New Jersey § 2c:20-1

Full text of New Jersey New Jersey Statutes § 2c:20-1, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 2c:20-1.

Definitions. In chapters 20 and 21, unless a different meaning plainly is required: a. “ Deprive ” means: (1) to withhold or cause to be withheld property of another permanently

or for so extended a period as to appropriate a substantial portion of its economic

value, or with purpose to restore only upon payment of reward or other compensation;

or (2) to dispose or cause disposal of the property so as to make it unlikely that

the owner will recover it. b. “ Fiduciary ” means an executor, general administrator of an intestate, administrator with the

will annexed, substituted administrator, guardian, substituted guardian, trustee under

any trust, express, implied, resulting or constructive, substituted trustee, executor,

conservator, curator, receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, assignee for the benefit of

creditors, partner, agent or officer of a corporation, public or private, temporary

administrator, administrator, administrator pendente lite, administrator ad prosequendum,

administrator ad litem or other person acting in a similar capacity. “ Fiduciary ” shall also include an employee or an agent of a cargo carrier, as the term is defined

in subsection w. of this section, while acting in that capacity, or an independent

contractor providing services to a cargo carrier as that term is defined in subsection

w. of this section. c. “ Financial institution ” means a bank, insurance company, credit union, savings and loan association, investment

trust or other organization held out to the public as a place of deposit of funds

or medium of savings or collective investment. d. “ Government ” means the United States, any state, county, municipality, or other political unit,

or any department, agency or subdivision of any of the foregoing, or any corporation

or other association carrying out the functions of government. e. “ Movable property ” means property the location of which can be changed, including things growing on,

affixed to, or found in land, and documents, although the rights represented thereby

have no physical location. “ Immovable property ” is all other property. f. “ Obtain ” means: (1) in relation to property, to bring about a transfer or purported transfer

of a legal interest in the property, whether to the obtainer or another; or (2) in

relation to labor or service, to secure performance thereof. g. “ Property ” means anything of value, including real estate, tangible and intangible personal

property, trade secrets, contract rights, choses in action and other interests in

or claims to wealth, admission or transportation tickets, captured or domestic animals,

food and drink, electric, gas, steam or other power, financial instruments, information,

data, and computer software, in either human readable or computer readable form, copies

or originals. h. “ Property of another ” includes property in which any person other than the actor has an interest which

the actor is not privileged to infringe, regardless of the fact that the actor also

has an interest in the property and regardless of the fact that the other person might

be precluded from civil recovery because the property was used in an unlawful transaction

or was subject to forfeiture as contraband. Property in possession of the actor shall not be deemed property of another who

has only a security interest therein, even if legal title is in the creditor pursuant

to a conditional sales contract or other security agreement. i. “ Trade secret ” means the whole or any portion or phase of any scientific or technical information,

design, process, procedure, formula or improvement which is secret and of value. A trade secret shall be presumed to be secret when the owner thereof takes measures

to prevent it from becoming available to persons other than those selected by the

owner to have access thereto for limited purposes. j. “ Dealer in property ” means a person who buys and sells property as a business. k. “ Traffic ” means: (1) To sell, transfer, distribute, dispense or otherwise dispose of property to another

person; or (2) To buy, receive, possess, or obtain control of or use property, with intent to

sell, transfer, distribute, dispense or otherwise dispose of such property to another

person. l . “ Broken succession of title ” means lack of regular documents of purchase and transfer by any seller except the

manufacturer of the subject property, or possession of documents of purchase and transfer

by any buyer without corresponding documents of sale and transfer in possession of

seller, or possession of documents of sale and transfer by seller without corresponding

documents of purchase and transfer in possession of any buyer. m. “ Person ” includes any individual or entity or enterprise, as defined herein, holding or capable

of holding a legal or beneficial interest in property. n. “ Anything of value ” means any direct or indirect gain or advantage to any person. o . “ Interest in property which has been stolen ” means title or right of possession to such property. p. “ Stolen property ” means property that has been the subject of any unlawful taking. q. “ Enterprise ” includes any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, business

