Rule 5:9A-1.Title of Action

Last amended September 1, 2007 · Current through September 1, 2026 · Last verified September 8, 2026

In one sentenceRule 5:9A-1 requires every paper in a kinship legal guardianship action to be entitled “Kinship Matter of” the child's name.

Full Text of Rule 5:9A-1

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In all actions seeking kinship legal guardianship of a child pursuant to N.J.S.A. 3B:12A-1 to -6, every paper shall be entitled “Kinship Matter of [minor child's name].”

End

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: Adopted June 15, 2007 to be effective September 1, 2007.

Plain-English Summary

A captioning rule, and a deliberate one. Kinship legal guardianship gives a relative or family friend legal custody of a child without terminating the parents' rights, and the caption reflects that: the matter is about the child, not a contest between adults.

Every paper in an action seeking kinship legal guardianship must be entitled “Kinship Matter of [minor child's name].”

Frequently Asked Questions

How is a kinship legal guardianship case captioned?

Every paper must be entitled “Kinship Matter of [minor child's name].”

What is kinship legal guardianship?

A statutory arrangement, brought under N.J.S.A. 3B:12A-1 to -6, in which a caregiver becomes the child's legal guardian. Rules 5:9A-2 and 5:9A-3 cover filing, service and venue.

Source & verification. The rule text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the official New Jersey Rules of Court, Part V (N.J. Ct. R. 5:9A-1). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified September 8, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: kinship legal guardianshipKLGkinship matterrelative caregiver