Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 52:9M-12.1

  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • 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
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • sworn: includes "affirmed. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
9. a. No person may be required to appear at a hearing or to testify at a hearing unless there has been personally served upon him prior to the time when he is required to appear, a copy of P.L.1968, c.266 as amended and supplemented, and a general statement of the subject of the investigation. A copy of the resolution, statute, order or other provision of law authorizing the investigation shall be furnished by the commission upon request therefor by the person summoned.
b. A witness summoned to a hearing shall have the right to be accompanied by counsel, who shall be permitted to advise the witness of his rights, subject to reasonable limitations to prevent obstruction of or interference with the orderly conduct of the hearing. Counsel for any witness who testifies at a public or private hearing may submit proposed questions to be asked of the witness relevant to the matters upon which the witness has been questioned and the commission shall ask the witness such of the questions as it may deem appropriate to its inquiry.
c. A complete and accurate record shall be kept of each public hearing and a witness shall be entitled to receive a copy of his testimony at such hearing at his own expense. Where testimony which a witness has given at a private hearing becomes relevant in a criminal proceeding in which the witness is a defendant, or in any subsequent hearing in which the witness is summoned to testify, the witness shall be entitled to a copy of such testimony, at his own expense, provided the same is available, and provided further that the furnishing of such copy will not prejudice the public safety or security.
d. A witness who testifies at any hearing shall have the right at the conclusion of his examination to file a brief sworn statement relevant to his testimony for incorporation in the record.
e. The commission shall make a good faith effort to notify any person whose name the commission believes will be mentioned in a potentially adverse context at a public hearing. Any person whose name is mentioned or will be mentioned or who is specifically identified and who believes that testimony or other evidence given at a public hearing or comment made by any member of the commission or its counsel at such a hearing tends to defame him or otherwise adversely affect his reputation shall have the right, either in private or in public or both at a reasonably convenient time to be set by the commission, to appear personally before the commission, and testify in his own behalf as to matters relevant to the testimony or other evidence complained of, or in the alternative, to file a statement of facts under oath relating solely to matters relevant to the testimony or other evidence complained of, which statement shall be incorporated in the record.
f. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the commission from granting to witnesses appearing before it, or to persons who claim to be adversely affected by testimony or other evidence adduced before it, such further rights and privileges as it may determine.

L.1979,c.254,s.9; amended 1996, c.44, s.4.