Sexual assault is a crime of the second degree, or second degree felony. Moreover, you may be required to register as a sex offender. A disorderly persons offense or an indictable crime will give you a criminal record, which can follow you from state to state and make it harder to qualify for loans, housing, or job opportunities. Because they are serious offenses equivalent to felonies, indictable crimes are punishable with longer maximum sentences and higher maximum fines than disorderly persons offenses. New Jersey refers to felonies as “indictable crimes” or “crimes,” while misdemeanor offenses are called “disorderly persons offenses” (or, in cases involving the most minor offenses, “petty disorderly persons offenses”). § 2C:24-4 – Endangering the Welfare of Children § 2C:14-3(a) – Aggravated Criminal Sexual Contact Depending on the type of actions that he or she allegedly took, the defendant will instead be charged with one of the following crimes: For example, there is no criminal offense called “statutory rape” in New Jersey. Statutory rape is a colloquial term, not a legal term. To provide an example, sexual relations between a 12-year-old and a 16-year-old, though within four years of each other in age, would be illegal. The exception does not apply to anyone who is under the age of 13. This exception applies to minors as young as 13, allowing consensual relations with an individual up to 17 years of age. The close-in-age exception allows consensual relations between two minors, provided they are similar in age: specifically, within four years of each other.
In New Jersey, this is referred to as the “close-in-age” exception. Some states, such as New Jersey, create exceptions for scenarios involving two minors. What is the “Close-in-Age” Exception in New Jersey?
If you have been charged with sexual assault, or were arrested for a related offense, get legal help from an experienced Atlantic City criminal attorney right away. Keep reading to learn more about statutory rape laws in New Jersey, including penalties for statutory rape and other sex crimes in New Jersey. That being said, exceptions can arise that may provide a legal defense to statutory rape charges in New Jersey, such as the state’s close-in-age exception (sometimes referred to as “Romeo and Juliet laws”).
This type of scenario is referred to as “statutory rape,” because even though the acts were consensual, minors below age 16 are considered unable to consent legally. That means it is unlawful for a legal adult (meaning an individual aged 18 or older) to engage in sexual relations with a person who is below the age of 16. In New Jersey, the age of consent is 16 years. The age of consent is the age at which a person may consent to sexual activity.
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