Author: William Proetta Criminal Law
The New Jersey legal system handles juvenile cases differently from how it handles adult criminal cases. Even the terminology applicable in each court system is different. Adults are convicted of crimes, while juveniles are “adjudicated delinquent.” Adults are arrested, whereas juveniles are “taken into custody.” If your child has a pending matter in New Jersey’s […]
As most New Jersey residents are aware, the state has set a general blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit—applicable to adult, non-commercial drivers—of .08 for driving after drinking alcohol. This applies to anyone found driving drunk, including first offenses, and those with two, three, or more offenses. Drivers under the legal drinking age of 21 can face a […]
Have to go to Central Judicial Processing, What is It? Central Judicial Processing (CJP court) occurs when anyone in the State of New Jersey has been charged with an indictable offense. CJP court is your first appearance in court after you have been charged with an offense that is essentially the equivalent of a felony in […]
An “arrest” occurs when anyone in the state of New Jersey has been charged with a criminal offense. Your case begins with the arrest and will continue through one or more appearances in court at a later date. Under New Jersey law, there are certain steps that the police, prosecutors, and courts take when processing […]
New Jersey recently revised the DUI sentencing laws to implement different penalties for first time DWI offenders. Specifically, New Jersey Legislature bill S824 entitled “Revises penalties for drunk driving and ignition interlock device violations,” was signed into law on August 23, 2019. These significant changes make it possible for first time DWI offenders to have […]
Cases heard in municipal court are either motor vehicle tickets (including DWI offenses), disorderly persons or petty disorderly persons offenses in New Jersey. Aside from traffic violations, the offenses in municipal court are often referred to as “quasi-criminal,” as the penal consequences are less serious than indictable/felony crimes. Nonetheless, those with charges in municipal court are still entitled to […]
How a DWI Conviction Impacts Car Insurance Rates in NJ Almost everyone knows that DWI charges can be costly in New Jersey. A DUI conviction often results in thousands of dollars in fines, fees, penalties, and assessments. You may have to pay to install an ignition interlock device in your car. Jail time and driver’s license suspensions can result […]
Why Was I charged with Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) and CDS in a Motor Vehicle? Isn’t It the Same Thing in NJ? New Jersey law prohibits possessing controlled dangerous substances like marijuana, heroin, MDMA, cocaine, and prescription drugs for which you do not have a valid prescription. In fact, most people know that if police catch […]
New Jersey imposes harsher and harsher DWI penalties the more DWI convictions you accumulate. Essentially, a second DUI offense is treated much more harshly than a first offense, and so on. But what if you were convicted of a DWI out of state and you are charged with a second, third or subsequent DUI in NJ? Will New Jersey […]
Violation of Probation in NJ If you have been placed on probation for a crime in New Jersey, there are things you need to know. Probation can seem like a gift in lieu of jail, but there are serious consequences should you violate your probation. In this article, we discuss what comes with probation, violations […]