The largest number of charges heard in Woodbridge Municipal Court after traffic violations are referred to as disorderly persons offenses. These are misdemeanor criminal violations falling within the jurisdiction of the municipal court. A wide range of offenses fall within this heading and our attorneys have been defending these charges for over 100 years combined. Our Woodbridge firm represents one of the largest criminal defense teams in the state and includes multiple former prosecutors. Call us at 732-634-0700 for a free consultation fighting any of the following disorderly persons offenses:
- Possession of 50 grams or less of marijuana
- Simple Assault
- Resisting Arrest
- Disorderly Conduct
- Harassment
- Obstruction of the Administration of Justice
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- Possession or Consumption of Alcohol Underage
- Shoplifting
- Criminal Mischief
- Lewdness
The penalties that you can face if you are convicted of any of these offenses can be severe even though these are not felony charges. For a first offense, you are subject to a jail term of up to six months and a slew of financial assessments including a potential fine of $1,000, $33 in court costs, $50 to the VCCB, and $75 to the SNSF. If you charge is drug related and falls under Title 35 or 36 (i.e. possession of any form of CDS or drug paraphernalia), you are subject to a mandatory driver’s license suspension of 6 months. The revocation period is enhanced to two years if the violation occurred in an motor vehicle contrary to N.J.S.A. 39:4-49.1.
There are numerous strategies that our Woodbridge attorneys employ to avoid a criminal record and penalties for our clients. One of the avenues of relief are diversion programs like Conditional Discharge and Conditional Dismissal. Both allow a defendant to avoid a criminal conviction if they are admitted into and successfully complete 6-12 months in the program. A fundamental requirement to admission is that the accused have no prior record nor participation in a diversionary program. The lawyers at our firm are adept in obtaining admission into Conditional Discharge and Conditional Dismissal and are ready to insure that you gain the benefit of these programs.
Woodbridge Municipal Court Criminal Attorney
Absent your successfully defending a disorderly persons offense, you will have a criminal record for at least five years until the conviction can be expunged. This means that every employer and licensing agency (e.g. nursing board, NASD, CPA, etc.) will know that you were convicted of shoplifting or other disorderly persons offense. This can prevent you from gaining employment or a professional license. Convictions of this nature can also prevent you from renewing your visa or green card, or from gaining citizenship. There is even the possibility of deportation or non-entry back into the country. The sad thing for those faced with ramifications like these is that our attorneys probably could have avoided the issue altogether. The reason is because our lawyers are able to help our clients escape a conviction for offenses like these in an extremely high percentage of cases. So do not let yourself get backed into a corner needlessly. Call us today for assistance.
