Former Prosecutors & Seasoned Criminal Lawyers for Obstructing Charges in Readington, Clinton Township, Raritan, East Amwell, Flemington & Elsewhere in Hunterdon County
Although obstructing the administration of law is far from the most common assault related offense in Hunterdon County, there are plenty filed every year. The busiest municipalities for these charges are Flemington, Readington, Clinton and Raritan Township. If you were arrested or served with a complaint for violating N.J.S.A. 2C:29-1 (“Obstructing administration of law or other governmental function”), consulting an experienced attorney is definitely in your best interest. The lawyers at our firm have exactly what you need.
We are the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall, a team of ten (10) accomplished attorneys with over 200 years in practice combined. Most of our litigators are former prosecutors who have handled many obstructing the administration of law cases, as well as companion charges like resisting arrest and possession of cds. There isn’t any doubt that a lawyer at our firm can help you escape the negative ramifications of a conviction. For a free initial consultation, contact our Flemington Office at (908) 824-0855.
Charged With Obstructing the Administration of Law in Hunterdon County New Jersey
Obstructing the administration of law or government function can result in either a disorderly persons offense or fourth degree crime under N.J.S.A. 2C:29-1. If the conduct involves obstruction of an investigation, arrest or detection of an indictable crime (i.e. first degree, second degree, third degree or fourth degree), then the violation results in a fourth degree crime. In all other cases, obstructing is a disorderly persons offense. An individual engages in obstruction if he/she:
purposely obstructs, impairs or perverts the administration of law or other governmental function or prevents or attempts to prevent a public servant from lawfully performing an official function by means of flight, intimidation, force, violence, or physical interference or obstacle, or by means of any independently unlawful act. This section does not apply to failure to perform a legal duty other than an official duty, or any other means of avoiding compliance with law without affirmative interference with governmental functions.
There are certain key points to keep in mind from the language of this law. First, the efforts to obstruct must be purposeful, meaning that the actor had a conscious object to prevent, impair or pervert an investigation, arrest or public function when he/she engaged in the violative conduct. The second key point is that no New Jersey obstruction offense occurs unless the accused engaged in flight, intimidation, force, violence, physical interference, obstacle; or any independently unlawful act in order to prevent or attempt to prevent the efforts of a police officer or other official to perform his/her lawful functions. You will note that verbal abuse is not conduct that suffices in triggering an obstructing the administration of law offense in Lebanon, Bethlehem, Union Township or another Hunterdon County municipality.
Penalties for Obstructing the Administration of Law
The penalties for obstructing depend on whether the charge results in a fourth degree crime or disorderly persons offense. The headings below outline the penalties that may be imposed in municipal court and the Hunterdon County Superior Court at the time of sentencing:
- A fine of up to $1,000 for a Disorderly Persons Offense and up to $10,000 for a Fourth Degree Crime
- Violent Crimes Compensation Assessment of $50
- Safe Neighborhood Fund Assessment of $75
- Court costs of $33
- County jail sentence of up to six months for a Disorderly Persons Offense and eighteen months for a Fourth Degree Crime
- A period of probation
- Loss of driving privileges
The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall has local offices in Flemington and Somerville to defend clients facing charges for obstructing the administration of law throughout Hunterdon County, including charged in Flemington, East Amwell, Clinton Township, Raritan, Readington, Tewksbury, Lebanon, Franklin Township, Bethlehem, Union Township, Lambertville, West Amwell, Hampton, Alexandria, Holland, High Bridge, Delaware Township, Glen Gardner, Frenchtown, Milford, Bloomsbury, Califon or Stockton.
Contact Our Flemington Obstructing The Administration of Law Attorneys For Immediate Help
All indictable obstruction charges of the fourth degree are heard at the county courthouse in Flemington. The municipal court in the town also hears a considerable amount of disorderly persons offense under 2C:29-1. The combination of these factors put the jurisdiction at the top of the annual totals for obstructing the administration of law. If you were charged and/or arrested for this offense in county seat, Holland, Franklin Township, Tewksbury, Alexandria, Lambertville or elsewhere, we have lawyers with the knowledge to help you. We are former prosecutors and veteran criminal defense attorneys that have decades of experience defending obstructing in local municipalities. You can call (908) 824-0855 to speak to an attorney in a free consultation.
