Rule 5:24-3.Manner of Disposition
Last amended December 31, 1983 · Current through September 1, 2026 · Last verified September 8, 2026
Full Text of Rule 5:24-3
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--R. (1969) 5:9-9. Adopted December 20, 1983, to be effective December 31, 1983.
Plain-English Summary
A short rule carrying the chapter's central protection. The standard of proof in a delinquency case is the criminal standard: the evidence must support the charge made in the complaint beyond a reasonable doubt.
That is the deliberate contrast with the rest of Part V, where the civil preponderance standard governs — including the juvenile-family crisis finding in Chapter III. A finding of delinquency carries consequences close enough to criminal ones to demand the criminal standard.
Once the standard is met, the court may make any custodial or non-custodial disposition on such terms and conditions as it may impose, in accordance with the dispositional statutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the standard of proof in a juvenile delinquency case?
Beyond a reasonable doubt. The court may make a disposition only if the evidence supports the charge made in the complaint to that standard.
What dispositions are available?
Any custodial or non-custodial disposition on such terms and conditions as the court may impose, in accordance with N.J.S. 2A:4A-43 and 2A:4A-44.