New Jersey 2022-2023 Regular Session

New Jersey Senate Bill SJR67 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION No. 67 STATE OF NEW JERSEY 220th LEGISLATURE INTRODUCED MARCH 3, 2022
2	2
3	3	SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
4	4
5	5	No. 67
6	6
7	7
8	8
9	9	STATE OF NEW JERSEY
10	10
11	11	220th LEGISLATURE
12	12
13	13
14	14
15	15	INTRODUCED MARCH 3, 2022
16	16
17	17
18	18
19	19	Sponsored by: Senator NILSA I. CRUZ-PEREZ District 5 (Camden and Gloucester) SYNOPSIS Establishes "New Jersey Domestic Violence and Legal Access Task Force." CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT As introduced.
20	20
21	21
22	22
23	23	Sponsored by:
24	24
25	25	Senator NILSA I. CRUZ-PEREZ
26	26
27	27	District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
28	28
29	29
30	30
31	31
32	32
33	33
34	34
35	35
36	36
37	37	SYNOPSIS
38	38
39	39	Establishes "New Jersey Domestic Violence and Legal Access Task Force."
40	40
41	41
42	42
43	43	CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
44	44
45	45	As introduced.
46	46
47	47
48	48
49	49	A Joint Resolution establishing the "New Jersey Domestic Violence and Legal Access Task Force." Whereas, Every day, indigent pro se parties enter New Jersey courts seeking relief from abuse. Often these people are unable to advocate effectively for themselves or articulate a sufficient basis to support the relief they are seeking from the court. Similarly, other indigent parties must defend themselves against allegations of domestic violence. In both instances, these litigants are often ill-equipped to articulate the merits of their positions to the court because of a language barrier, lack of understanding of the statutory standard, or for some other reason; and Whereas, Survivors of domestic violence rate the filing of an application for a restraining order as one of their most effective tools to stopping domestic violence, second only to leaving the abuser. Studies confirm that access to counsel in restraining order proceedings can make a substantial difference in the outcome; and Whereas, According to one study, 83 percent of victims represented by an attorney successfully obtained a restraining order, as compared to just 32 percent of victims without an attorney; and Whereas, Increasing a victim's chance for obtaining a restraining order is one of the most straightforward ways in which legal assistance can reduce domestic violence. Cases involving domestic violence are often difficult and complex, and survivors without proper legal representation are frequently further victimized by unfavorable outcomes; and Whereas, New Jersey has long recognized a right to counsel for impoverished defendants facing consequences of magnitude, even in civil cases, such as loss of motor vehicle privileges or a substantial fine in municipal court, child support enforcement proceedings, involuntary commitment proceedings, Megan's Law tier classification hearings, proceedings regarding abuse, neglect or termination of all parental rights, and loss of liberty, such as the ability to own weapons or to move freely; and Whereas, Inexplicably, a defendant who is prosecuted for an act of domestic violence is not entitled to counsel even though facing a host of consequences of magnitude, which may include immediate loss of the right to occupy a residence without any relief from financial obligations related to that residence; monetary payments and penalties; seizure of firearms and the loss of the right to possess same; and suspension of the right to see his or her children; and Whereas, There is no principled reason why an indigent facing loss of motor vehicle privileges or a substantial fine in municipal court would be conferred the right to counsel, but an indigent involved in a domestic violence matter would not have a similar right; and Whereas, Domestic violence proceedings implicate fundamental rights, effect consequences of sizable magnitude, and the provision of counsel protects a core constitutional provision-the guarantee of "fundamentally fair" adversarial proceedings. Absent such a safeguard, domestic violence litigants are left impermissibly vulnerable; and Whereas, By expanding the right to counsel to include both sides in a domestic violence restraining order action, this State can ensure that indigent litigants will not suffer consequences of magnitude without first receiving the protection of counsel; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey: 1. a. There is established the "New Jersey Domestic Violence and Legal Access Task Force" to study the nature, extent and consequences of unmet legal needs of State residents in domestic violence matters. b. The purpose of the task force is to examine, on a Statewide basis, the impact that the lack of access to legal counsel in domestic violence matters is having on the ability of State residents to be protected from physical and emotional harm, and the impact on other residents who have to defend themselves against allegations of domestic abuse. 2. a. The task force shall be comprised of 16 members, as follows: (1) Two public members appointed by the Governor, one of whom shall be a representative of a pro bono program organized by a law firm located in the State, and one of whom shall be a State resident who has been a pro se litigant who has appeared as a plaintiff in a domestic violence matter in the New Jersey State courts; (2) Two public members appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the President of the Senate, one of whom shall be the representative of a non-profit organization dedicated to the services and assistance of victims of domestic violence and one of whom shall be a State licensed and certified family law attorney; (3) Two public members appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly, one of whom shall be a director of a legal clinic program of a law school located in the State and one of whom shall be a State