Court rule 7:8-1. Mediation of Minor Disputes in Municipal Court Actions

7:8-1. Mediation of Minor Disputes in Municipal Court Actions

If a person seeks to file or has filed a complaint charging an offense that may constitute a minor dispute, the court may issue a notice to the person making the charge and the person charged, requiring their appearance before the court or before a person or program designated by the court and approved by the Assignment Judge pursuant to R. 1:40-8 (Mediation of Minor Disputes in Municipal Court Actions). If on the return date of a summons, it appears to the court that the offense charged may constitute a minor dispute, the court may order the persons involved to participate in mediation in accordance with R. 1:40-8. No referral to mediation shall be made, however, if the complaint involves (1) serious injury, (2) repeated acts of violence between the parties, (3) clearly demonstrated psychological or emotional disability of a party, (4) incidents involving the same persons who are already parties to a Superior Court action between them, (5) matters arising under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act (N.J.S.A. 2C:25-17 et seq.), (6) a violation of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Code (Title 39), or (7) matters involving penalty enforcement actions.