Franklin Township Municipal Court

Traffic Tickets

The highest volume of charges filed in Franklin Township involve traffic tickets. There are a huge range of offenses issued along the 177.39 miles of roadway in the town. Whether your summons was issued by the Franklin Township Police on U.S. Route 40, NJ Route 47, Marshall Mill Road, Coles Mills Road or another artery, it is important that you take advantage of a free consultation with an attorney who is knowledgeable in the defense of traffic and motor vehicle charges.

It is certainly best to know the consequences of a plea before simply paying a ticket or attempting to deal with an offense without a lawyer. Our attorneys are ready to discuss any traffic case you may have in Franklin Township Municipal Court, including:

• Driving While Suspended
• Speeding
• DWI
• Leaving the Scene of an Accident
• Possession of CDS in a Motor Vehicle
• Reckless Driving
• Driving Without Insurance
• Careless Driving
• Improper Passing

Don’t make the common mistake of taking a summons too lightly only to find your license in jeopardy of suspension when the snowball effect has grown out of control.

A lawyer who is highly experienced can ensure that consequences like surcharges, mandatory driver’s license suspensions and fines are avoided. Contact our Gloucester County Office to speak to one of our Franklin Township criminal attorneys now rather than taking needless risk.

DWI

Driving while intoxicated (“DWI”) and driving under the influence (“DUI”) are some of the most serious charges that someone can face in Franklin Township Municipal Court. Whether the source of impairment is alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, prescription drugs or some other controlled dangerous substance, a N.J.S.A. 39:4-50 conviction carries severe penalties that include:

• First Offense. There is a license suspension of 3-12 months, installation of an ignition interlock (mandatory if BAC is .15% or more), 12 hours in the IDRC, $1,000 annual surcharge for 3 years and thousands of dollars in fines, assessments and escalating insurance rate for a first DWI offense.
• Second Offense. If you are convicted of a Franklin Township DWI and it is your second offense, you are subject to a 2 year license suspension, 48 hours in the IDRC, mandatory installation of an ignition interlock, 2-90 days in the Gloucester County jail, and similar fines, assessments and other monetary consequences as a first offense.
• Third Offense. A conviction for a third offense DWI or DUI in Franklin Township results in 10 years revocation of your license, 180 days in the county jail, a $1,500 a year surcharge for 3 years, ignition interlock and other significant financial ramifications.

The risks of attempting to handle a drunk driving case without an attorney or one that specializes in this area of law is only further complicated by the fact that there is a strict bar against plea bargaining in DWI cases.

If you were charged with DUI in Franklin Township it is clearly in your best interests to contact our firm. We not only possess a team of attorneys with decades of experience securing dismissals and downgrades but also members whose practice is limited solely to the defense of those arrested for DWI or driving under the influence of drugs.

Contact our office for immediate assistance from an accomplished Franklin Township DWI defense lawyer.

Domestic Violence

If your present or former spouse, girlfriend, family member or someone you lived with has accused you of a criminal offense in Franklin Township, your conduct may be considered domestic violence. The following charges are considered “domestic violence” in New Jersey when committed against a victim who qualifies under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act:

• Harassment
• Simple Assault
• Stalking
• Aggravated Assault
• Terroristic Threat
• Burglary
• Criminal Sexual Contact
• Sexual Assault
• Lewdness
• Robbery

An individual who is the alleged victim of domestic violence is eligible for a temporary restraining order. It is frequently the case that a criminal charge is also issued by the police.

You probably have two separate cases if you were arrested for domestic violence in Franklin – a final restraining order hearing at the Gloucester County Superior Court and a criminal cases in either Franklin Township Municipal Court (i.e. if the charge is a disorderly persons offense) or at the Criminal Division at the county courthouse (i.e. if the offense is an indictable crime of the first, second, third or fourth degree).

The ripple effects of an arrest or charges involving domestic violence can be dramatic. You may be forever barred from returning to your residence, communicating with the accuser and left with a criminal record for domestic assault, harassment or some other offense.

Selecting the best attorney you can find to defend you against these types of allegations is extremely important. Lawyers with the tools to mount a strong defense like those at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall can prove invaluable in a Franklin Township domestic violence case. It is therefore certainly in your interest to speak to a lawyer at our firm about how we can help you.

Disorderly Persons Offenses

Statistics published by the Administrative Office of the Court shows that 1,475 cases were filed in Franklin Township Municipal Court for disorderly persons offenses. These are charges that are misdemeanor in nature and fall within the limited jurisdiction of municipal court. Common violations falling within this grade of criminal offense include:

• Disorderly Conduct
• Simple Assault
• Obstructing the Administration of Law
• Drug Paraphernalia
• Resisting Arrest
• Criminal Mischief
• Shoplifting
• Bad Checks
• Trespass
• Harassment
• Possession of 50 grams or less of marijuana

Although disorderly persons charges are not felonies, a conviction results in a criminal record and penalties that are significant. You can be fined up to $1,000, incarcerated at the Gloucester County Correctional Facility for up to 6 months, placed on probation, ordered to undergo counseling and/or have your license suspended.

