Piscataway Criminal Defense Attorney
Piscataway NJ Criminal Defense Attorney
The attorneys at William Proetta Criminal Law represent people who have been charged with crimes and serious motor vehicle violations in Middlesex County, New Jersey. The firm’s founder, William A. Proetta has reputation for helping thousands of clients fight their daunting legal battles. If you have been charged with a criminal matter such as Disorderly Conduct, Simple Assault, Shoplifting, or Unlawful Possession of a Weapon in Piscataway then it is in your best interest to hire an experienced Middlesex County criminal defense firm who cares about client results and has demonstrated a record of success. Our attorneys will take the time learn the aspects of your case inside and out and construct an aggressive defense of your charges. If you would like to speak with a Piscataway criminal defense lawyer and build a case strategy customized to the particular facts of your case, then contact our Edison office today at (732) 659-9600.
Summonses to Appear in Piscataway Municipal Court
If you have been ticketed for speeding, setting off fireworks where prohibited, or public intoxication in one of New Jersey’s towns, boroughs, cities, townships, or villages, you are probably going to become familiar with your local municipal court. While indictable criminal charges are filed and tried in superior court, lesser offenses go to municipal court. Ordinances particular to each municipality in New Jersey govern life within the city, town, borough, or village limits. So, setting off fireworks in your yard in a township that outlaws fireworks is an ordinance violation. Disorderly conduct like public drunkenness is a disorderly persons offense, which is also a municipal court matter, as are traffic or motor law violations.
Most traffic violations and lesser ordinance violations resolve by paying fines. Your ticket informs you of your initial court date, the time before which you pay your fine, or if you must appear, the hearing to plead guilty or not guilty. Some ordinance violations and disorderly persons offenses require that you show up to court and speak to the judge. These are typically more serious charges with possible jail time consequences. If you plead guilty to the charges, the judge sentences you with fines or jail time, thirty days for some petty disorderly persons offenses or municipal ordinances, to six months for a disorderly persons offense.
Piscataway Municipal Court Information
The summons that has been issued to you indicates a court date that has already been set. Any questions or concerns regarding your case or the date should be immediately addressed to the Piscataway Township Municipal Court as soon as possible and days in advance of your hearing. The Piscataway Municipal Court is located at 555 Sydney Road in Piscataway NJ, 08854 and can be reached by telephone at (732) 562-7644. Judge Dennis M. Fackelman and Judge James Hoebich preside over the Piscataway Municipal Court. Court sessions are held on Tuesday beginning at 6:00 p.m. and Thursday beginning at 9:00 a.m. Additional sessions are held on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 9:00 a.m. The court administrator is Claudia Santos and the fax number is 732.562.2386. Ms. Santos prefers that all questions and concerns regarding court appearances are first directed at the website as there is a uniquely high volume of traffic in the court. Please visit the Piscataway Municipal Court Official Website if you would like to learn more information.
Options for Municipal & Misdemeanor Charges in Piscataway NJ
In Piscataway Municipal Court, if you deny guilt, the judge sets the next court date, and you must appear and defend yourself against the charges. In addition, you can tell the judge what you want the judge to consider for a lesser sentence for the charges, such as mitigating or extraordinary circumstances that brought about the violation. You may ask to pay your fine in installments or reduce the fine due to hardship. Before trial, you might negotiate with the prosecutor for a shorter sentence or apply for diversion to rehabilitative programs, conditional dismissal (for disorderly persons offenses other than for drug charges), or discharge (for drug disorderly persons offenses). These options allow you to avoid conviction and have your charges dismissed when completed. You would have to spend a year checking in with an officer or administrator of the program, taking drug tests, and staying out of trouble.
On the other hand, if you go to trial, be prepared to present evidence to exonerate yourself, challenge the charges against you, and show facts that may cause the judge to choose the lowest in a range of sentence possibilities. You might have been drinking with friends at a bar and mugged when you walked to your car to call for a ride home. Without a phone and wallet, you might have arrested for yelling and being drunk in public. A judge might take your victimization into account to lessen the sentence or drop the charges. While judges decide municipal court cases, juries decide guilt or innocence superior court cases.
