Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 6:5-4

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • person: includes corporations, companies, associations, societies, firms, partnerships and joint stock companies as well as individuals, unless restricted by the context to an individual as distinguished from a corporate entity or specifically restricted to one or some of the above enumerated synonyms and, when used to designate the owner of property which may be the subject of an offense, includes this State, the United States, any other State of the United States as defined infra and any foreign country or government lawfully owning or possessing property within this State. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • registered mail: include "certified mail". See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
  • State: extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
Service of process upon the Secretary of State shall be made by leaving the original and a copy of the summons and 2 copies of the complaint, with a fee of $20.00 in the hands of the Secretary of State, or someone designated by him in his office, and such service shall be sufficient service upon the nonresident operator, pilot or owner, if

(a) Notice of such service and a copy of the summons, with a copy of the complaint, are forthwith sent by registered mail to the defendant by the Secretary of State, or someone designated by him in his office; and

(b) Defendant‘s return receipt and the affidavit of the Secretary of State, or such person in his office acting for him, of the compliance herewith, including a statement of the date of such mailing and of the receipt of the return card, are appended to the original of the summons and the other copy of the complaint and filed in the office of the clerk of the court wherein the action may be pending; or

(c) Notice of such service, with a copy thereof and the original and a copy of the summons and 2 copies of the complaint, are forthwith sent by registered mail by the Secretary of State, or the person in his office acting for him, to the sheriff or other process server in the jurisdiction in which the defendant resides, with directions that such sheriff or process server, or someone acting for such sheriff or process server, shall serve the same upon the defendant in the same manner as that in which service is legally effected in that jurisdiction, and the return of such sheriff or process server, or the person acting for such sheriff or process server in such jurisdiction, shall be appended to or endorsed, upon the original summons and a copy of the complaint, and returned to the Secretary of State, and thereafter filed in the office of the clerk of the court wherein the action may be pending in this State; or

(d) Notice of such service and a copy of the summons and complaint may be served on the defendant, personally, by an official or private individual, wherever such service may be made, and, upon service being so made, an affidavit shall be taken by the person affecting such service, showing the person served and the time and place of such service, which affidavit shall be appended, to the original summons and one copy of the complaint, and returned to the Secretary of State, and be thereafter filed in the office of the clerk of the court wherein the action may be pending in this State;

(e) Notice of such service and a copy of the summons and complaint may be served on the defendant in any other manner which the court wherein the case is pending shall deem sufficient and expedient.

If, by direction of plaintiff, notice of service is given as provided by paragraph “c” of this section, plaintiff shall, in addition to the fee of $20.00 required by the first paragraph of this section, deposit with the Secretary of State sufficient money to effectuate the same.

If notice of service is given as provided by paragraph “d” of this section, plaintiff shall pay the cost thereof.

L.1952, c. 199, p. 709, s. 4. Amended by L.1966, c. 91, s. 1, eff. July 1, 1966.