resident who has been a pro se litigant who has appeared as a defendant in a domestic violence matter in the New Jersey State courts; (4) One member appointed by the Chief Justice, who is a retired judge of the Superior Court who was previously assigned to the Family Division; (5) The Administrative Director of the Courts, or his designee; (6) The Public Defender, or the Public Defender's designee; (7) The Attorney General, or the Attorney General's designee; (8) The dean of Seton Hall University School of Law, or the dean's designee; (9) The co-dean of Rutgers Law School Newark Campus, or the co-dean's designee; (10) The co-dean of Rutgers Law School Camden Campus, or the co-dean's designee; (11) The executive director of New Jersey Legal Services, or the executive director's designee; (12) A representative of the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence; and (13) A representative of Partners for Women and Justice. b. The task force may meet and hold hearings at the places it designates during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature. The task force shall meet at the call of the co-chairs, and the presence of nine members of the task force shall constitute a quorum at any meeting thereof. 3. The task force shall be co-chaired as follows: one co-chair shall be the Attorney General, or the Attorney General's designee, and the other shall be appointed by the Governor from among the public members and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. 4. Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made. The members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but shall be eligible for reimbursement for necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available of the commission for its purposes. 5. The Attorney General's Office shall provide staff and related support services as the task force requires to carry out its work. 6. The task force shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes, and to incur such traveling and other miscellaneous expenses as it may deem necessary for the proper execution of its duties and as may be within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for these purposes. 7. The task force shall present a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature no later than 18 months after the organization of the task force. Such recommendations shall include suggested mechanisms to: (1) secure access to justice and legal representation in domestic violence matters by increasing the availability of legal assistance with domestic violence matters throughout the State; (2) institute a review of New Jersey's Rules of Professional Conduct and Unauthorized Practice of Law rules with the purpose of identifying revisions that expand the ability of law students to provide pro bono assistance to persons of limited means; and (3) encourage increased pro bono service by the State's legal community. 8. The task force shall dissolve three months after presenting the report. 9. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately. STATEMENT This joint resolution establishes the "New Jersey Domestic Violence and Legal Access Task Force" for the purpose of studying the nature, extent and consequences of unmet legal needs of State residents in domestic violence matters. The task force would have 16 members. The task force would submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature within 18 months of its organization. The membership of the commission would be as follows: (1) two public members appointed by the Governor, one of whom is a representative of a pro bono program organized by a law firm located in the State, and one of whom is a State resident who has been a pro se litigant who has appeared as a plaintiff in a domestic violence matter in the New Jersey State courts; (2) two public members appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the President of the Senate, one of whom is the representative of a non-profit organization dedicated to the services and assistance of victims of domestic violence and one of whom is a State licensed and certified family law attorney; (3) two public members appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly, one of whom is a director of a legal clinic program of a law school located in the State and one of whom is a State resident who has been a pro se litigant who has appeared as a defendant in a domestic violence matter in the New Jersey State court; (4) one member appointed by the Chief Justice, who is a retired judge of the Superior Court who had been previously assigned to the Family Division; (5) the Administrative Director of the Courts, or his designee; (6) the Public Defender, or the Public Defender's designee; (7) the Attorney General, or the Attorney General's designee; (8) the dean of Seton Hall University School of Law, or the dean's designee; (9) the co-dean of Rutgers Law School Newark Campus, or the co-dean's designee; (10) the co-dean of Rutgers Law School Camden Campus, or the co-dean's designee; (11) the executive director of New Jersey Legal Services, or the executive director's designee; (12) A representative of the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence; and (13) A representative of Partners for Women and Justice. The task force would be co-chaired: one co-chair would be the Attorney General, or the Attorney General's designee, and the other co-chair would be appointed by the Governor from among the public members and would serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The task force may meet and hold hearings at the places it designates during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature. The task force would meet at the call of the co-chairs. The presence of nine members of the task force would constitute a quorum at any meeting thereof.
50	50
51	51	A Joint Resolution establishing the "New Jersey Domestic Violence and Legal Access Task Force."