trust, association, or other legal entity, and any union or group of individuals associated

in fact, although not a legal entity, and it includes illicit as well as licit enterprises

and governmental as well as other entities. r. “ Attorney General ” includes the Attorney General of New Jersey, his assistants and deputies. The term shall also include a county prosecutor or his designated assistant prosecutor,

if a county prosecutor is expressly authorized in writing by the Attorney General

to carry out the powers conferred on the Attorney General by this chapter. s. “ Access device ” means property consisting of any telephone calling card number, credit card number,

account number, mobile identification number, electronic serial number, personal identification

number, or any other data intended to control or limit access to telecommunications

or other computer networks in either human readable or computer readable form, either

copy or original, that can be used to obtain telephone service. Access device also means property consisting of a card, code or other means of access

to an account held by a financial institution, or any combination thereof, that may

be used by the account holder for the purpose of initiating electronic fund transfers. t. “ Defaced access device ” means any access device, in either human readable or computer readable form, either

copy or original, which has been removed, erased, defaced, altered, destroyed, covered

or otherwise changed in any manner from its original configuration. u. “ Domestic companion animal ” means any animal commonly referred to as a pet or one that has been bought, bred,

raised or otherwise acquired, in accordance with local ordinances and State and federal

law for the primary purpose of providing companionship to the owner, rather than for

business or agricultural purposes. v. “ Personal identifying information ” means any name, number or other information that may be used, alone or in conjunction

with any other information, to identify a specific individual and includes, but is

not limited to, the name, address, telephone number, date of birth, social security

number, official State issued identification number, employer or taxpayer number,

place of employment, employee identification number, demand deposit account number,

savings account number, credit card number, mother's maiden name, unique biometric

data, such as fingerprint, voice print, retina or iris image or other unique physical

representation, or unique electronic identification number, address or routing code

of the individual. w. “ Cargo carrier ” means: (1) any business or establishment regularly operating for the purpose of

conveying goods or property for compensation from one place to another by road, highway,

rail, water or air, by any means including but not limited to any pipeline system,

railroad car, motor truck, truck, trailer, semi-trailer, commercial motor vehicle

or other vehicle, any steamboat, vessel or aircraft, and any business or establishment

regularly engaged in the temporary storage of goods or property incident to further

distribution of the goods or property elsewhere for commercial purposes, including

but not limited to businesses or establishments operating a tank or storage facility,

warehouse, terminal, station, station house, platform, depot, wharf, pier, or from

any ocean, intermodal, container freight station or freight consolidation facility;

or (2) any business or establishment that conveys goods or property which it owns

or has title to, from one place to another, by road, highway, rail, water or air by

any means including but not limited to any pipeline system, railroad car, motor truck,

truck, trailer, semi-trailer, commercial motor vehicle or other vehicle, any steamboat,

vessel or aircraft, and including the storage and warehousing of goods and property

incidental to their conveyance from one place to another.

Frequently Asked Questions About New Jersey § 2c:20-1

What does New Jersey Statutes § 2c:20-1 cover?

Section 2c:20-1 is part of the New Jersey Statutes, the codified statutory law of New Jersey. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.

How do I cite New Jersey § 2c:20-1?

A common citation format is "New Jersey Statutes § 2c:20-1" (New Jersey). Legal writing may require the code abbreviation, section number, and year or edition. Match the style required by your court, professor, or publisher.

Is this the official text of New Jersey law?

No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the New Jersey official source linked on this page or consult a licensed New Jersey attorney.

How does New Jersey § 2c:20-1 apply to my situation?

Statutes are interpreted in context, and application depends on your specific facts. Only a licensed attorney in New Jersey can advise on how this section applies to you. Contact your state or local bar association for a referral.

Sources & Verification

Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in New Jersey.