Rule 5:15-2.Form and Contents of Petition
Last amended December 31, 1983 · Current through September 1, 2026 · Last verified September 8, 2026
Full Text of Rule 5:15-2
Amendment History
New Jersey publishes each rule’s amendment record in a “Note” beneath the rule. It is reproduced verbatim below; a “Source” line names the former rule the current one grew out of, and “R. (1969)” citations refer to the earlier numbering it replaced.
Note: Source--new. Adopted December 20, 1983, to be effective December 31, 1983.
Plain-English Summary
The caption tells you how the chapter thinks about these cases: “The State of New Jersey in the Interest of the Family of ___.” The subject is the family, not a defendant.
The petition is made on oath by a Court Intake Services officer, in the form the Administrative Director prescribes, and must include six things. Three are identifying: the juvenile's name, address and date of birth; the same for the parents, guardian or custodian and any other family member believed to be contributing to the crisis; and a statement of facts describing its nature.
The other three are about what has been tried and what should happen next. Intake Services must state its recommendations for resolving the crisis, including the community services or programmes needed to carry them out. It must set out the services the Crisis Intervention Unit already provided and the community services the family was referred to, with a statement that these did not resolve or stabilise the crisis — the documentary proof of what Rule 5:15-1 requires. And where Intake Services has reason to believe a parent or guardian is an alcoholic or drug dependent as the statutes define those terms, the petition states the basis for that belief and gives the court recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What must a juvenile-family crisis petition contain?
Six things: the juvenile's name, address and date of birth; the same for the parents, guardian or custodian and any other family member believed to be contributing; a statement of facts describing the crisis; Intake Services' recommendations for resolving it; the services already provided and referrals already made, with a statement that they did not resolve the crisis; and, where applicable, the basis for believing a parent is an alcoholic or drug dependent.
How is the petition captioned?
“The State of New Jersey in the Interest of the Family of ___,” and it is made on oath by a Court Intake Services officer.
Does the petition have to say what was already tried?
Yes. It must state the services previously provided by the Crisis Intervention Unit and the community services the family was referred to, together with a statement that these services have not resolved or stabilized the crisis.