39:8-73 Docketing of judgments; enforcement.

15. a. The court administrator of the municipal court shall docket in the Superior Court a municipal court judgment imposing a civil penalty pursuant to this act, or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto, that remains unpaid at the time of the judgment's entry in the municipal court. The court administrator shall give notice of the docketing to the commission in a manner prescribed by the commission. The provisions and procedures of N.J.S.2B:12-26 shall apply to the docketing, except that the court administrator of the municipal court, rather than the commission, shall effect the docketing; provided that nothing in this act shall be construed to prohibit the commission or its designee from docketing the judgment on behalf of the commission and in accordance with N.J.S.2B:12-26 if the court administrator of the municipal court fails to do so or if the commission or its designee chooses to do so for any other reason. No fee shall be charged to docket the judgment. The docketing shall have the same force and effect as a civil judgment docketed in the Superior Court, and the commission and its designee shall have all of the remedies and may take all of the proceedings for the collection thereof that may be had or taken upon recovery of a judgment in an action, but without prejudice to any right of appeal.

b. If the defendant is the owner or lessee of a vehicle that is the subject of the violation, and if the defendant fails to pay a civil penalty imposed pursuant to this act or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto, the commission may suspend the registration privileges of the defendant in this State.

c. Any vehicle that is registered or present in this State and for which a civil penalty has been assessed pursuant to this act or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto may be placed out of service by the commission or the Division of State Police if the civil penalty remains unpaid after the date on which it became due and owing. A vehicle placed out of service pursuant to this act by either the commission or the Division of State Police shall not be operated until all civil penalties that are due and owing are paid to the commission. When a vehicle is placed out of service pursuant to this act, an administrative out-of-service order shall be prepared on a form or forms specified by the commission and a copy served upon the operator of the vehicle or upon the owner or lessee of the vehicle. The operator of a vehicle served with an out-of-service order pursuant to this act shall report the issuance of the out-of-service order to the owner and the lessee, if any, of the vehicle within 24 hours. When a vehicle is placed out of service pursuant to this act it shall be the responsibility of the owner or lessee of that vehicle to arrange for the prompt removal of that vehicle, by means other than operating the vehicle, and to pay all costs associated therewith. The vehicle shall be removed to a secure storage place where the commission and the Division of State Police can readily confirm its non-operation. If the owner or lessee fails to comply, or is otherwise incapable of complying with this subsection, the commission or the Division of State Police may make such arrangements for the removal of the vehicle to a secure storage place where the commission and the Division of State Police can readily confirm its non-operation, with all attendant charges and expenses to be paid by the owner, lessee, or bailee. No entity of government of this State or any political subdivision thereof shall be held liable for costs associated with or incurred in the enforcement of this subsection. Upon payment by cashier's check or money order, or in such other form as may be determined by the commission, subject to law or the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey, of all unpaid civil penalties and attendant storage charges and expenses for a vehicle that has been placed out of service, the commission shall remove the out-of-service order. Any person who operates, and any owner or lessee who causes or allows to be operated, a vehicle in violation of an out-of-service order prepared and served in accordance with the provisions of this subsection shall be liable for a civil penalty of $1,500, and, if the person has the vehicle registered in this State, the commission may suspend the registration privileges of the vehicle.

d. The commission shall exercise all duties, powers and responsibilities set forth in this section with respect to the periodic inspection program for diesel buses and the roadside enforcement program for diesel buses under the jurisdiction of the commission as set forth in subsection b. of section 6 of this act.

L.1995,c.157,s.15; amended 2003, c.13, s.88.