N.J.S.A. 2A:162-22 — Eligible defendant subject to pretrial detention, release; conditions.

2A:162-22 Eligible defendant subject to pretrial detention, release; conditions. 8. a. Concerning an eligible defendant subject to pretrial detention as ordered by a court pursuant to sections 4 and 5 of P.L.2014, c.31 (C.2A:162-18 and C.2A:162-19) or an eligible defendant who is detained in jail due to the inability to post the monetary bail imposed by the court pursuant to subsection c. or d. of section 3 of P.L.2014, c.31 (C.2A:162-17): (1) (a) The eligible defendant shall not remain detained in jail for more than 90 days, not counting excludable time for reasonable delays as set forth in subsection b. of this section, prior to the return of an indictment. If the eligible defendant is not indicted within that period of time, the eligible defendant shall be released from jail unless, on motion of the prosecutor, the court finds that a substantial and unjustifiable risk to the safety of any other person or the community or the obstruction of the criminal justice process would result from the eligible defendant's release from custody, so that no appropriate conditions for the eligible defendant's release could reasonably address that risk, and also finds that the failure to indict the eligible defendant in accordance with the time requirement set forth in this subparagraph was not due to unreasonable delay by the prosecutor. If the court finds that a substantial and unjustifiable risk to the safety of any other person or the community or the obstruction of the criminal justice process would result, and also finds that the failure to indict the eligible defendant in accordance with the time requirement set forth in this subparagraph was not due to unreasonable delay by the prosecutor, the court may allocate an additional period of time, not to exceed 45 days, in which the return of an indictment shall occur. Notwithstanding the court's previous findings for ordering the eligible defendant's pretrial detention, or if the court currently does not find a substantial and unjustifiable risk or finds unreasonable delay by the prosecutor as described in this subparagraph, the court shall order the release of the eligible defendant pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2014, c.31 (C.2A:162-17). (b) If the eligible defendant is charged or indicted on another matter resulting in the eligible defendant's pretrial detention, the time calculations set forth in subparagraph (a) of this paragraph for each matter shall run independently. (2) (a) An eligible defendant who has been indicted shall not remain detained in jail for more than 180 days on that charge following the return or unsealing of the indictment, whichever is later, not counting excludable time for reasonable delays as set forth in subsection b. of this section, before commencement of the trial. If the trial does not commence within that period of time, the eligible defendant shall be released from jail unless, on motion of the prosecutor, the court finds that a substantial and unjustifiable risk to the safety of any other person or the community or the obstruction of the criminal justice process would result from the eligible defendant's release from custody, so that no appropriate conditions for the eligible defendant's release could reasonably address that risk, and also finds that the failure to commence trial in accordance with the time requirement set forth in this subparagraph was not due to unreasonable delay by the prosecutor. If the court finds that a substantial and unjustifiable risk to the safety of any other person or the community or the obstruction of the criminal justice process would result, and also finds that the failure to commence trial in accordance with the time requirement set forth in this subparagraph was not due to unreasonable delay by the prosecutor, the court may allocate an additional period of time in which the eligible defendant's trial shall commence. Notwithstanding the court's previous findings for ordering the eligible defendant's pretrial detention, or if the court currently does not find a substantial and unjustifiable risk or finds unreasonable delay by the prosecutor as described in this subparagraph, the court shall order the release of the eligible defendant pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2014, c.31 (C.2A:162-17). Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an eligible defendant shall be released from jail pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2014, c.31 (C.2A:162-17) after a release hearing if, two years after the court's issuance of the pretrial detention order for the eligible defendant, excluding any delays attributable to the eligible defendant, the prosecutor is not ready to proceed to voir dire or to opening argument, or to the hearing of any motions that had been reserved for the time of trial. (b) (i) For the purposes of this paragraph, a trial is considered to have commenced when the court determines that the parties are present and directs them to proceed to voir dire or to opening argument, or to the hearing of any motions that had been reserved for the time of trial. (ii) The return of a superseding indictment against the eligible defendant shall extend the time for the trial to commence. (iii) If an indictment is dismissed without prejudice upon motion of the eligible defendant for any reason, and a subsequent indictment is returned, the time for trial shall begin running from the date of the return of the subsequent indictment. (iv) A trial ordered after a mistrial or upon a motion for a new trial shall commence within 120 days of the entry of the order of the court. A trial ordered upon the reversal of a judgment by any appellate court shall commence within 120 days of the service of that court's trial mandate. (c) If the eligible defendant is indicted on another matter resulting in the eligible defendant's pretrial detention, the time calculations set forth in this paragraph for each matter shall run independently. b. (1) The following periods shall be excluded in computing the time in which a case shall be indicted or tried: (a) The time resulting from an examination and hearing on competency and the period during which the eligible defendant is incompetent to stand trial or incapacitated; (b) The time from the filing to the disposition of an eligible defendant's application for supervisory treatment pursuant to N.J.S.2C:36A-1 or N.J.S.2C:43-12 et seq., special probation pursuant to N.J.S.2C:35-14, drug or alcohol treatment as a condition of probation pursuant to N.J.S.2C:45-1, or other pretrial treatment or supervisory program; (c) The time from the filing to the final disposition of a motion made before trial by the prosecutor or the eligible defendant; (d) The time resulting from a continuance granted, in the court's discretion, at the eligible defendant's request or at the request of both the eligible defendant and the prosecutor; (e) The time resulting from the detention of an eligible defendant in another jurisdiction provided the prosecutor has been diligent and has made reasonable efforts to obtain the eligible defendant's presence; (f) The time resulting from exceptional circumstances including, but not limited to, a natural disaster, the unavoidable unavailability of an eligible defendant, material witness or other evidence, when there is a reasonable expectation that the eligible defendant, witness or evidence will become available in the near future; (g) On motion of the prosecutor, the delay resulting when the court finds that the case is complex due to the number of defendants or the nature of the prosecution; (h) The time resulting from a severance of codefendants when that severance permits only one trial to commence within the time period for trial set forth in this section; (i) The time resulting from an eligible defendant's failure to appear for a court proceeding; (j) The time resulting from a disqualification or recusal of a judge; (k) The time resulting from a failure by the eligible defendant to provide timely and complete discovery; (l) The time for other periods of delay not specifically enumerated if the court finds good cause for the delay; and (m) Any other time otherwise required by statute. (2) The failure by the prosecutor to provide timely and complete discovery shall not be considered excludable time unless the discovery only became available after the time set for discovery. L.2014, c.31, s.8.

This is the verbatim text of N.J.S.A. 2A:162-22, retrieved from the New Jersey Legislature's public statute corpus. Statutes are amended periodically — for the most current version, check the external source link above. Kyzer is not a law firm and this page is not legal advice.