Grants discretion to court in expungement of records related to domestic violence arrests not resulting in conviction.

S 3540 would change New Jersey law to give courts discretion in expunging arrest records related to domestic violence cases that don’t result in conviction. Currently, courts must automatically erase such records when charges are dismissed, a person is acquitted, or discharged without conviction. This bill allows courts to delay expungement for up to six months if a prosecutor objects, to prevent potential victim intimidation that might lead to dropped charges. It applies specifically to arrests for domestic violence as defined by state law (N.J.S.2C:25-19), ensuring courts can consider case context before erasing records.