N.J. Stat. tit. 2C, ch. 22

in effect

N.J. Stat. § 2C:22-1 Disturbing, desecrating human remains; offenses.

1. a. A person commits a crime of the second degree if he: (1) Unlawfully disturbs, moves or conceals human remains; (2) Unlawfully desecrates, damages or destroys human remains; or (3) Commits an act of sexual penetration or sexual contact, as defined in N.J.S.2C:14-1, upon human remains. b. A person commits a crime of the third degree if he purposely or knowingly fails to dispose of human remains in a manner required by law. c. As used in this act, "human remains" means the body of a deceased person or the dismembered part of a body of a living person but does not include cremated remains. d. Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to any act performed in accordance with law, including but not limited to the "State Medical Examiner Act," P.L.1967, c.234 (C.52:17B-78 et al.); the "Mortuary Science Act," P.L.1952, c.340 (C.45:7-32 et seq.); the provisions of chapters 6 and 7 of Title 26 of the Revised Statutes concerning disposal of dead bodies and cremation; the "New Jersey Cemetery Act," N.J.S.8A:1-1 et seq.; a criminal investigation conducted by a law enforcement authority; or an order of a court of competent jurisdiction or other appropriate legal authority. Nothing in this section shall be construed to criminalize any good faith action involving interment or disinterment which disturbs, moves, conceals, desecrates, damages or destroys human remains. L.2002,c.127,s.1.

N.J. Stat. § 2C:22-2 Disposition of body parts, criminal penalties imposed for certain offenses.

1. a. A person who knowingly, for valuable consideration, purchases or sells a part for transplantation or therapy, if removal of a part from a donor is intended to occur after the donor's death, is guilty of a crime of the third degree and, notwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.2C:43-3, shall be subject to a fine of not more than $50,000, as well as the term of imprisonment provided under N.J.S.2C:43-6, or both. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit a person from charging a reasonable amount for the removal, processing, disposal, preservation, quality control, storage, transportation, or implantation of a part. b. A person who intentionally falsifies, forges, conceals, defaces, or obliterates a document by which a gift of all or part of a human body may be made pursuant to P.L.2008, c.50 (C.26:6-77 et al.), an amendment or revocation of such a document, or any death record or document of medical or social history pertaining to the body or part of the donor, or a refusal to make a gift, in order to obtain a financial benefit or gain, is guilty of a crime of the second degree and, notwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.2C:43-3, shall be subject to a fine of not more than $50,000, as well as the term of imprisonment provided under N.J.S.2C:43-6, or both. c. As used in this section, the terms "decedent," "donor," "part," and "person" have the meaning ascribed to them in section 2 of P.L.2008, c.50 (C.26:6-78). L.2007, c.36, s.1; amended 2008, c.50, s.22.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-activity/statutesFetched: 10/17/2026