52	52
53	53
54	54
55	55	Whereas, Every day, indigent pro se parties enter New Jersey courts seeking relief from abuse. Often these people are unable to advocate effectively for themselves or articulate a sufficient basis to support the relief they are seeking from the court. Similarly, other indigent parties must defend themselves against allegations of domestic violence. In both instances, these litigants are often ill-equipped to articulate the merits of their positions to the court because of a language barrier, lack of understanding of the statutory standard, or for some other reason; and
56	56
57	57	Whereas, Survivors of domestic violence rate the filing of an application for a restraining order as one of their most effective tools to stopping domestic violence, second only to leaving the abuser. Studies confirm that access to counsel in restraining order proceedings can make a substantial difference in the outcome; and
58	58
59	59	Whereas, According to one study, 83 percent of victims represented by an attorney successfully obtained a restraining order, as compared to just 32 percent of victims without an attorney; and
60	60
61	61	Whereas, Increasing a victim's chance for obtaining a restraining order is one of the most straightforward ways in which legal assistance can reduce domestic violence. Cases involving domestic violence are often difficult and complex, and survivors without proper legal representation are frequently further victimized by unfavorable outcomes; and
62	62
63	63	Whereas, New Jersey has long recognized a right to counsel for impoverished defendants facing consequences of magnitude, even in civil cases, such as loss of motor vehicle privileges or a substantial fine in municipal court, child support enforcement proceedings, involuntary commitment proceedings, Megan's Law tier classification hearings, proceedings regarding abuse, neglect or termination of all parental rights, and loss of liberty, such as the ability to own weapons or to move freely; and
64	64
65	65	Whereas, Inexplicably, a defendant who is prosecuted for an act of domestic violence is not entitled to counsel even though facing a host of consequences of magnitude, which may include immediate loss of the right to occupy a residence without any relief from financial obligations related to that residence; monetary payments and penalties; seizure of firearms and the loss of the right to possess same; and suspension of the right to see his or her children; and
66	66
67	67	Whereas, There is no principled reason why an indigent facing loss of motor vehicle privileges or a substantial fine in municipal court would be conferred the right to counsel, but an indigent involved in a domestic violence matter would not have a similar right; and
68	68
69	69	Whereas, Domestic violence proceedings implicate fundamental rights, effect consequences of sizable magnitude, and the provision of counsel protects a core constitutional provision-the guarantee of "fundamentally fair" adversarial proceedings. Absent such a safeguard, domestic violence litigants are left impermissibly vulnerable; and
70	70
71	71	Whereas, By expanding the right to counsel to include both sides in a domestic violence restraining order action, this State can ensure that indigent litigants will not suffer consequences of magnitude without first receiving the protection of counsel; now, therefore,
72	72
73	73
74	74
75	75	Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
76	76
77	77
78	78
79	79	1. a. There is established the "New Jersey Domestic Violence and Legal Access Task Force" to study the nature, extent and consequences of unmet legal needs of State residents in domestic violence matters.
80	80
81	81	b. The purpose of the task force is to examine, on a Statewide basis, the impact that the lack of access to legal counsel in domestic violence matters is having on the ability of State residents to be protected from physical and emotional harm, and the impact on other residents who have to defend themselves against allegations of domestic abuse.
82	82
83	83
84	84
85	85	2. a. The task force shall be comprised of 16 members, as follows:
86	86
87	87	(1) Two public members appointed by the Governor, one of whom shall be a representative of a pro bono program organized by a law firm located in the State, and one of whom shall be a State resident who has been a pro se litigant who has appeared as a plaintiff in a domestic violence matter in the New Jersey State courts;
88	88
89	89	(2) Two public members appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the President of the Senate, one of whom shall be the representative of a non-profit organization dedicated to the services and assistance of victims of domestic violence and one of whom shall be a State licensed and certified family law attorney;
90	90
91	91	(3) Two public members appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly, one of whom shall be a director of a legal clinic program of a law school located in the State and one of whom shall be a State resident who has been a pro se litigant who has appeared as a defendant in a domestic violence matter in the New Jersey State courts;
92	92
93	93	(4) One member appointed by the Chief Justice, who is a retired judge of the Superior Court who was previously assigned to the Family Division;
94	94
95	95	(5) The Administrative Director of the Courts, or his designee;
96	96
97	97	(6) The Public Defender, or the Public Defender's designee;
98	98
99	99	(7) The Attorney General, or the Attorney General's designee;
100	100
101	101	(8) The dean of Seton Hall University School of Law, or the dean's designee;
102	102
103	103	(9) The co-dean of Rutgers Law School Newark Campus, or the co-dean's designee;
104	104
105	105	(10) The co-dean of Rutgers Law School Camden Campus, or the co-dean's designee;
106	106
107	107	(11) The executive director of New Jersey Legal Services, or the executive director's designee;
108	108
109	109	(12) A representative of the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence; and
110	110
111	111	(13) A representative of Partners for Women and Justice.
