New Jersey § 46:8-9

§ 46:8-9.

The Legislature finds and declares that: a. Despite the current statutory protections available to a victim of domestic violence

in New Jersey, including but not limited to the issuance of temporary or permanent

restraining orders, many victims of domestic violence remain vulnerable to such violence,

even after a restraining order has been issued. b. In many instances, the perpetrator and victim of domestic violence are co-tenants

in a rental dwelling unit. In such cases, it may be unclear whether a tenant-victim is authorized to change the

locks on a rental dwelling unit. However, if a domestic violence perpetrator maintains a key to an unchanged lock on

a rental dwelling unit, the tenant-perpetrator may easily gain access to the tenant-victim,

which may then place the tenant-victim in danger of serious bodily harm or even death. c. In order to prevent additional violence and harm to a victim of domestic violence,

it is necessary for the Legislature to clarify that a court may authorize a victim

of domestic violence to change the locks on a rental dwelling unit upon providing

appropriate notice to the landlord as part of a temporary or permanent restraining

order issued pursuant to the “Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991,” P.L.1991, c. 261 ( C.2C:25-17 et seq. ).