Rule 5:19-2. Confidentiality of Hearing and Records

(a) Hearing

(1) The court may upon application by the juvenile or the juvenile's parent or guardian, the prosecutor or any other interested party, including the victim or complainant or members of the news media, permit public attendance during any court proceeding in a delinquency case, where it determines that there is no substantial likelihood of specific harm to the juvenile.

(2) Unless such application is made and granted, every hearing shall be conducted in private with only such persons in attendance as have a direct involvement in the proceeding, except as hereinafter provided. At the judge's discretion, attendance may also be permitted at such private hearing by any person who has an interest in the work of the court, provided, however, that such person shall agree not to record, disclose or publish the names, photographs or other identifying data with respect to any of the participants in the hearing except as expressly authorized by the judge. Upon objection by the juvenile, the juvenile's attorney, or the juvenile's parents, guardian or custodian, any person seeking permission to attend because of interest in the work of the court may be excluded from any hearing involving that juvenile.

(3) The court shall permit a victim or a family member of a victim to make a statement prior to ordering a disposition in any delinquency proceeding involving an offense that would constitute a crime if committed by an adult, subject to a court determination that exigent circumstances exist that require an immediate disposition.

(b) Confidentiality of Records Social, medical, psychological, legal and other records of the Court, Probation Division and law enforcement agencies pertaining to juveniles charged as delinquents shall be strictly safeguarded from public inspection and shall be made available only pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2A:4A-60 to -62. Any application for such records shall be made by motion to the court.