Rule 5:3-1.Applicability
Last amended December 31, 1983 · Current through September 1, 2026 · Last verified September 8, 2026
Full Text of Rule 5:3-1
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
A scope rule for the chapter's general provisions. Everything in Rule 5:3 — closed hearings, court-appointed experts, counsel, fees, continuous trials, enforcement remedies, arbitration review — reaches every family action by default.
The exception is for the criminal side. Where the rules make separate provision for juvenile delinquency actions or for criminal and quasi-criminal actions tried in the Family Part, that provision governs instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the Rule 5:3 general provisions apply to juvenile cases?
They apply except as the rules otherwise provide for juvenile delinquency actions. Where Part V makes separate provision for delinquency, that governs.
Which rules does Rule 5:3-1 cover?
The provisions of Rule 5:3 — the chapter's general provisions for family actions, running from closed hearings through review of arbitration awards.