New Jersey Criminal Defense Lawyer

A criminal charge in New Jersey puts everything on the line: your freedom, your driver’s license, your job, your immigration status, and your record. Whether you were arrested for an indictable offense, charged with DWI, or handed a traffic summons, the decisions you make in the days after a charge can shape the outcome of your entire case. Our criminal defense attorney defends clients in Superior Courts and municipal courts throughout North Jersey, including Hudson, Essex, Passaic, Union, Bergen, and Morris Counties. We know the courthouses, the prosecutors, and the local procedures, and we put that experience to work for you from day one.

Understanding Criminal Charges in New Jersey

In New Jersey offenses fall into two main categories, and where your case is heard depends on which category your charge falls under.

Indictable offenses are New Jersey’s equivalent of felonies. They are graded by degree (first, second, third, and fourth) and they are prosecuted in the Superior Court of the county where the offense occurred. A first degree crime carries 10 to 20 years in state prison, a second degree crime carries 5 to 10 years, a third degree crime carries 3 to 5 years, and a fourth degree crime carries up to 18 months. Common indictable charges include aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, drug distribution, burglary, robbery, and theft offenses.

Disorderly persons offenses are less serious charges heard in the municipal court of the town where the incident occurred. A disorderly persons offense carries up to 6 months in county jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Even though these cases are heard in local courts, a conviction still creates a criminal record that can follow you for years. Common examples include simple assault, shoplifting, harassment, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

DWI/DUI and traffic violations are also heard in municipal court. While a DWI is technically a traffic offense in New Jersey rather than a crime, the consequences are severe: license suspension or ignition interlock, thousands of dollars in fines and surcharges, and possible jail time for repeat offenses.

Cases We Handle

Our practice is focused on criminal and quasi-criminal defense at every level of the New Jersey court system. We defend clients charged with indictable offenses in Superior Court, including weapons charges, drug possession and distribution, assault, theft, burglary, and robbery. We represent drivers charged with DWI/DUI, refusal to submit to a breath test, and driving while suspended. We also fight traffic tickets of every kind, including speeding, reckless driving, careless driving, leaving the scene, and driving without insurance, to keep points off your license and protect you from insurance surcharges and suspension.

Why the Court Your Case Is Heard In Matters

Every municipal court in New Jersey has its own judge, its own prosecutor, and its own way of doing things. The plea policies, the calendar, even how the court handles discovery requests can differ from one town to the next. The same is true at the county level. The Superior Court in Hackensack does not run like the Superior Court in Newark. An attorney who regularly appears in the courtroom where your case will be heard knows what arguments work, what outcomes are realistic, and how to position your case for the best result. That local knowledge is the foundation of our practice.

What a Criminal Defense Attorney Does for You

From your first appearance through resolution, we handle every stage of your case. We review the evidence against you, including police reports, body camera and dashcam footage, breath test records, and lab results, and we look for the weaknesses: an unlawful stop, an improper search, a botched 20-minute observation period before an Alcotest, a chain-of-custody problem. We file the motions that can get evidence suppressed or charges dismissed. Where the evidence is strong, we negotiate. That means pursuing downgrades from indictable charges to disorderly persons offenses, amendments to no-point violations, or admission into diversionary programs like Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI) or conditional discharge that can keep your record clean. And when a trial is the right move, we try the case.

Courts We Serve

We defend clients in Superior Courts and municipal courts throughout North Jersey:

In Hudson County, we appear at the Superior Court in Jersey City and municipal courts including Hoboken, Jersey City, North Bergen, Union City, and Bayonne. In Essex County, we appear at the Veterans Courthouse in Newark and municipal courts including Newark, Montclair, Bloomfield, and West Orange. In Passaic County, we appear at the Superior Court in Paterson and municipal courts including Clifton, Wayne, and Paterson. In Union County, we appear at the Superior Court in Elizabeth and municipal courts including Elizabeth, Linden, Westfield, and Plainfield. In Bergen County, we appear at the Justice Center in Hackensack and municipal courts including Hackensack, Paramus, Fort Lee, and Teaneck. In Morris County, we appear at the courthouse in Morristown and municipal courts including Parsippany-Troy Hills, Morristown, and Mount Olive.

Charged With a Crime? Don’t Wait.

The prosecution starts building its case the moment you are charged. You should too. Early intervention by a defense attorney can mean the difference between an indictment and a downgrade, between a conviction and a dismissal, between losing your license and keeping it. Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation. We’ll review your charges, explain exactly what you’re facing, and tell you how we can help.