Category : Various Text files
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Filename : NEWJERSY.TXT

 
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CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE
OF NEW JERSEY
(As amended to Jan. 1, 1975)

PREAMBLE

We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Al-
mighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath
so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a
blessing upon our endeavors to secure and transmit the
same unimpaired to succeeding generations, do ordain and
establish this Constitution.


ARTICLE I

RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES

Sec. 1. All persons are by nature free and independent, and have
certain natural and unalienable rights, among which are
those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of ac-
quiring, possessing, and protecting property, and of pur-
suing and obtaining safety and happiness

Sec. 2. All political power is inherent in the people. Government
is instituted for the protection, security, and benefit of
the people, and they have the right at all times to alter or
reform the same, whenever the public good may require it.

Sec. 3. No person shall be deprived of the inestimable privilege of
worshiping Almighty God in a manner agreeable to the dic-
tates of his own conscience; nor under any pretense whatever
be compelled to attend any place of worship contrary to his
faith and judgement; nor shall any person be obliged to pay
tithes, taxes, or other rates for building or repairing any
church or churches, place or places of worship, or for the
maintenance of any minister or ministry, contrary to what he
believes to be right or has deliberately and voluntarily
engaged to perform.

Sec. 4. There shall be no establishment of one religious sect in
preference to another; no religious or racial test shall be
required as a qualification for any office or public trust.

Sec. 5. No person shall be denied the enjoyment of any civil or
military right, nor be discriminated against in the exercise
of any civil or military right, nor be segregated in the
militia or in the public schools, because of religious prin-
ciples, race, color, ancestry or national origin.

Sec. 6. Every person may freely speak, write and publish his senti-
ments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of
that right. No law shall be passed to restrain or abridge
the liberty of speech or of the press. In all prosecutions
or indictments for libel, the truth may be given in evidence
to the jury; and if it shall appear to the jury that the
matter charged as libelous is true, and was published with
good motives and for justifiable ends, the party shall be
acquitted; and the jury shall have the right to determine
the law and the fact.

Sec. 7. The right of the people to be secure in their persons,
houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches
and seizures, shall not be violated; and no warrant shall
issued except upon probable cause, supported by oath or
affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be
searched and the papers and things to be seized.


Sec. 8. No person shall be held to answer for a criminal offense,
unless on the presentment or indictment of a grand jury,
except in cases of impeachment, or in cases now prosecuted
without indictment, or arising in the army or navy or in the
militia, when in actual service in time of war or public
danger.

Sec. 9. The right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate; but the
legislature may authorize the trial of civil causes by a
jury of six persons. The Legislature may provide that in any
civil cause a verdict may be rendered by not less than five-
sixths of the jury. The Legislature may authorize the trial
of the issue of mental incompetency without a jury. (This
Article amended effective Dec. 4, 1973.)

Sec. 10. In all criminal prosecutions the accused shall have the
right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury; to
be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be
confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compul-
sory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor; and to
have the assistance of counsel in his defense.

Sec. 11. No person shall, after acquittal, be tried for the same of-
fense. All persons shall, before conviction, be bailable by
sufficient sureties, except for capital offenses when the
proof is evident or presumption great.

Sec. 12. Excessive bail shall not be required, excessive fines shall
not be imposed, and cruel and unusual punishments shall not
be inflicted.

Sec. 13. No person shall be imprisoned for debt in any action, or on
any judgement found upon contract, unless in cases of fraud;
nor shall any person be imprisoned for a militia fine in
time of peace.

Sec. 14. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be
suspended, unless in case of rebellion or invasion the pub-
lic safety may require it.

Sec. 15. The military shall be in strict subordination to the civil
power.

Sec. 16. No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any
house, without the consent of the owner; nor in time of war,
except in a manner prescribed by law.

Sec. 17. Treason against the State shall consist only in levying war
against it, or in adhering to its enemies, giving them aid
and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason, un-
less on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt
act, or on confession in open court.

Sec. 18. The people have the right freely to assemble together, to
consult for the common good, to make known their opinions to
their representatives, and to petition for redress of griev-
ances.

Sec. 19. Persons in private employment shall have the right to organ-
ize and bargain collectively. Persons in public employment
shall have the right to organize, present to and make known
to the State, or any of its political subdivisions or agen-
cies, their grievances and proposals through representatives
of their own choosing.

Sec. 20. Private property shall not be taken for public use without
just compensation. Individuals or private corporations
shall not be authorized to take private property for public
use without just compensation first made to the owners.

Sec. 21. This enumeration of rights and privileges shall not be con-
strued to impair or deny others retained by the people.




  3 Responses to “Category : Various Text files
Archive   : LAWNB3.ZIP
Filename : NEWJERSY.TXT

  1. Very nice! Thank you for this wonderful archive. I wonder why I found it only now. Long live the BBS file archives!

  2. This is so awesome! 😀 I’d be cool if you could download an entire archive of this at once, though.

  3. But one thing that puzzles me is the “mtswslnkmcjklsdlsbdmMICROSOFT” string. There is an article about it here. It is definitely worth a read: http://www.os2museum.com/wp/mtswslnk/