The Municipal Court of North Hunterdon has been in existence since the late 1960’s and has experienced significant changes in structuring throughout the years.  Currently North Hunterdon is the largest joined court in the State of New Jersey .

 

N.J.S.A. 2A:8-1 et seq. provides for the creation of a joined municipal court system.  Various subsections of this statute establish guidelines for these courts.  Under a joined court system, two or more municipalities are bound by a legal agreement, commonly referred to as an Ordinance or an Interlocal Services Agreement.  Each of North Hunterdon ’s municipalities operates with equal participation in the court.  Currently, members must sign on for a five year term with the Municipal Court of North Hunterdon .  At the end of the five year period, municipalities may sign on for another five year contract or they may decide to terminate their interest in the joined court and establish a municipal court of their own.

 

A Court Committee, comprised of one representative from each participating town, oversees court operations. The Court Committee is responsible for decisions regarding court budget, court operation, name and location of court, appointment of Municipal Prosecutor, appointment of Municipal Public Defender, court administration and court staff, insurance concerns as well as any other pertinent matters that may need attention. The Court Committee President is elected by the Court Committee for a one year term.  At the end of the term, the court committee may choose to re-elect the current president or opt to elect another member of the committee.

 

The concept of joined municipal courts and “shared services” is increasing in popularity with many New Jersey municipalities because of its many advantages.  By sharing the operating expenses of a municipal court, municipalities are able to pay a portion of the court’s operating expenses, rather than assuming total financial responsibility.  This is particularly beneficial to the many small, rural municipalities in this area. This joined court system can improve court efficiency, thereby reducing or even eliminating the majority of case backlog.

 

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