Rutgers University Criminal, DUI, and DWI Charges
Piscataway’s Municipal Court is among the busiest in the state of New Jersey. As such, the court docket sees a lot of criminal and traffic activity primarily due to its significant population, the existence of major commercial roadways, and as the home of thousands of Rutgers University students. If you have been arrested for any criminal violation, misdemeanor or serious traffic ticket on any Rutgers University Campus, do not hesitate to contact our attorneys. Criminal offense and severe traffic violations on any Rutgers University campus including Burglary, Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana, Driving While Intoxicated, Possession of Prescription Drugs, and others carry with them severe penalties. These include step fines, diminished career opportunities, and loss of scholarship and other educational benefits. Our attorneys understand the importance of a solid education uninterrupted by a criminal record and will fight to preserve your rights, reputation, and academic standing. If you made a mistake and are facing criminal charges in Piscataway, do not hesitate to call our office conveniently located in Edison at (732) 659-9600.
What Happens when You are Facing a Felony Charge in Piscataway, New Jersey
Like municipal court cases, Superior court cases begin with the criminal charges, either with an arrest and continued detention or release with a mandate to appear in court. This process includes the first hearing when the judge decides what happens to you before trial, whether you are free to return to court for future hearings or stay in jail until your trial. You can also plead guilty at the hearing and wait for sentencing at a separate hearing. However, most defendants plead not guilty and have an attorney represent them to negotiate with the prosecutor and defend their interests. Additionally, a defendant held in jail before trial may have a pretrial detention hearing to determine whether they are too risky to release, based on specific criteria, for example, employment, seriousness of the crime, ties to the community, and the like. Having a skilled lawyer arguing for your release is crucial when you want to avoid continued detention while your case is ongoing. If released, you must appear at future pretrial hearings, including the pre-indictment conference.
Having representation is wise since much more rides on the outcome of a guilty or no contest plea. If convicted for an indictable crime, the least amount of prison time you face is 18 months. Some crimes come with twenty-year prison sentences with a presumption that you should be imprisoned upon a finding of guilt.
If you plead not guilty, the time between entering your plea at the arraignment and the trial can be a productive time for you and your attorney. With significant sentences for indictable crimes, you want to get an attorney who can talk to the prosecutor early on to get information from the prosecutor regarding the charges. They present any facts favorable to you to the prosecutor to get the prosecutor to drop some of the charges supported by weak evidence or to negotiate a plea bargain for a better sentence than you would get if you went to trial and lost. Fortunately, you have opportunities to continue negotiating with the prosecutor at court-scheduled hearings before trial, such as the pre-indictment conference and pretrial proceedings. Pretrial hearings are opportunities to iron out legal matters, such as discovery exchange and motions to suppress evidence. A prosecutor is required to turn over what evidence they have against the defendant. This often paves the way for your attorney to find the best ways to challenge the case against you.
Defense Lawyers in Piscataway
Once you have been charged with a serious motor vehicle violation or criminal charge, it is vital that your next step is to select a good lawyer. William A. Proetta and his team are experienced defense attorneys who exclusively handle criminal, DWI and other traffic matters. Our law firm will diligently analyze the legal and procedural issues of your case and use our knowledge and familiarity of the judicial process to work out the most favorable outcome for you. If a compromise cannot be reached with the prosecution, then we will aggressively litigate on your behalf.
These and other decisions along the way in the Piscataway Municipal Court or Middlesex County Superior Court are complicated and nuanced, which is why you may need skilled legal help. In fact, your attorney’s recommendations and counsel are usually your strongest ally in the fight for your liberty. We represent charges in Piscataway such as DUI, Criminal Mischief, Harassment, Driving While Suspended, Driving with No Insurance, and Leaving the Scene of an Accident. For additional information on how we can help you, feel free to contact our Edison office for a free consultation at (732) 659-9600.