The lawyers at our Gloucester County criminal defense firm have extensive experience defending all varieties of disorderly persons offense. In fact, they have handled thousands of these matters as both defense attorneys and prosecutors over the last several decades. To speak to a talented Franklin Township disorderly persons offense lawyer, contact our office anytime 24/7.

Assault

A large number of both indictable and disorderly persons offenses processed annually in Franklin Township fall under the heading of assault. An assault charge can come in the form of simple assault, aggravated assault or assault by auto. If you were charged with a Franklin Township assault offense, a conviction exposes you to penalties that will negatively impact your life, including:

• Simple Assault. Although simple assault is a disorderly persons offense that falls under the jurisdiction of Franklin Township Joint Municipal Court, a conviction can land you in the county jail for up to 6 months and well over a thousand dollars in financial consequences.
• Aggravated Assault. The ramification for aggravated assault depend on whether the offense was charged as a crime of the second degree, third degree or fourth degree. Irrespective, this violation is a felony that must be heard at the Gloucester County Superior Court in Woodbury. A second degree aggravated assault carries 5-10 years in prison and a $150,000 fine. Third degree aggravated assault results in up to 5 years in prison and a maximum fine of $15,000. The period of imprisonment is up to 18 months and the fine is $10,000 for fourth degree aggravated assault.
• Assault by Auto. This form of assault is also a felony that cannot be heard locally in Franklin Township. The penalties are largely the same as those for a Franklin Township aggravated assault charge.

If you were arrested for aggravated assault in Franklin Township, it is highly advisable that you retain a lawyer to defend your offense. This is particularly true if the charge involves domestic violence or allegations of aggravated assault. The lawyers at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall are available to discuss how we can assist you in this capacity.

Theft Charges

There are few categories of criminal offense that span such a wide range of consequences as those involving some form of theft. Robbery is certainly at the extreme with a shoplifting charge for stealing less than $200 in merchandise probably being at the other end.

Irrespective of the variety of theft charge you are facing in Franklin Township, you do not want a record for an offense involving dishonesty and that is precisely what a conviction for theft will leave you with. It is therefore important to enlist an attorney if you have been charged in Franklin Township with:

• Shoplifting
• Receiving Stolen Property
• Theft by Deception
• Burglary
• Robbery
• Credit Card Theft & Fraud
• Theft of Movable Property
• Bad Checks
• Identity Theft

The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall features a team of former prosecutors and highly accomplished lawyers who know how to help someone avoid a criminal record for theft. To speak to an attorney about your case, call us at your earliest convenience.

Indictable Crimes of the First Degree, Second Degree, Third Degree or Fourth Degree

Franklin Township felony charges are referred to as indictable crimes. The municipal court lacks jurisdiction to decide a case falling within this heading. The offense must be referred to the Gloucester County Superior Court because it is indictable in nature. You will know that you have been charged with this grade of offense because it bear the description of being a first degree, second degree, third degree or fourth degree crime. There are many crimes falling within these degrees, including:

• Aggravated Assault
• Burglary
• Eluding
• Theft by Deception
• Sex Assault
• Criminal Sexual Contact
• Robbery
• Endangering the Welfare of a Child
• Possession of a Handgun or other Weapon
• Criminal Contempt (e.g. Violation of a Restraining Order)
• Drug Distribution
• Possession of Heroin, Cocaine, LSD, MDMA and other scheduled CDS

A conviction for any of these or other indictable charges carry the potential for a state prison term and thousands in fines. Hiring the very best lawyer you can find is an excellent strategy for anyone facing a charge as serious as a crime of the first, second, third or fourth degree.  Call our Woodbury Office a block from the Gloucester County Courthouse to schedule a free consultation with one of the lawyers on our staff.

Directions to Franklin Township Municipal Court

From NJ Turnpike: Take exit 3 and merge onto NJ Route 168 North/N. Black Horse Pike toward Philadelphia/Camden; Turn left onto West Browning Road and continue straight onto Creek Road; Turn left onto Harding Avenue; You will turn left again onto Leaf Avenue; Follow NJ Route 55 South until exit 43 – Little Mill Road (Franklinville/Clayton); You will take a sharp onto Little Mill Road; Turn right onto NJ Route 47 South; the destination is on your right.

From Atlantic City Expressway: Take exit 33 toward Winslow/Blue Anchor; Turn right onto West Fleming Pike; Continue onto Winslow Road; Turn left onto East Malaga Road; Turn right onto Coles Mill Road; Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue; Turn left onto NJ Route 47 South; destination is to your right.