Bill > A2628

This bill, known as the "New Jersey Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act," establishes uniform procedures for determining which state's courts have the authority to make decisions regarding guardianship or protective orders for adults, especially when there are conflicts or uncertainties between states. It defines key terms like "adult," "guardian," "incapacitated person," and "home state" (the state where an adult has lived for at least six consecutive months). The act aims to facilitate interstate cooperation between courts, allowing them to communicate and request assistance from each other, such as holding hearings or obtaining testimony from witnesses in other states. It outlines the criteria for a New Jersey court to assert jurisdiction, prioritizing the adult's "home state" but also considering "significant-connection states" (states with substantial evidence about the adult) and emergency situations. The bill also details how jurisdiction can be transferred between states, either from New Jersey to another state or vice versa, and how guardianship or conservatorship orders from other states can be registered and enforced in New Jersey. Importantly, it clarifies that this act does not change the underlying substantive laws of New Jersey regarding guardianship, conservatorship, or protective proceedings, but rather focuses on the jurisdictional aspects of these proceedings when interstate issues arise.