SWEENEY-BEACH LEGISLATION CREATING PILOT PROGRAM FOR REGIONAL MUNICIPAL COURTS IS SIGNED INTO LAW
August 5, 2021
Trenton – Reform legislation spearheaded by Senate President Stephen Sweeney that will help achieve savings and promote fairness through Municipal Court regionalization was signed into law today. The legislation, S-3049, sponsored by Sweeney and Senator James Beach, would create a pilot program to establish regional municipal courts in at least two counties and no fewer than five municipalities in each county.
The pilot program would take place only in municipalities and counties that apply to the Administrative Office of the Courts to participate.
“Through municipal court regionalization, we will be able to achieve many of the same reforms we are beginning to see realized in regard to school regionalization. Through court consolidation, we will be able to leverage resources to save money, make the mechanics of our justice system run more smoothly, and make it more equitable and efficient for all,” said Senator Sweeney (D - Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland).
The New Jersey Supreme Court Working Group on Municipal Courts has strongly recommended consolidating smaller courts as a means of promoting efficiency, fairness and cost savings. Court consolidation is also widely seen as a way to improve access to the courts -- through more frequent sessions – as well as bolster court security and promote judicial independence.
The Supreme Court’s working group found that more than 100 municipal courts handled fewer than 20 filings a week in the previous year, including three that had handled no cases at all.
“A few years ago, the State Supreme Court set out to research merging the smaller municipal courts in New Jersey. They found that by doing this, it would reinforce fairness throughout our judicial system, encourage higher efficacy and effectiveness and improve overall cost-savings and access to the courts,” said Senator Beach (D-Burlington/Camden). “By conducting a smaller pilot program from this research, we will be able to consider the results first without making significant statewide changes. If the pilot program proves successful, we can further implement this system to other municipalities around the state.”
The regional courts would have jurisdiction over all matters falling within the jurisdiction of the municipal courts that are part of the pilot program. All fees and fines collected by the regional municipal courts would be shared on a pro-rata basis equivalent to the costs of operating the regional system.
“Another committee formed by Chief Justice Stuart Rabner found that consolidation would help prevent municipal courts from imposing inequitable fees for the purpose of generating revenue, a practice that disproportionately burdens communities of color and the poor,” added Senator Sweeney.
“Clearly, municipal court regionalization will improve the quality of justice in our state at the local level at the same time it produces taxpayer savings,” he concluded.
