N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:18-51 et seq. § 2A:18-55
Discontinuance upon payment into court of rent in arrears; receipt
Operative Text
If, in actions instituted under paragraph "b" of section 2A:18-53 of this title, the tenant or person in possession of the demised premises shall at any time on or before entry of final judgment, pay to the clerk of the court the rent claimed to be in default, together with the accrued costs of the proceedings, all proceedings shall be stopped. The receipt of the clerk shall be evidence of such payment. The clerk shall forthwith pay all moneys so received to the landlord, his agent or assigns.
Under N.J.S.A. 2A:18-51 et seq. § 2A:18-55, a tenant facing eviction for nonpayment of rent has the opportunity to halt the proceedings by paying the overdue rent and any accrued court costs to the court clerk at any point before a final judgment is entered. Once that payment is made, the law requires all proceedings to stop, and the clerk's receipt serves as official evidence of the payment. The clerk is then required to promptly forward the collected funds to the landlord or the landlord's designated agent or assigns.
Plain English — not legal advice.
N.J.S.A. 2A:18-51 et seq. § 2A:18-55 establishes that a nonpayment eviction action brought under the applicable statute can be discontinued if the tenant pays all rent in arrears plus accrued court costs to the court clerk before final judgment. Compliant operators generally stay informed about payments made through the court clerk, since funds collected under this provision must be forwarded to the landlord, agent, or assigns promptly. Keeping accurate records of outstanding rent and costs helps ensure that any payment made through the clerk can be reconciled against the amounts actually owed.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.J.S.A. 2A:18-51 et seq. § 2A:18-55 provides tenants facing nonpayment eviction proceedings with a statutory right to stop those proceedings by paying the rent claimed to be in default, along with accrued court costs, to the court clerk before a final judgment is entered. The clerk's receipt of that payment is recognized as legal evidence that the obligation was satisfied, and the proceedings must cease. Tenants who want to understand how this right applies to their circumstances may benefit from consulting a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with New Jersey housing law.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 6, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
Rules and statutes cited by this regulation
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.