NJ Courthouses Back Open To The Public Monday Without Appointment

State courthouses are fully reopened to the public as of Monday, Aug. 2, according to a release from New Jersey Courts.

Court facilities were closed to the public at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, with in-person services, and staff, returning bit by bit since then.

Temporary restraining order applications and child support payments have been able to be made in person in New Jersey since the summer of 2020.

The release also said that in-person criminal trials, which briefly resumed last fall, have been back since June 15 of this year, around the same time grand jury sessions reconvened in person.

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New Jersey Courts said that members of the public will not need an appointment or a scheduled appearance or hearing to enter a court building.

The Judiciary said in the release that it would continue to monitor COVID-19 trends and follow the advice of both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state Health Department.

Follow anchor Patrick Lavery on Twitter @plavery1015 or email patrick.lavery@townsquaremedia.com.

NJ towns and their nicknames

Gallery Credit: Jeff Deminski

NJ teachers and educators caught in sex crime busts

Over the past several years, state lawmakers have dealt with accused child predators among ranks of teachers and educators.

The following individuals were arrested and charged in 2021 and several years earlier. Some were convicted and sentenced to prison.

Others accepted plea deals for probation and some cases were still pending.

Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt

NJ arrests 31 accused child predators in "Operation 24/7"

A roundup of 31 men have been accused of sexually exploiting children online, state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced on July 14 while detailing "Operation 24/7."

The suspects “possessed and or distributed videos and images of child sexual abuse, including in many cases videos of young children being raped by adults,” Grewal said.

Chat apps and gaming platforms remain favorite hunting grounds for child predators and even as the pandemic winds down, many children have continued to spend more time online.

State Police received 39% more tips in just the first 6 months of 2021 than they received in the entire year in 2019. The following are suspects charged in "Operation 24/7."

Gallery Credit: Dan Alexander/Erin Vogt