N.J. Stat. » Title 2A — ADMINISTRATION OF CIVIL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE
New Jersey Statutes

N.J. Stat. § 2A:84A-22.13 (2026)

Findings, declarations

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section JustiaN.J. Stat. CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

The Legislature finds and declares that:

a. The emotional and psychological injuries that are inflicted on victims of violence are often more serious than the physical injuries suffered;

b. Counseling is often a successful treatment to ease the real and profound psychological trauma experienced by these victims and their families;

c. In the counseling process, victims of violence openly discuss their emotional reactions to the crime. These reactions are often highly intertwined with their personal histories and psychological profile;

d. Counseling of violence and victims is most successful when the victims are assured their thoughts and feelings will remain confidential and will not be disclosed without their permission; and

e. Confidentiality should be accorded all victims of violence who require counseling whether or not they are able to afford the services of private psychiatrists or psychologists.

Therefore, it is the public policy of this State to extend a testimonial privilege encompassing the contents of communications with a victim counselor and to render immune from discovery or legal process the records of these communications maintained by the counselor.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1996–2021 · leading case: Lee v. Corregedore, 925 P.2d 324 (Haw. 1996).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
Lee v. Corregedore, 925 P.2d 324 (Haw. 1996). · cites it 2× “7 (1992), encourages and protects the counseling of emotionally distressed victims of violent crimes by according privilege status to confidential communications made in the course of the counseling process.”
Doe v. Old Dominion Univ., 289 F. Supp. 3d 744 (E.D. Va. 2018). “the New Jersey Legislature declared that the "[c]ounseling of victims is most successful when the victims are assured [that] their thoughts and feelings will remain confidential and will not be disclosed without their permission.”
State of New Jersey Vs. C.E.L. (11-03-0672, Bergen Cnty. & Statewide) (record Impounded) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2018). “In addition, N.J.S.A. 2A:84A-22.13 and N.J.R.E. 517 codify the victim-counselor privilege, such that "it is the public policy of this State to extend a testimonial privilege encompassing the contents of communications with a victim counselor and to render immune from discovery…”
State of New Jersey Vs. C.E.L. (11-03-0672, Bergen Cnty. & Statewide) (record Impounded) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2021). “In addition, N.J.S.A. 2A:84A-22.13 and N.J.R.E. 517 codify the victim-counselor privilege, such that "it is the public policy of this State to extend a testimonial privilege encompassing the contents of communications with a victim counselor and to render immune from discovery…”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.