While the municipal court is the lowest-level court in Camden County, it can still impact your life if you have a case there. Our lawyers can help defend your case so your municipal court experience is as short as possible.
The municipal court in Camden County typically hears low-grade offenses with less significant penalties, like disorderly person offenses. But serious cases are also decided there, like DWI. Regardless of your charges, our lawyers can defend your case. We can work with the state prosecutor to see if we can get the charges reduced or dropped. Since the cases in municipal court tend to not be as serious, we stand a decent chance of convincing the prosecution that it is a waste of the state’s time and resources to try your case.
To have your case reviewed by our municipal court lawyers free of charge, contact the Lombardo Law Group, LLC by calling (609) 418-4537.
What Our Camden County, NJ Attorneys Do in Municipal Court
In Camden County, municipal courts handle various levels of crimes. Our lawyers for a case in municipal court can provide legal assistance in different ways such as challenging traffic tickets, fighting DWIs, and defending you at trial. If you received a summons to appear in court, do not take it lightly. The consequences for even low-level crimes can follow you for years. Fortunately, we can represent you at every stage of the municipal court process.
Fighting Charges in Court
For instance, traffic tickets typically lead to suspension of your driving license, and serious driving violations like reckless driving, DWI, and breath test refusals are still considered traffic offenses. Our lawyers commonly represent clients in these cases and can help you defend against these charges.
Similarly, misdemeanors like “disorderly person offenses,” cover a broad range of cases and can result in up to six months of jail time. If you need to challenge allegations for crimes like theft, DWI, assault, or other misdemeanor charges, our attorneys can represent you in your trial.
Appealing the Court’s Decision
If you happen to lose your case in municipal court, it does not necessarily mean that your case has come to an end. Most defendants in municipal court can request a trial de novo in a different court, which is usually a level above the municipal court. Our team will inform the municipal court judge about this appeal and request that necessary documents, like the trial transcript, be sent to the new court hearing your appeal.
Filing Expungements
One area of cases that have seen a sharp increase in municipal court is for expungements. This is an important legal process that our lawyers can use to wipe a particular crime off your record. Expungement has become common in old marijuana convictions as the attitudes in the state have changed. Our team can see if your prior conviction qualifies for expungement. We will gather the necessary evidence to show that you have moved on from the person who was convicted of the original offense.
Conducting Bail Hearings and Arrangements
If your arraignment takes place at the municipal court, and you enter a plea of not guilty, the court will usually set your initial bail at that time. Our team can be at your side during your bail hearing, where we argue important facts that show you are not a danger and should be released.
If we can get you released on your own recognizance (ROR), you will not need to pay bail. This means you will be free to go on with your life while the trial approaches. In some cases, judges can add their own challenges. Even if it is not warranted, some judges will still require bail. If so, we can argue for a lower bail amount or for the judge to reconsider their decision.
Challenging Bench Warrants
Our lawyers can also assist you in contesting a bench warrant issued by the municipal court. Most bench warrants are issued for failing to make a court appearance, like a summons for a disorderly persons offense or unpaid tickets. If your case is called and you do not answer, the judge will order the warrant. Our lawyers can work with the court to arrange a new hearing where we can argue the circumstances surrounding your last absence and address other issues in the case, which can help you avoid arrest.
Potential Penalties in Camden County, NJ Municipal Court Cases
It is rare for the municipal court to hear serious and violent criminal cases. The majority of criminal charges are for disorderly persons offenses, petty disorderly persons offenses, and other low-level offenses that might not even be classified as a criminal offense. Because of this, the punishments given in municipal court are generally lower than what most people might think. Nonetheless, even minor criminal charges can result in harmful consequences.
As per N.J.S.A. § 2C:43-8, a disorderly person offense can land you in jail for up to six months. Petty disorderly person offenses, which are less serious, can still result in a 30-day jail sentence. The good news is that most convictions for these crimes do not include imprisonment. They are usually resolved by simply paying fines.
However, you might be facing multiple charges in municipal court. If so, you could receive a more severe punishment. For instance, if someone is charged with several separate disorderly persons offenses, they could be sentenced to up to two years in jail. If this sounds like your situation, our team can argue your case to challenge the charges and potentially get a lighter sentence.
In fact, plea deals are a common way to resolve municipal court cases in Camden County. The process of negotiating a plea deal in the municipal court is similar to that of other state courts, like the Superior Court. Our attorneys can negotiate with the prosecutor in your case to reach a mutually acceptable agreement. As municipal court cases generally involve minor charges, there is a good chance that we can secure a deal that includes no jail time or, at the very least, minimal jail time. Our lawyers have years of experience fighting for the best possible plea deal for our clients.
Basic Information About the Municipal Court in Camden County, NJ
The municipal court system is arguably one of the most hectic in the state. Having a little information about the court can help alleviate some of the stress you might be facing if you have a case there.
The Camden County Municipal Court is located at City Hall, 520 Market Street, Camden, NJ 08102. The court’s regular office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. If you need to speak to the court, it can be reached at (856) 757-7000.
Also, some cases might start in the Camden County municipal court but are not ultimately decided there. For example, homicide and aggravated sexual assault cases that begin in this court will almost always be transferred to the Superior Court for trial. Our lawyers can help no matter what stage your case is in or which court it is currently at.
Our Camden County, NJ Attorneys for a Case in Municipal Court Can Help Defend Your Charges
Call the Lombardo Law Group, LLC at (609) 418-4537 to receive your free case evaluation with our attorneys for a case in municipal court.
