Bill > S2437

This bill mandates that the Office of the Public Defender provide legal representation to individuals who are unable to afford an attorney and are charged with certain criminal contempt violations, specifically those related to violating orders issued under the "Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991." Criminal contempt is a legal term for willfully disobeying a court order, and in this context, it refers to violating a domestic violence restraining order. The bill clarifies that this representation will be provided according to the established procedures of the Public Defender's office, which is a state agency responsible for providing legal defense to indigent defendants. Importantly, the bill excludes from its provisions contempt charges related to specific types of orders outlined in the domestic violence act, such as those concerning child custody, visitation, or the removal of a defendant from a shared residence, as well as similar orders from other jurisdictions. The law will take effect on the first day of the fourth month following its enactment.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/S2437