New Jersey-2016-AR162-Introduced

An Assembly Resolution urging the New Jersey Supreme Court to create a Technology Task Force within the Supreme Court's State Domestic Violence Working Group.

Whereas, The New Jersey Supreme Court created the State Domestic Violence Working Group, comprised of Assignment and Criminal Presiding Judges, other representatives of the judicial branch, State, county and municipal prosecutors, law enforcement, a member of the General Assembly, representatives of the executive branch and private organizations focused on domestic violence, and the legal community; and

Whereas, The Supreme Court directed that the working group be charged with the responsibility of resolving systemic issues facing the courts with respect to domestic violence matters; and

Whereas, The working group also works closely with the County Domestic Violence Working Groups, established in each of New Jersey's 21 counties pursuant to a joint memorandum issued by the New Jersey Supreme Court and Attorney General, and tasked with assisting in the design and monitoring of countywide implementation of the "Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991," P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-17 et al.), as well as the Domestic Violence Procedures Manual jointly developed by the Supreme Court and Attorney General; and

Whereas, To further the State working group's efforts, various subcommittees have been formed from the working group to work on specific issues, such as the Full Faith and Credit Subcommittee, the Inter-court Procedures Subcommittee, the Evaluation Subcommittee, and the Forms Subcommittee; and

Whereas, In addition to focusing on the above specific issues, it could be beneficial for the State working group to focus on updating and integrating technology for use by law enforcement and the courts, in order to improve the gathering and preservation of evidence in domestic violence incidents, and the transmittal and sharing of evidence and other information for use by court personnel as well as parties involved in domestic violence disputes; and

Whereas, Updating and integrating technology for such purposes could greatly benefit law enforcement, the courts, and parties involved in domestic violence disputes, by making evidence more quickly available and accessible, and reducing the possibility that evidence and other information is misplaced or not properly presented to a court; and

Whereas, The creation of a Technology Task Force within the State working group would permit the working group to develop an important, issue-specific focus on technology updates and integration that could greatly benefit law enforcement, the courts, and parties involved in domestic violence disputes; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The New Jersey Supreme Court is respectfully urged to create a Technology Task Force within the Supreme Court's State Domestic Violence Working Group, to help focus the group on updating and integrating technology that could improve the gathering and preservation of evidence in domestic violence incidents, and the transmittal and sharing of evidence and other information, thus greatly benefit law enforcement, the courts, and parties involved in domestic violence disputes.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, New Jersey's Attorney General, and all 21 of New Jersey's County Prosecutors.

STATEMENT

This resolution urges the New Jersey Supreme Court to create a Technology Task Force within the Supreme Court's State Domestic Violence Working Group.

The Supreme Court created the State Domestic Violence Working Group, comprised of representatives of the judicial branch, State, county and municipal prosecutors, law enforcement, a member of the General Assembly, representatives of the executive branch and private organizations focused on domestic violence, and the legal community, and directed that this group be charged with the responsibility of resolving systemic issues facing the courts with respect to domestic violence matters. The State working group also works closely with the County Domestic Violence Working Groups, established in each of New Jersey's 21 counties pursuant to a joint memorandum issued by the New Jersey Supreme Court and Attorney General. These county working groups are tasked with assisting in the design and monitoring of countywide implementation of the "Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991," P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-17 et al.), as well as the Domestic Violence Procedures Manual jointly developed by the Supreme Court and Attorney General.

In order to further the State working group's efforts, various subcommittees have been formed from the working group to work on specific issues, such as the Full Faith and Credit Subcommittee, the Inter-court Procedures Subcommittee, the Evaluation Subcommittee, and the Forms Subcommittee.

As stated in the resolution, in addition to focusing on the above specific issues, it could be beneficial for the State group to focus on updating and integrating technology for use by law enforcement and the courts, in order to improve the gathering and preservation of evidence in domestic violence incidents, and the transmittal and sharing of evidence and other information for use by court personnel and by parties involved in domestic violence disputes. Updating and integrating technology for such purposes could greatly benefit law enforcement, the courts, and parties involved in domestic violence disputes by making evidence more quickly available and accessible, and reducing the possibility that evidence and other information is misplaced or not properly presented to a court.

Thus, the resolution respectfully urges the Supreme Court to create a Technology Task Force within the Supreme Court's State Domestic Violence Working Group, to permit the working group to develop an important, issue-specific focus on technology updates and integration that could greatly benefit law enforcement, the courts, and parties involved in domestic violence disputes.

This bill embodies recommendation 11 of the Report of the Supreme Court Ad Hoc Committee on Domestic Violence issued June 2016.