From Lustberg Law Offices, LLC - Bergen County Disorderly Persons Offense Lawyer breaks down how New Jersey handles disorderly persons and petty disorderly persons offenses, from common charges like simple assault, shoplifting under $200, disorderly conduct, and harassment to the penalties, court process, and expungement options that follow a conviction. Listeners will learn how these petty offenses, governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:1-4, differ from indictable crimes heard in Superior Court, since disorderly persons matters instead proceed before a judge in local municipal courts such as those serving Hackensack and other Bergen County towns.
The discussion explains how a disorderly persons conviction can carry up to six months in county jail and a $1,000 fine, while a petty disorderly persons offense caps exposure at 30 days and a $500 fine, along with mandatory assessments tied to programs like the Safe Neighborhood Services Fund and the Victims of Crime Compensation Board. It also covers how charges such as simple assault under N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1, shoplifting under N.J.S.A. 2C:20-11, and harassment under N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4 are handled, along with how weapons-related charges under N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5 and N.J.S.A. 2C:39-10 are typically graded as indictable crimes rather than municipal-level offenses.
The episode also walks through what happens after an arrest, including how a first appearance date is scheduled, how convictions can appear on background checks, and how New Jersey residents may eventually pursue expungement under N.J.S.A. 2C:52-3 after a five-year waiting period. It highlights common mistakes people make after being charged, such as missing court dates, speaking to police without counsel, or pleading guilty at a first appearance before evidence like police reports or surveillance footage has been reviewed.
Adam M. Lustberg of Lustberg Law Offices, LLC has represented clients in municipal courts throughout northern New Jersey since 2004 and holds a 10 out of 10 rating on Avvo, drawing on his background handling matters from municipal arraignments to Superior Court trials. Lustberg Law Offices, LLC serves clients throughout Bergen County municipalities, including Hackensack, Paramus, Fort Lee, Teaneck, Ridgewood, Englewood, Fair Lawn, Bergenfield, Garfield, Mahwah, Lyndhurst, and Cliffside Park, and can be reached at (201) 880-5311 to discuss a disorderly persons summons before a first court appearance.
Lustberg Law Offices, LLC
1 University Plaza Dr #212, Hackensack, NJ 07601
(201) 880-5311
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