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

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 …

9:6-8.29 Removal of child without court order. 9. a. A police officer or a designated employee of the Probation Division or a designated employee of the division may remove a child from the place where the child is residing, or any person or any physician treating a child may kee…

9:6-8.30 Action by the division upon emergency removal. 10. a. The division, when informed that there has been an emergency removal of a child from his home without court order, shall make every reasonable effort to communicate immediately with the child's parent or guardian that…

9:6-8.31 Preliminary orders after filing of complaint. 11. a. In any case where the child has been removed without court order, except where action has been taken pursuant to P.L.1973, c.147 (C.9:6-8.16 et seq.) the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Family Part shall hold a hear…

9:6-8.32 Hearing to determine if child to be returned. 12. Upon the application of the parent or guardian of a child temporarily removed under this act, the court shall hold a hearing, whereby the safety of the child shall be of paramount concern, to determine whether the child s…

9:6-8.33. Originating proceeding to determine abuse or neglect a. A proceeding under this act is originated by the filing of a complaint in which facts sufficient to establish that a child is an abused or neglected child under this act are alleged. b. Where more than one child is…

9:6-8.34. Persons who may originate proceedings The following persons may originate a proceeding under this act: a. A parent or other person interested in the child. b. A duly authorized agency, association, society, institution or the division. c. A police officer. d. Any person…

9:6-8.35 Preliminary procedure. 15. Preliminary procedure. The division may, with the safety of the child of paramount concern: a. Confer with any person seeking to file a complaint, the potential respondent, and other interested persons concerning the advisability of filing a co…

9:6-8.36. Admissibility of statements made during a preliminary conference No statement made by the potential respondent during a preliminary conference held pursuant to section 15 hereof may be admitted into evidence at a fact-finding hearing under this act or in a court of crim…

9:6-8.36a Report to prosecutor of all instances of suspected child abuse, neglect. 1. The Department of Children and Families shall immediately report all instances of suspected child abuse and neglect, as defined by regulations, to the county prosecutor of the county in which th…

9:6-8.37. Issuance of summons On the filing of a complaint involving abuse or neglect under this act, unless a warrant is issued pursuant to section 19 hereof, the court shall cause a copy of the complaint and a summons to be issued forthwith, requiring the parent or guardian wit…

9:6-8.38. Service of summons a. In cases involving abuse, or neglect the complaint and summons shall be served within 2 court days after their issuance. If they cannot be served within that time, such fact shall be reported to the court with the reasons therefor within 3 court da…

9:6-8.39. Issuance of warrant and reports a. The court may issue a warrant directing the parent or guardian with whom the child is residing to be brought before the court, when a complaint is filed with the court under this act and it appears that (1) the summons cannot be served…

9:6-8.40 Records involving abuse or neglect. 20. Records involving abuse or neglect. When the Department of Children and Families receives a report or complaint that a child may be abused or neglected; when the department provides services to a child; or when the department recei…

9:6-8.40a Expungement of unfounded allegations. 1. a. The Division of Child Protection and Permanency in the Department of Children and Families shall expunge from its records all information relating to a report, complaint, or allegation of an incident of child abuse or neglect …