13:1E-130 - Subpena power 

13:1E-130.   Subpena power 
     5. a.        Whenever the Attorney General determines that there exists a reasonable suspicion that any person may have information or knowledge relevant to an investigation conducted pursuant to this act, he may issue in writing and cause to be served upon that person a subpena to appear and be examined under oath before the Attorney General. 

    b.   The subpena shall:

 

    (1)  Identify the licensee, permittee or applicant who is the subject of the investigation;

 

    (2)  Advise that person that he may have an attorney present when he appears and testifies or otherwise responds to the subpena, that he has a right, at any time before the return date of the subpena, to file in Superior Court a petition to modify or set aside the subpena, as provided in subsection f. of this section; 

    (3)  Prescribe a date and time at which that person must appear to testify, under oath, provided that this date shall not be less than seven days from the date of service of the subpena. 

    c.   Except as otherwise provided in this section, no information derived pursuant to the subpena shall be disclosed by the Attorney General or the department without the consent of the person testifying. 

    In any investigation conducted pursuant to this act, the Attorney General may present before the department, court or grand jury any information disclosed pursuant to the subpena, subject to any protective order deemed proper by the Superior Court. 

    d.   Service of a subpena pursuant to this section shall be by any of those methods specified in the New Jersey Court Rules for service of summons and complaint in a civil action. 

    e.   Whenever any person fails to comply with any subpena duly served upon him under this section, or whenever satisfactory copying or reproduction of any material cannot be done and he refuses to surrender the material, the Attorney General may file in the Superior Court a petition for an order of the court for the enforcement of the subpena. 

    f.   At any time before the return date specified in the subpena, the person who has been served with the subpena may file in the Superior Court a petition for an order modifying or setting aside the subpena.  The time allowed for compliance with the subpena shall not run during the pendency of this petition.  The petition shall specify each ground upon which the petitioner relies in seeking relief, and may be based upon any failure of the subpena to comply with the provisions of this section or upon any constitutional or other legal right or privilege of the petitioner.  In this proceeding, the Attorney General shall establish the existence of an investigation pursuant to this act and the nature and subject matter of the investigation. 

    L.1983,c.392,s.5; amended 1991,c.269,s.5.