Burlington Township NJ Criminal Defense Attorney
If you or a loved one has been arrested in Burlington Township, New Jersey, for a disorderly persons offense such as shoplifting or a motor vehicle violation such as driving with a suspended license, it is crucial to speak with an experienced criminal defense lawyer about your charges. Many people are surprised to find out how severe the penalties can be for a misdemeanor criminal offense or even a traffic offense in New Jersey. For example, charges for illegally possessing a few prescription pills can leave you with a criminal record, a $1,000 fine, and 2-year suspension of your driving privileges if you have also been issued a citation for possession of CDS in a motor vehicle. Similarly, DWI charges can land you in jail, loaded with court costs and fees, and unable to drive for months or even years. It is for these reasons that you must aggressively defend your innocence. The highly skilled criminal defense attorneys at our criminal defense law firm can help you do just that. William Fay, one of our partners, is a former Deputy Attorney General who uses his experience investigating and prosecuting cases for the NJ Attorney General Office to devise the best possible defenses for our clients. Our legal team applies this level of excellence to each and every client we defend in and out of the courtroom. For a free consultation with an experienced Burlington Township criminal defense lawyer, call 609-832-3202 or contact us online today. You can also schedule an appointment to meet with us at our local office.
Burlington Township Municipal Court Information
What happens when you are arrested and charged with a crime in Burlington Township, New Jersey? The immediate answer is that you will have to appear in court to address the charges, and that court appearance could be in either the local municipal court or the county superior court. The grading and degree of your charges will ultimately determine which court handles your case, as well as the possible penalties you may face. The Burlington Township Municipal Court is a local court authorized to handle certain types of cases that occur within the township. Since 2013, The Court also hears cases that arise out of Burlington City. Due to the size and breadth of its jurisdiction, Burlington Municipal Court is among the busiest in Burlington County. Specifically, the court hears cases involving traffic violations, disorderly persons offenses, petty disorderly persons offenses, citizen complaints, and municipal ordinance violations. More serious indictable offenses, also known as felonies, are sent to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office. The County Prosecutor’s Office then determines if a case should be downgraded and remanded to the Burlington Township Municipal Court (more likely for fourth degree crimes), or adjudicated in the Burlington County Superior Court in Mount Holly, NJ.
The Burlington Township Municipal Court is located at 851 Old York Road, Burlington, NJ 08016. Municipal Court Judge Dennis P. McInerney presides of the court, while Rosa P. Henry serves as the Court Administrator, and Steven Wenger is acting prosecutor. The court office is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm; Tuesday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm; and Thursday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. You can call the court directly at (609)-239-5825. Court sessions are held every Tuesday at 8:00 am and Thursday, twice per month, at 5:00 pm. For additional information, visit the Burlington Township Municipal Court website.
Directions to Burlington Township Municipal Court
Explore Your Options when Charged with an Offense in Burlington Township
If you were arrested or a complaint was issued for misdemeanor criminal charges, you need to do everything in your power to avoid being convicted. An experienced attorney may be able to help you fight your disorderly persons charge. Depending on the circumstances of your case, it may be possible to get the charge dismissed for lack of evidence so that you can avoid trial altogether. Absent a dismissal, it might still be possible to avoid the most severe penalties by getting your disorderly persons charge downgraded to a municipal ordinance violation. The advantage of pleading guilty to a municipal ordinance is that you will not be exposed to any jail time, and you will not be left with a criminal record that shows up on background checks.
Another option for avoiding jail that may be available to defendants who appear in Burlington Township Municipal Court is admittance into a diversionary program that allows for a sentencing alternative. A defendant who is granted admission into one of these diversionary programs is able to avoid getting a criminal record. For instance, one alternative sentencing option that may be available in your municipal court case is the conditional dismissal program. Conditional dismissal is similar to PTI and conditional discharge, in that all of these programs allow a defendant to complete court-ordered requirements as a means by which to have their charges dismissed. If you are allowed to enter the conditional dismissal program or conditional discharge in Burlington Township Municipal Court, you will be given a probationary term to fulfill some requirements. During this time, you will need to stay out of legal trouble because failure to do so could result in the judge imposing the original sentence. Conditional dismissal and conditional discharge should be explored as options based on the offenses that you have been charged with in Burlington, your prior record, and the defense options that may be available to you.
Information & Resources about Burlington Township, NJ
- For additional information about Burlington Township, visit the Burlington Twp Official Website.
- The Burlington Township Police Department is located at 851 Old York Road, Burlington Township, NJ 08016. For non-emergencies, the Burlington Township PD can be reached at 609-386-1000. You can also call the police desk at (609)-386-2019. To learn more about the Burlington Twp. Police Department, click here.
Contact a Burlington NJ Assault Lawyer for Help
A criminal charge or serious traffic offense in Burlington, NJ can be extremely damaging to your life in the short and long-term. Whether your charges involve simple assault, disorderly conduct, criminal mischief, trespassing, driving while intoxicated (DWI), or another offense, the consequences of a conviction should be avoided at all costs. You need an experienced criminal defense attorney who can work to have your charges dismissed or downgraded to a lesser offense. Contact our criminal defense law firm for a free consultation about your specific case and find out how our Burlington criminal defense lawyers can help you.