112	112
113	113	b. The task force may meet and hold hearings at the places it designates during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature. The task force shall meet at the call of the co-chairs, and the presence of nine members of the task force shall constitute a quorum at any meeting thereof.
114	114
115	115
116	116
117	117	3. The task force shall be co-chaired as follows: one co-chair shall be the Attorney General, or the Attorney General's designee, and the other shall be appointed by the Governor from among the public members and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
118	118
119	119
120	120
121	121	4. Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made. The members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but shall be eligible for reimbursement for necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available of the commission for its purposes.
122	122
123	123
124	124
125	125	5. The Attorney General's Office shall provide staff and related support services as the task force requires to carry out its work.
126	126
127	127
128	128
129	129	6. The task force shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes, and to incur such traveling and other miscellaneous expenses as it may deem necessary for the proper execution of its duties and as may be within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for these purposes.
130	130
131	131
132	132
133	133	7. The task force shall present a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature no later than 18 months after the organization of the task force. Such recommendations shall include suggested mechanisms to: (1) secure access to justice and legal representation in domestic violence matters by increasing the availability of legal assistance with domestic violence matters throughout the State; (2) institute a review of New Jersey's Rules of Professional Conduct and Unauthorized Practice of Law rules with the purpose of identifying revisions that expand the ability of law students to provide pro bono assistance to persons of limited means; and (3) encourage increased pro bono service by the State's legal community.
134	134
135	135
136	136
137	137	8. The task force shall dissolve three months after presenting the report.
138	138
139	139
140	140
141	141	9. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
142	142
143	143
144	144
145	145
146	146
147	147	STATEMENT
148	148
149	149
150	150
151	151	This joint resolution establishes the "New Jersey Domestic Violence and Legal Access Task Force" for the purpose of studying the nature, extent and consequences of unmet legal needs of State residents in domestic violence matters. The task force would have 16 members. The task force would submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature within 18 months of its organization.
152	152
153	153	The membership of the commission would be as follows:
154	154
155	155	(1) two public members appointed by the Governor, one of whom is a representative of a pro bono program organized by a law firm located in the State, and one of whom is a State resident who has been a pro se litigant who has appeared as a plaintiff in a domestic violence matter in the New Jersey State courts;
156	156
157	157	(2) two public members appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the President of the Senate, one of whom is the representative of a non-profit organization dedicated to the services and assistance of victims of domestic violence and one of whom is a State licensed and certified family law attorney;
158	158
159	159	(3) two public members appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly, one of whom is a director of a legal clinic program of a law school located in the State and one of whom is a State resident who has been a pro se litigant who has appeared as a defendant in a domestic violence matter in the New Jersey State court;
160	160
161	161	(4) one member appointed by the Chief Justice, who is a retired judge of the Superior Court who had been previously assigned to the Family Division;
162	162
163	163	(5) the Administrative Director of the Courts, or his designee;
164	164
165	165	(6) the Public Defender, or the Public Defender's designee;
166	166
167	167	(7) the Attorney General, or the Attorney General's designee;
168	168
169	169	(8) the dean of Seton Hall University School of Law, or the dean's designee;
170	170
171	171	(9) the co-dean of Rutgers Law School Newark Campus, or the co-dean's designee;
172	172
173	173	(10) the co-dean of Rutgers Law School Camden Campus, or the co-dean's designee;
174	174
175	175	(11) the executive director of New Jersey Legal Services, or the executive director's designee;
176	176
177	177	(12) A representative of the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence; and
178	178
179	179	(13) A representative of Partners for Women and Justice.
180	180
181	181	The task force would be co-chaired: one co-chair would be the Attorney General, or the Attorney General's designee, and the other co-chair would be appointed by the Governor from among the public members and would serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
182	182
183	183	The task force may meet and hold hearings at the places it designates during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature. The task force would meet at the call of the co-chairs. The presence of nine members of the task force would constitute a quorum at any meeting thereof.