Directive #01-23 – Recovery Court – Revised Legal Rejection Codes

This directive promulgates a revised version of the list of legal rejection codes used in eCourts for Recovery Court. The existing codes have remained largely unchanged since inception of the then Drug Court program in 2002. The updated list limits the reasons for legal rejections to those specifically set forth either in the statute or in the Recovery Court manual. The new list of legal rejection codes is now in effect.

The revisions more clearly identify the specific reasons for which a potential Recovery Court client is being legally rejected from admission into the program. The current broad rejection reason of "Statute" is being eliminated. Prosecutors now will be required to indicate whether a case being reviewed is Track One or Track Two. For Track One, the specific permissible rejection reasons are outlined in the statute (N.J.S.A. 2C:35- 14a). For Track Two, the rejection reasons are not from the statute, but rather are from the manual.

Eliminated as acceptable legal rejection reasons/codes are those not set forth either in the manual or the statute. For example, clients no longer can be rejected for program admission because they have previously been in the program or because of a "co-defendant issue." Also, the legal rejection reason of "immigration status" has been made more precise as "immigration detainer."

By making these reasons for legal rejections more specific and more directly tied to the provisions of the statute or the manual, Recovery Court will be able to better monitor and identify any equity issues in the application and admission process.

Questions regarding the revised list of legal rejection codes in eCourts for Recovery Court may be directed to Cornell Williamson by email at Cornell.Williamson@njcourts.gov or by telephone at (609) 815-3810 ext. 55316.