A Former County Prosecutor Who Is Highly Skilled In Defending Arson Charges Is Ready To Assist You
A person can be found guilty of arson if he intentionally sets a building or property on fire. This crime is committed many times for purposes of injuring someone or sometimes to collect insurance payments. Whatever the reason, arson is taken seriously in New Jersey and can result in significant consequences. If you have been charged with arson, it is important that you talk to a skilled and experienced attorney that can help you through the legal process.
The attorneys at our Camden criminal firm, the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall, have a history of success defending threat and assault related offenses like arson. Whether your were arrested in Haddonfield, Pennsauken, Camden, Gloucester Township, Winslow Township, we have the qualifications to win your case, including:
- Over 200 years of combined experience representing clients charged with arson in the first degree, second degree, third degree and fourth degree at the Camden County Superior Court and elsewhere in New Jersey
- A team of ten (10) lawyers that specialize exclusively in criminal defense
- Former county prosecutors that have served in unique roles like Director of Major Crimes, the Drug Task Force, Juvenile Division and the entire Trial Division
- Certified criminal trial attorneys, a distinction possessed by less than 2% of those licensed in the state
If you have charges for arson or aggravated arson anywhere in Camden County, having an attorney who knows what it takes to avoid a conviction is imperative. Call our Camden Office at (856) 288-3350 anytime 24/7 for a free initial consultation with one of our lawyers.
Arson Lawyer in Camden County New Jersey
The law for arson and aggravated arson is covered under N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1 in New Jersey. The are four (4) pedigrees of this offense set forth in the statute, including second degree aggravated arson under subsection a, third degree arson under subsection b, fourth degree failure to control a fire under subsection c and first degree arson for hire under subsection d. All of these grades of arson offense are felony indictable crimes that can only be heard at the county courthouse in Camden. The headings below discuss each variety of arson in more detail.
Aggravated Arson
a. A person commits aggravated arson when he or she starts a fire or causes an explosion, whether on his own property or another’s :
1) Thereby purposely or knowingly placing another person in danger of death or bodily injury; or
2) With the purpose of destroying a building or structure of another; or
3) With the purpose of collecting insurance for the destruction or damage to such property under circumstances which recklessly place any other person in danger of death or bodily injury; or
4) With the purpose of destroying or damaging a structure in order to exempt the structure, completely or partially, from the provisions of any State, county or local zoning, planning or building law, regulation, ordinance or enactment under circumstances which recklessly place any other person in danger of death or bodily injury; or
5) With the purpose of destroying or damaging any forest.
Aggravated arson is a second degree crime in New Jersey but can be considered first degree if a person pays or accepts or offers to pay or accept any form of consideration including, but not limited to, money or any other pecuniary benefit, regardless of whether any consideration is actually exchanged for the purpose of starting a fire or causing an explosion
Arson, a Third Degree Crime
b. A person commits arson when he purposely starts a fire or causes an explosion, whether on his own property or another’s:
(1) Thereby recklessly placing another person in danger of death or bodily injury; or
(2) Thereby recklessly placing a building or structure of another in danger of damage or destruction; or
(3) With the purpose of collecting insurance for the destruction or damage to such property; or
(4) With the purpose of destroying or damaging a structure in order to exempt the structure, completely or partially, from the provisions of any State, county or local zoning, planning or building law, regulation, ordinance or enactment ; or
(5) Thereby recklessly placing a forest in danger of damage or destruction.
Failure to Control or Timely Report a Fire
c. It is also a crime in New Jersey if you fail to control or report a dangerous fire. If you know that a fire is endangering life or a substantial amount of property of another and you either fail to take reasonable measures to put out or control the fire, when you can do so without substantial risk to yourself, or to give prompt fire alarm, you commit a fourth degree crime if:
(1) You knows that you are under an official, contractual, or other legal duty to prevent or combat the fire; or
(2) The fire was started, albeit lawfully, by you or with his assent, or on property in your custody or control.
First Degree Arson
Arson is a first degree crime if the structure which was the target of the offense was a church, synagogue, temple or other place of public worship.
Arson is also a first degree crime if any person pays, accepts or offers consideration for the purposes of starting a fire or causing an explosion.
Penalties for Arson in New Jersey
The penalties for arson depend on the degree charged. First degree is the most serious with second, third and fourth degree grading downward thereafter.
- First degree arson carries a prison sentence of 15 years in New Jersey State Prison with no parole eligibility.
- Second degree arson, or aggravated arson, carries a prison sentence of 5 to 10 years in NJ State Prison. Further, the “No Early Release Act” applies to this crime meaning 85 percent of the sentence must be served before parole eligibility.
- Third degree arson can result in 3 to 5 years in prison.
- Fourth degree arson carries up to 18 months in prison.
Contact a Brooklawn Arson Lawyer for a Free Consultation
The criminal defense attorneys at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall are always available to speak with you about your case and begin to formulate an aggressive strategy to defend you against an arson charge. Our criminal defense team understands the details of the law in New Jersey and we will use this knowledge to help you best defend against these charges. Call us today at (856) 288-3350 to discuss your 2C:17-1 arrest in Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Lindenwold, Haddon Heights, Collingswood or another municipality in the county. Initial consultations with a lawyer are always free of charge.
