Child Protection and Permanency, shall upon receipt of such report, take action to insure the safety of the child under section 4 of P.L.1971, c.437 (C.9:6-8.11). The report s…

9:6-8.19 Notice to parents or guardian; visitation rights; limitation on period. 4. a. The Division of Child Protection and Permanency, shall immediately after the receipt of such report, and after making a determination to take the child into protective custody, shall serve or a…

9:6-8.19a Resource family parent, notice, opportunity to be heard. 5. In any case in which the Division of Child Protection and Permanency accepts a child in its care or custody, the child's resource family parent or relative providing care for the child, as applicable, shall rec…

9:6-8.20. Physicians or directors of hospitals acting under this law; immunity from liability Any physician or director of a hospital or similar institution who takes a child into protective custody pursuant to this act shall have immunity from any civil and criminal liability th…

9:6-8.21 Definitions. 1. As used in P.L.1974, c.119 (C.9:6-8.21 et seq.), unless the specific context indicates otherwise: a. "Parent or guardian" means any natural parent, adoptive parent, resource family parent, stepparent, paramour of a parent, or any person, who has assumed r…

9:6-8.22 Jurisdiction of Superior Court, Chancery Division, Family Part. 2. The Superior Court, Chancery Division, Family Part in each county shall have jurisdiction over all noncriminal proceedings involving alleged cases of child abuse or neglect, and shall be charged with the …

9:6-8.23. Law guardian; appointment 3. a. Any minor who is the subject of a child abuse or neglect proceeding under this act must be represented by a law guardian to help protect his interests and to help him express his wishes to the court. However, nothing in this act shall be …

9:6-8.24 Jurisdiction. 4. Jurisdiction. a. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Family Part has exclusive original jurisdiction over noncriminal proceedings under this act alleging the abuse or neglect of a child. b. In determining…

9:6-8.25. Transfer to and from the Superior Court 5. Transfer to and from the Superior Court. a. Notice to the prosecutor. Immediately upon receipt of a complaint, the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Family Part shall forward a copy of such complaint to the county prosecutor, …

9:6-8.26. Venue Proceedings under this act shall be brought in accordance with the Rules of Court. L.1974, c. 119, s. 6, eff. Oct. 10, 1974. Amended by L.1977, c. 209, s. 5, eff. Sept. 7, 1977.

9:6-8.27 Temporary removal with consent. 7. a. A police officer or an agency or institution or individual may temporarily remove a child from the place where he is residing with the consent of his parent or other person legally responsible for his care, if, there is reasonable ca…

9:6-8.28 Preliminary order of court before preliminary hearing held. 8. Preliminary orders of court before preliminary hearing held. a. The Superior Court, Chancery Division, Family Part may enter an order, whereby the safety of the child shall be of paramount concern, directing …