Gloucester County Assault & Threat Crimes
Whether it started from something as mild as a misunderstanding or stemmed from a careless comment or an angry remark, a threat or assault in Gloucester County, New Jersey, could net you or a family member criminal charges. If convicted, you or your loved one face serious consequences such as thousands of dollars in fines and surcharges, incarceration, probation — and a criminal record that can follow you for life.
What’s more, an assault charge quickly can escalate to aggravated assault if the original dispute involved domestic circumstances, a law enforcement officer, serious bodily injury, or the use of a weapon. A person charged in this instance faces penalties ranging from a restraining order that potentially limits their contact with other relatives to spending years in prison.
The criminal defense lawyers at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall have extensive knowledge about handling Gloucester County assault or threat charges, thanks to the years that many members of our legal team served as New Jersey prosecutors or public defenders.
We’re familiar with the courts and communities of Woodbury, Deptford, Glassboro, Washington Township, and other municipalities throughout Gloucester County. Please contact our Woodbury office today by phone or online. We’re here to support you in your time of need.
Contact our accomplished defense lawyers at (856) 818-4770 if you were charged with an assault-related offense in townships such as Woodbury, Deptford, Franklin, Washington Township, West Deptford, Harrison,East Woolwich, Woolwich, Mantua, Greenwich, Elk, Paulsboro, South Harrison, Swedesboro, Woodbury Heights, Pitman, Glassboro, Clayton, Westville, National Park, Wenonah and Newfield New Jersey.
Assault & Threat Charges in Gloucester County, New Jersey
The New Jersey Criminal Code classifies a wide range of offenses as assault and threat charges. They range from a shove in a bar to a disagreement between neighbors, escalating to domestic altercations, stalking, making terroristic threats, and other volatile physical clashes.
Many threat and assault charges in Gloucester County are second-degree criminal offenses that carry a fine of up to $150,000 and a prison sentence of 5 to 10 years. In addition, a New Jersey sentencing requirement called the No Early Release Act (NERA) states that those convicted of certain offenses, such as second-degree aggravated assault, or N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(b), and disarming a law enforcement officer, or N.J.S.A. 2C:12-11(b), must serve at least 85% of their sentence before becoming eligible for parole if they have no separate plea agreement.
Because of this penalty, we find that some prosecutors are reluctant to discuss reducing an assault or threat charge to a lesser offense. But these types of charges carry several defenses, for instance, acting in self-defense if you had reason to believe that you were in danger. You also might not have foreseen that your actions would cause injury. Depending on the circumstances, a second-degree assault charge could be reduced to third-degree assault, punishable by one to five years in prison.
Our Gloucester County criminal defense attorneys draw on more than 100 years of combined experience, giving us the know-how to review your case effectively and design a sound defense strategy.
Here are just a few of the New Jersey assault and threat violations that our Gloucester County defense lawyers have faced on our clients’ behalf:
- Simple Assault (N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1) – This is New Jersey’s most basic assault charge. One person attempts to cause, or recklessly, purposely, or knowingly causes, bodily injury to another person — or puts another person in fear of such injury through physical menace. It is punishable by up to six months in the Gloucester County Jail and a fine up to $1,000.
- Battery – This involves physical contact with a person or an extension of that person (such as clothing or an object the person is holding) to cause harm. Fighting is considered battery.
- Juvenile Assault
- Robbery/Armed Robbery
- Disorderly Conduct (N.J.S.A. 2C:33-2) – This charge encompasses “improper behavior” or offensive language in public, meaning it affects a substantial group of people or a public place, such as in a place of business, highway, school, apartment house, or entertainment venue. It is punishable by up to six months in the Gloucester County Jail and a fine up to $1,000.
- Resisting Arrest
- Reckless Endangerment
- Obstructing the Administration of Law (N.J.S.A. 2C:29-1) –This involves hindering law enforcement in any way, such as giving a false name for identification. It is punishable by up to 18 months in a county jail and a fine exceeding $1,000.
- Eluding (N.J.S.A. 2C:29-2b) – Failing to stop immediately at a law enforcement officer’s request could result in a charge of eluding. It is punishable by 3 to 10 years in prison, fines up to $150,000, and a driver’s license suspension.
- Disarming a Police Officer
- Aggravated Assault – Likely the second most prevalent indictable crime heard in Gloucester County Superior Court. It can involve using a deadly weapon, pointing a firearm or a laser device, serious bodily injury, assaulting a law enforcement officer, using a vehicle as a weapon, or assaulting someone at a school or community sporting event. Depending on the degree, this carries a penalty of 5 to 18 years in prison and fines from $10,000 to $150,000.
- Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Serious Injury
- Carjacking
- Assault by Auto
- Death by Auto
- Domestic Assault or Violation of a Restraining Order
- Stalking (N.J.S.A. 2C:12-10) – Repeated conduct causing another person emotional distress or unreasonable fear may result in a stalking charge. Depending on the degree, it is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine up of $15,000.
- Harassment (N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4) – This includes behavior through repetition, physical contact, or communication that seriously annoys or alarms another person. Punishable by a fine of $500 to $10,000, depending on degree, as well as prison time.
- Terroristic Threats (N.J.S.A. 2C:12-3) – This involves threatening a crime of violence under specific elements, such as causing a building’s evacuation and recklessly disregarding the risk of causing such terror or inconvenience. Punishable by three to five years in a prison and fines up to $15,000.
About Our Criminal Defense Firm in Gloucester County
The Gloucester County defense lawyers at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall believe in a vigorous defense for anyone who faces criminal charges. Because we’ve practiced law on both sides of the aisle, we can use our inside knowledge of the criminal justice system to help our Gloucester County clients accused of assault and threat crimes.
If you or a family member is accused of, suspected of, or has been charged with an assault or threat crime anywhere in Gloucester County, please call us in Woodbury today. You’re also welcome to visit our office at 38 Cooper St., Suite 204, Woodbury, NJ 08096, or contact us online. Our initial consultations are always free. We’re glad to answer any of your questions.
The attorneys at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall defend assault and threat crimes throughout Gloucester County, including in the Townships of Washington, Monroe, Deptford, West Deptford, Franklin, Mantua, Harrison, Woolwich, East Woolwich, Greenwich, Elk and South Harrison, and the municipalities of Woodbury, Pitman, Glassboro, Clayton, Paulsboro, Westville, Woodbury Heights, National Park, Swedesboro, Wenonah and Newfield New Jersey.
