New Jersey statute

N.J.S.A. 2C:21-7 — Deceptive business practices

Current through P.L.2025, c.346, and J.R.22

Part of Chapter 21, New Jersey Statutes.

Criminal charges under this statute

Deceptive business practices

Full text of N.J.S.A. 2C:21-7

Statutory text current through the P.L.2025, c.346, and J.R.22. This publication reproduces the official text of the New Jersey Statutes from the statute files published by the New Jersey Legislature; it is not the official statutes of the State of New Jersey.

N.J.S.A. 2C:21-7Primary source, current through the P.L.2025, c.346, and J.R.22

Deceptive business practices. A person commits an offense if in the course of business he: a. Uses or possesses for use a false weight or measure, or any other device for falsely determining or recording any quality or quantity; b. Sells, offers or exposes for sale, or delivers less than the represented quantity of any commodity or service; c. Takes or attempts to take more than the represented quantity of any commodity or service when as buyer he furnishes the weight or measure; d. Sells, offers or exposes for sale adulterated or mislabeled commodities; e. Makes a false or misleading statement in any advertisement addressed to the public or to a substantial segment thereof for the purpose of promoting the purchase or sale of property or services; f. Deleted by amendment (P.L.1981, c. 290). g. Deleted by amendment (P.L.1981, c. 290). h. Makes a false or misleading written statement for the purpose of obtaining property or credit; or i. Makes a false or misleading written statement for the purpose of promoting the sale of securities, or omits information required by law to be disclosed in written documents relating to securities. The offense is a crime of the fourth degree if subsection h. or i. is violated. Otherwise it is a disorderly persons offense. It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section if the defendant proves by a preponderance of the evidence that his conduct was not knowingly or recklessly deceptive. "Adulterated" means varying from the standard of composition or quality prescribed by or pursuant to any statute providing criminal penalties for such variance, or set by established commercial usage. "Mislabeled" means varying from the standard of truth or disclosure in labeling prescribed by or pursuant to any statute providing criminal penalties for such variance, or set by established commercial usage. L.1978, c. 95, s. 2C:21-7, eff. Sept. 1, 1979. Amended by L.1979, c. 178, s. 36A, eff. Sept. 1, 1979; L.1981, c. 290, s. 23A, eff. Sept. 24, 1981.

Official sources

justia: N.J.S.A. 2C:21-7

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

What degree of offense is deceptive business practices in New Jersey?

It depends on the circumstances: deceptive business practices ranges from a disorderly persons offense to a crime of the fourth degree in New Jersey under N.J.S.A. 2C:21-7.

Deceptive business practices — subsections h or i (fraudulent written statements): crime of the fourth degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-7) · Deceptive business practices — subsections a through e (other deceptive practices): disorderly persons offense (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-7)

Which New Jersey statute covers deceptive business practices?

Deceptive business practices is governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:21-7 (Deceptive business practices).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.