Regulations for the Certification of Municipal Prosecutor

I. Purpose - The NJSMPA Certification Program is intended to further this organization's mission to encourage continuing legal education for our members, to bestow public recognition on the our organization's certified municipal prosecutors and to honor their commitment to justice.

II. Certification Process - There shall be two (2) methods for obtaining certification:

   A. Senior Track - Certification based upon this method shall require:

   1. ten (10) years cumulative experience as a municipal prosecutor;
   2. twelve (12) approved certification training credits prior to initial certification;
   3. twelve (12) approved certification training credits prior to certification renewal;
   4. Current Employment as a municipal prosecutor; and
   5. Current membership in the NJSMPA

   B. Standard Track - Certification based upon this method shall require:

   1. five (5) years cumulative experience as a municipal prosecutor;
   2. thirty-six (36) approved certification training credits prior to initial certification;
   3. twelve (12) approved certification training credits prior to certification renewal;
   4. Current Employment as a municipal prosecutor; and
   5. Current membership in the NJSMPA

III. Certification Term

The Certification term shall be for the balance of the year certification is granted and continuing for following two calendar years. Current membership in the NJSMPA and employment as a municipal prosecutor shall be continuing requirements for certification status.

a. Award of NJSMPA certification training credits
b. NJSMPA certification credits shall be awarded for approved training or continuing legal education programs.
c. Approval of training programs or continuing legal education programs shall be vested in the NJSMPA Education Committee. Approval shall be based upon considerations of relevance to municipal prosecutors, course content, level of scholarship and instruction.
d. Each credit hour shall be based upon 50 minutes of instruction.
e. Automatic Approval shall be granted to all training events and continuing legal educations sponsored by the NJSMPA, by the attorney general, by the Office of the County Prosecutor and by programs where the curriculum has been developed by the NJSMPA Education committee or its designees.
f. Any organization that sponsors a training seminar or continuing legal education event may apply to the NJSMPA Education Committee to award certification training credits.
g. Unless otherwise awarded at the event or seminar, a member of the NJSMPA may apply for the awarding of certification credits by completing an approved application and paying the required nominal fee.

IV. Application for Certification

A member of the NJSMPA who has met the necessary requirements may apply for certification at any time by filing approved application form. Approval of the certification application shall be vested exclusively in the NJSMPA education committee.

V. Certified Municipal Prosecutors

Municipal Prosecutors who have been certified by the NJSMPA shall be regarded by our organization as the leaders in our profession. Certification will be publicized by the NJSMPA and information about the certification process shall be generally available to members of the public, the bench and members of the bar