Eatontown, Monmouth Beach Strike Agreement To Share Court

Eatontown and Monmouth Beach have reached a shared services agreement that will allow the towns to use municipal court.

The Eatontown Council passed a resolution during its Wednesday night meeting that finalized a 3-year contract between the boroughs that will allow Monmouth Beacht to use the Eatontown Municipal Court Room and offices starting April 1.

The boroughs will also share court employees, facilities and equipment.

Monmouth Beach will pay the borough $50,000 in the first and second years of the agreement. The amount could increase in the third year, according to the resolution.

Monmouth Beach's municipal court meets on the first and third Thursdays of every month, and that Eatontown's municipal court meets every Thursday. Monmouth Beach's court sessions would be held after Eatontown's are completed.

Monmouth Beach also has fewer court appearances than Eatontown. Eatontown has had over 300 municipal court appearances this year and Monmouth Beach has had 3. That number is expected to increase in the summer when traffic in the shore town increases and more tickets are issued.

Any Monmouth Beach prisoner who is found guilty while being tried in Eatontown's municipal court will be held there until they are transferred to Monmouth County Correctional Institute (MCCI) in Freehold. Monmouth Beach will pay for the transfer of its own prisoners to MCCI.

The agreement can be terminated at any time upon a mutual agreement from both boroughs. It can also be extended by another three years with a maximum length of 15 years.