Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 2B:1-5

  • Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Electronic funds transfer: The transfer of money between accounts by consumer electronic systems-such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and electronic payment of bills-rather than by check or cash. (Wire transfers, checks, drafts, and paper instruments do not fall into this category.) Source: OCC
  • 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
  • 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

6. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, the Supreme Court, the Superior Court and the Tax Court, and the various municipal and joint municipal courts when permitted by resolution of the appropriate municipal governing bodies, are authorized to establish systems to accept the payment of civil and criminal fines and penalties and other judicially imposed financial obligations by credit or debit card based payment, electronic funds transfer, or any other electronic method deemed feasible by the Supreme Court.

b. No person or organization that is a defendant in a criminal matter shall be entitled to offer a credit card for the payment of bail or for the payment of fines or penalties related to the imposition of a sentence, for a crime of the first, second or third degree under Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes.

c. If not legally prohibited by an association, financial institution, or a card issuer, the Administrative Office of the Courts, pursuant to the Rules of Court, is authorized to assess, collect, and pay service charges and other costs resulting from the collection of filing fees, administrative fees, judicially imposed financial obligations, and related charges owed to a court when parties process these fees, judicially imposed financial obligations, and related charges using credit cards, debit cards, electronic funds transfer systems, or any other electronic method deemed feasible by the Supreme Court. Any service charges and other costs assessed and collected by the Administrative Office of the Courts pursuant to this section with the exception of those charges or costs assessed and collected on behalf of municipal and joint municipal courts, shall be deposited in the “Court Computer Information System Fund” established by subsection c. of section 1 of P.L.1994, c.54 (C. 2B:1-4).

d. The Supreme Court of the State of New Jersey shall adopt Rules of Court appropriate or necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section.

L.1995, c.325, s.6; amended 2014, c.31, s.16.