Our Talented Criminal Attorneys Are Ready To Defend Your Disorderly Conduct Charge In North Bergen New Jersey
Disorderly conduct is a common misdemeanor offense in municipal courts like the one in North Bergen. Public intoxication, the use of course and abusive language, and fighting are only a few of the behaviors that police may use as the basis for charging you with this violation. If you have been charged with disorderly conduct and do not want to be left with a record, you need an experienced North Bergen criminal attorney to ensure that you obtain a dismissal or downgrade of the charge to a municipal ordinance.
We are the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall, a hard-hitting defense firm with impressive qualifications to defend your case. The attorneys at our firm provide:
- Over 200 years of combined experience appearing in North Bergen Municipal Court
- A team of 10 lawyers that handle exclusively criminal charges like disorderly conduct
- Former county and municipal prosecutors
- Certified criminal trial attorneys
- Decades of success representing clients arrested for disorderly persons offenses
Call our Jersey City Office at (201) 309-0500 to speak to an attorney about your disorderly conduct charge in North Bergen. Lawyers are available for free consultations 24/7.
North Bergen Disorderly Conduct Offense
A North Bergen disorderly conduct offense may involve either language or physical conduct. Offensively course or abusive language used in a public place to offend the sensibilities of other people who hear it is what N.J.S.A. 2C:33-2(b) defines as disorderly conduct. Shouting and cursing at a fan of the opposing team at a sporting event or yelling at opposing protestors during a demonstration at North Bergen town hall are examples of what police may interpret disorderly conduct.
The definition of a public place for purposes a disorderly conduct offense is extremely broad. The law includes parks, neighborhoods, train and bus stations, and streets as public places where language in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:33-2 (b) could result in a disorderly conduct offense.
Physical activities may lead to a disorderly conduct charge. N.J.S.A. 2C:33-2 (a) defines disorderly conduct as engaging the following activities:
- Fighting
- Violent or tumultuous behavior
- Creation of a condition that is hazardous or dangerous and serves no lawful or legitimate purpose
- Threatening behavior
Arguing with another person before getting into your car and driving dangerously close to them could result in being charged with disorderly conduct.
Penalties for Disorderly Conduct in North Bergen NJ
We use an aggressive defense on behalf of someone charged with disorderly conduct because the penalties may include confinement to the Hudson County Correctional Center for as long as 30 days and a fine of as much as $500. A judge may also order that you complete community service and pay court costs. Your license to drive may be suspended as part of the sentence imposed by the court.
Each case is different, so we carefully review the facts to identify possible defenses to the disorderly conduct charge. For example, some forms of language or conduct, such as a public protest, may be protected under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Our primary focus is to achieve a dismissal of the charge, but attacking the prosecution case to weaken it may lead to an offer of a plea to a municipal ordinance violation, which is not a criminal offense, in order to avoid the penalties and stigma of a criminal conviction.
North Bergen Disorderly Conduct Defense Lawyer
The lawyers at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall are formidable adversaries willing to aggressively fight for you when your liberty is at risk. Call us now at (201) 309-0500. One of our experienced defense attorneys is available 24 hours a day and 365 days a year to speak with you during a free initial consultation.
