Phillipsburg Town Council approves ordinance holding parents accountable for minors’ offenses
PHILLIPSBURG, N.J. (Warren County) — The Phillipsburg Town Council adopted an ordinance Oct. 27 that could subject parents and legal guardians to fines of up to $2,000, jail time or community service if they are found responsible for contributing to certain offenses committed by their minor children.
Ordinance No. 2026-26 creates Chapter 380 of the Phillipsburg Town Code, titled “Minors and Parental Responsibility,” establishing rules and responsibilities for parents and legal guardians of children under 18 who commit certain criminal or municipal offenses within the town.
Under the ordinance, it is unlawful for a parent or legal guardian, through an action, statement, failure to act or lack of supervision and control, to encourage, contribute to or cause a minor to commit specified offenses.
Those offenses include violations of New Jersey’s criminal laws under Title 2C, as well as violations of certain municipal ordinances involving firearms and weapons, alcoholic beverages, and peace and good order.
The ordinance establishes procedures for holding parents and legal guardians accountable when minors are convicted of those offenses.
Following a minor’s first conviction for a qualifying offense, the parent or legal guardian may be summoned before a Phillipsburg Municipal Court judge and ordered to provide supervision of the child.
If the minor is convicted of a second qualifying offense within 18 months of the first conviction, the ordinance creates a rebuttable presumption that the parent or legal guardian violated the parental responsibility requirements. The parent or guardian may then be summoned to appear before a municipal court judge.
A rebuttable presumption allows the parent or guardian to present evidence challenging the presumption rather than automatically being found in violation.
Under Chapter 1-15 of the Phillipsburg Town Code, a person convicted of violating the ordinance could face a fine of up to $2,000, up to 90 days in county jail, up to 90 days of community service, or any combination of those penalties. The code also provides that penalties are subject to any applicable limitations imposed by state law.
The ordinance defines supervision as exercising control over a minor child, knowing the child’s whereabouts, knowing whom the child associates with and being aware of activities that could affect or offend public peace, safety and morals.
It also defines public places to include streets, sidewalks, parks, recreational and shopping areas, public transportation facilities, parking lots and other public buildings or areas accessible to the public.
According to the ordinance, the Town Council determined that establishing parental responsibility requirements for certain offenses committed by minors is in the best interest of Phillipsburg and its residents.
The ordinance was introduced on first reading Oct. 13 and adopted by the Town Council on Oct. 27.
