It is through the Municipal Courts that most citizens in the State come into contact with the judicial system, either as a defendant, a victim, or a witness. Since most citizens will never appear before another court, it is from their experience in the Municipal Courts that most people base their conclusions about the quality of justice in New Jersey. The Municipal Courts in New Jersey are considered courts of limited jurisdiction, having responsibility for motor vehicle and parking tickets, minor criminal-type offenses (for example, simple assault and bad checks), municipal ordinance offenses (such as dog barking or building code violations) and other offenses, such as fish and game violations. A Municipal Court usually has jurisdiction only over cases that occur within the boundaries of its municipality. Many serious criminal cases, such as robbery, auto theft, or assault, start out as complaints filed in the Municipal Court but those cases are transferred to the Superior Court located at the county courthouse.
Assault
A simple assault charge can result from a very large number of actions such as injuring another person or even attempting to injure another person. As such, a simple assault charge can happen to anyone and the penalties that can result are quite …
Criminal Trespass
Trespassing in New Jersey is governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:18-3, which defines a trespass as unlawful entry onto a property. If a person enters the premises with the intent to commit an offense on the property, then he or she can be charged with criminal …
Disorderly Conduct
Although it is not one of the most severely punished crimes in New Jersey, disorderly conduct can result in serious penalties — penalties that can include jail time and fines. Disorderly conduct in New Jersey is a petty disorderly persons …
Drug Charges
A Municipal Court only has jurisdiction of disorderly persons drug offenses. If a drug charge involves any type of distribution, or if a defendant is busted with large quantities of CDS then the case is sent up to the County. Thereafter, the …
Theft
One of the more common – and serious – municipal court penalties is Theft. Most theft and shoplifting charges heard in municipal court are so-called “disorderly persons” offenses which involve the theft of property worth less than …
DWI
New Jersey prohibits the operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence or with a blood alcohol content (BAC) or .08% or greater. Also, a vehicle owner can get a DWI conviction for permitting an intoxicated person to operate the owner’s …
Motor Vehicle & Traffic Matters
The consequences of a New Jersey traffic ticket can be quite severe, including car insurance hikes, points, and expensive fines. Drivers who accrue 12 or more points can have their New Jersey driver’s license suspended. In some cases, a driver’s …