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New jersey criminal charge

Invasion of privacy, degree of crime; defenses, privileges in New jersey

Current through 2026 New Jersey legislative session

Invasion of privacy, degree of crime; defenses, privileges is a criminal offense under New jersey law, defined by N.J.S.A. 2C:14-9. Its classification is not fixed: New jersey assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by N.J.S.A. 2C:14-9.

What is the penalty for invasion of privacy, degree of crime; defenses, privileges in New jersey?

Penalties for Invasion of privacy, degree of crime; defenses, privileges
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prisonup to 18 months (no statutory minimum) (Observation of intimate parts/sexual conduct without consent — Applies when a person, without license or privilege, observes another exposing intimate parts or engaging in sexual penetration/contact without consent under circumstances where observation would not be expected.; first-offender presumption of non-incarceration may apply (2C:44-1(e), carve-outs))discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Fineup to 10000 usd (no statutory minimum) (Observation of intimate parts/sexual conduct without consent — Applies when a person, without license or privilege, observes another exposing intimate parts or engaging in sexual penetration/contact without consent under circumstances where observation would not be expected.; or up to double gain/loss (2C:43-3))discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Jail / prison3 years to 5 years (Photographing/recording exposed intimate parts or sexual conduct — Applies when a person photographs, films, or records another's exposed intimate parts or sexual conduct without consent under circumstances where observation would not be expected.; first-offender presumption of non-incarceration may apply (2C:44-1(e), carve-outs))presumptiveN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Fineup to 15000 usd (no statutory minimum) (Photographing/recording exposed intimate parts or sexual conduct — Applies when a person photographs, films, or records another's exposed intimate parts or sexual conduct without consent under circumstances where observation would not be expected.; or up to double gain/loss (2C:43-3); offense-specific ceilings may exceed)discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Jail / prisonup to 18 months (no statutory minimum) (Photographing/recording undergarment-clad intimate parts — Applies when a person photographs or records another's undergarment-clad intimate parts without consent under circumstances where such observation would not be expected.; first-offender presumption of non-incarceration may apply (2C:44-1(e), carve-outs))discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Fineup to 10000 usd (no statutory minimum) (Photographing/recording undergarment-clad intimate parts — Applies when a person photographs or records another's undergarment-clad intimate parts without consent under circumstances where such observation would not be expected.; or up to double gain/loss (2C:43-3))discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Jail / prison3 years to 5 years (Disclosure of unlawfully obtained image — Applies when a person discloses, without consent, an image of another's sexual conduct, exposed intimate parts, or undergarment-clad intimate parts that was taken in violation of subsection b.; first-offender presumption of non-incarceration may apply (2C:44-1(e), carve-outs))presumptiveN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Fineup to 15000 usd (no statutory minimum) (Disclosure of unlawfully obtained image — Applies when a person discloses, without consent, an image of another's sexual conduct, exposed intimate parts, or undergarment-clad intimate parts that was taken in violation of subsection b.; or up to double gain/loss (2C:43-3); offense-specific ceilings may exceed)discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6

Applies to current.

How is invasion of privacy, degree of crime; defenses, privileges classified in New jersey?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Invasion of privacy, degree of crime; defenses, privileges
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
Observation of intimate parts/sexual conduct without consentcrime of the fourth degreeApplies when a person, without license or privilege, observes another exposing intimate parts or engaging in sexual penetration/contact without consent under circumstances where observation would not be expected.N.J.S.A. 2C:14-9undefined
Photographing/recording exposed intimate parts or sexual conductcrime of the third degreeApplies when a person photographs, films, or records another's exposed intimate parts or sexual conduct without consent under circumstances where observation would not be expected.N.J.S.A. 2C:14-9undefined
Photographing/recording undergarment-clad intimate partscrime of the fourth degreeApplies when a person photographs or records another's undergarment-clad intimate parts without consent under circumstances where such observation would not be expected.N.J.S.A. 2C:14-9undefined
Disclosure of unlawfully obtained imagecrime of the third degreeApplies when a person discloses, without consent, an image of another's sexual conduct, exposed intimate parts, or undergarment-clad intimate parts that was taken in violation of subsection b.N.J.S.A. 2C:14-9undefined

Common questions about invasion of privacy, degree of crime; defenses, privileges in New jersey

What degree of offense is invasion of privacy, degree of crime; defenses, privileges in New Jersey?

It depends on the circumstances: invasion of privacy, degree of crime; defenses, privileges ranges from a crime of the fourth degree to a crime of the third degree in New Jersey under N.J.S.A. 2C:14-9.

Observation of intimate parts/sexual conduct without consent: crime of the fourth degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:14-9) · Photographing/recording exposed intimate parts or sexual conduct: crime of the third degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:14-9) · Photographing/recording undergarment-clad intimate parts: crime of the fourth degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:14-9) · Disclosure of unlawfully obtained image: crime of the third degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:14-9)

What are the penalties for invasion of privacy, degree of crime; defenses, privileges in New Jersey?

Penalties for invasion of privacy, degree of crime; defenses, privileges in New Jersey depend on how it is classified — from a crime of the fourth degree up to a crime of the third degree — with the ranges set by N.J.S.A. 2C:43-6; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which New Jersey statute covers invasion of privacy, degree of crime; defenses, privileges?

Invasion of privacy, degree of crime; defenses, privileges is governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:14-9 (Invasion of privacy, degree of crime; defenses, privileges).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.