Rules of Court · Part 3 · New Jersey
R. 3:12-1 New Jersey Rules of Court, R. 3:12-1: Notice Under Specific Criminal Code Provisions, rendered as code with every cross-reference linked
Notice Under Specific Criminal Code Provisions
A defendant shall serve written notice on the prosecutor if the defendant intends to rely on any of the following sections of the Code of Criminal Justice: Ignorance or Mistake, 2C:2-4(c); Accomplice: Renunciation Terminating Complicity, 2C:2-6(e)(3); Intoxication, 2C:2-8(d); Duress, 2C:2-9(a); Entrapment, 2C:2-12(b); General Principles of Justification, 2C:3-1 to 2C:3-11; Insanity, 2C:4-1; Lack of Requisite State of Mind, 2C:4-2; Criminal Attempt (renunciation of criminal purpose), 2C:5-1(d); Conspiracy (renunciation of criminal purpose), 2C:5-2(e); Murder (affirmative defense, felony murder), 2C:11-3(a)(3); Criminal Restraint, 2C:13-2(b); Theft by Extortion, 2C:20-5; Perjury (retraction), 2C:28-1(d); False Swearing (retraction), 2C:28-2(b); Controlled Dangerous Substances Near or On School Property, 2C:35-7; and Distributing, Dispensing or Possessing Controlled Substances Within 500 Feet of Public Housing Facilities, Parks or Buildings, 2C:35-7.1.
No later than seven days before the Initial Case Disposition Conference that is scheduled pursuant to R. 3:9-1 (e) the defendant shall serve on the prosecutor a notice of intention to claim any of the defenses listed herein; and if the defendant requests or has received discovery pursuant to R. 3:13-3(b)(1), the defendant shall, pursuant to R. 3:13- 3(b)(2), furnish the prosecutor with discovery pertaining to such defenses at the time the notice is served. The prosecutor shall, within 14 days after receipt of such discovery, comply with R. 3:13-3(b)(1) and (f) with respect to any defense for which the prosecutor has received notice.
For good cause shown the court may extend the time of service of any of the foregoing, or make such other orders as the interest of justice requires. If a party fails to comply with this Rule, the court may take such action as the interest of justice requires. The action taken may include refusing to allow the party in default to present witnesses in support or in opposition of that defense at the trial or to allow the granting of an adjournment or delay during trial as the interest of justice demands.
Note: Source-R.R. 3:5-9A. Former Rule 3:12 amended August 28, 1979 to be effective September 1, 1979; main caption amended and former Rules 3:12 and 3:12A amended, combined and redesignated as Rule 3:12-1, July 13, 1994, second paragraph amended December 9, 1994, to be effective January 1, 1995; amended July 12, 2002 to be effective September 3, 2002; amended December 4, 2012 to be effective January 1, 2013; amended April 12, 2016 to be effective May 20, 2016; amended August 1, 2016 to be effective September 1, 2016.
Verbatim rule text, unmarked. Nothing here is a summary.
rule 3:12-1 "Notice Under Specific Criminal Code Provisions" {
A defendant shall serve written notice on the prosecutor if the defendant intends to rely on any of the following sections of the Code of Criminal Justice: Ignorance or Mistake, 2C:2-4(c); Accomplice: Renunciation Terminating Complicity, 2C:2-6(e)(3); Intoxication, 2C:2-8(d); Duress, 2C:2-9(a); Entrapment, 2C:2-12(b); General Principles of Justification, 2C:3-1 to 2C:3-11; Insanity, 2C:4-1; Lack of Requisite State of Mind, 2C:4-2; Criminal Attempt (renunciation of criminal purpose), 2C:5-1(d); Conspiracy (renunciation of criminal purpose), 2C:5-2(e); Murder (affirmative defense, felony murder), 2C:11-3(a)(3); Criminal Restraint, 2C:13-2(b); Theft by Extortion, 2C:20-5; Perjury (retraction), 2C:28-1(d); False Swearing (retraction), 2C:28-2(b); Controlled Dangerous Substances Near or On School Property, 2C:35-7; and Distributing, Dispensing or Possessing Controlled Substances Within 500 Feet of Public Housing Facilities, Parks or Buildings, 2C:35-7.1.
No later than seven days before the Initial Case Disposition Conference that is scheduled pursuant to R. 3:9-1 (e) the defendant shall serve on the prosecutor a notice of intention to claim any of the defenses listed herein; and if the defendant requests or has received discovery pursuant to R. 3:13-3(b)(1), the defendant shall, pursuant to R. 3:13- 3(b)(2), furnish the prosecutor with discovery pertaining to such defenses at the time the notice is served. The prosecutor shall, within 14 days after receipt of such discovery, comply with R. 3:13-3(b)(1) and (f) with respect to any defense for which the prosecutor has received notice.
For good cause shown the court may extend the time of service of any of the foregoing, or make such other orders as the interest of justice requires. If a party fails to comply with this Rule, the court may take such action as the interest of justice requires. The action taken may include refusing to allow the party in default to present witnesses in support or in opposition of that defense at the trial or to allow the granting of an adjournment or delay during trial as the interest of justice demands.
Note: Source-R.R. 3:5-9A. Former Rule 3:12 amended August 28, 1979 to be effective September 1, 1979; main caption amended and former Rules 3:12 and 3:12A amended, combined and redesignated as Rule 3:12-1, July 13, 1994, second paragraph amended December 9, 1994, to be effective January 1, 1995; amended July 12, 2002 to be effective September 3, 2002; amended December 4, 2012 to be effective January 1, 2013; amended April 12, 2016 to be effective May 20, 2016; amended August 1, 2016 to be effective September 1, 2016.
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referenced_by: 3:13-3
source: njcourts.gov // verbatim; changed 2025-10-09; corpus harvested 2026-09-02
R. 3:12-2 → · chapter 3:12 · all rules
The Rules of Court are a government edict and carry no copyright; the text above is the Judiciary’s own publication, unchanged. Structure, links and highlighting are ours and carry no legal weight. Read the rule on njcourts.gov before you rely on it; amendments take effect each September 1.