Traffic and Municipal Court Cases
South Jersey Municipal Court Lawyers
New Jersey Municipal Courts
Most people who come into contact with the judicial system in New Jersey do so through the New Jersey municipal court. These are courts of limited jurisdiction. This means they deal with cases involving motor vehicle and parking tickets, minor criminal-type offenses, such as simple assault and bad checks, municipal ordinance offenses, such as dog barking or building code violations, and other offenses, such as fish and game violations.
A municipal court usually has jurisdiction only over cases that occur within the boundaries of its municipality. Serious criminal cases, such as robbery, auto theft, or assault, may begin as complaints filed in the municipal court, but may be transferred to the Superior Court for consideration by the county prosecutor. The county prosecutor may decide to send the case back to the municipal court for adjudication. For this reason, you need the Haddonfield criminal law attorneys of Legome & Associates who practice regularly in both municipal and Superior Courts throughout South Jersey, including Camden, Burlington, and Gloucester Counties, and all their municipalities, as well as Philadelphia.
New Jersey Traffic Offenses
Traffic offenses are heard in the municipal courts. In fact, moving violations and parking tickets make up over 85% of all cases handled by the municipal court. Are you facing a municipal traffic or DWI offense and need a knowledgeable, skilled New Jersey Municipal Court attorney on your side? The South Jersey municipal court attorneys of Legome & Associates in Haddonfield, New Jersey, are experienced traffic ticket and DWI defense attorneys. Our attorneys have worked diligently to defend clients with all levels of motor vehicle offenses in Haddonfield, Cherry Hill, Haddon Heights, and just about all other municipalities throughout Camden, Gloucester, Burlington, Cape May, Atlantic, and Cumberland counties in New Jersey, as well as in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Call us today to discuss how our municipal defense attorneys can help you.
Common Motor Vehicle Offenses in South Jersey Municipal Courts
Some of the more common violations cited in Camden, Gloucester, Burlington, Cape May, Atlantic, and Cumberland counties include:
- Driving with a revoked license
- Moving violations
- Motor vehicle accidents
- DUI / DWI / Drunk Driving
- Speeding violations
- Driving without insurance
- Driving with a suspended license
- Careless or reckless driving
- Failure to report an accident
The Cost of Municipal Violations
Most New Jersey drivers are unaware of how much it can cost to be found in violation of a New Jersey traffic offense. New Jersey law is very specific in calculating fines. It can range from $25 for failure to notify of an address change, to a maximum fine of $5,000 for driving a commercial vehicle after your driver’s license has been suspended. In addition, there is a mandatory assessment for every offense, as well as court costs. Furthermore, if you are charged with Driving While Intoxicated, fines, penalties and costs may be the least of your worries. The question often becomes whether or not your license will be suspended, or even “jail time” is warranted under the circumstances.
Our Camden County Municipal Court Attorneys Can Help To Reduce or Eliminate Points
If you are found guilty of a moving violation, you will be assessed motor vehicle points on your driver’s record by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Even just a few points on your record will likely translate into thousands of dollars of insurance surcharges over a three to five year period. Even if you are guilty, Legome & Associates will negotiate with the municipal prosecutor on your behalf to reduce and possibly even eliminate the points that would otherwise be reported against you. We also negotiate to reduce the fine that you may be charged and, of course, if you are not guilty, we are not afraid to take your case to trial. We are experienced, successful, and compassionate professionals with the best interests of our clients as our top priority.
If you go to court without legal representation, prosecutors and police officers may not be inclined to plea bargain with you directly. They know if you don’t have an attorney you are not going to go to trial. You are immediately at a disadvantage because prosecutors and other court personnel know many aspects of the law that you might not understand. Sometimes, a traffic violation defense attorney can do much more to reduce fines, combine offenses and minimize consequences, depending on the offenses you are accused of violating. In the case of a DWI offense, the representation of a skilled, knowledgeable New Jersey DWI attorney can be crucial to minimizing the impact on your future. Taking a chance on losing your license most often means taking a chance on losing your job and independence.
Call the Municipal Court Lawyers at Legome & Associates
If you have been charged with a municipal offense, such as a simple assault, disorderly person charge, ordinance violation, traffic ticket or drunk driving charge, in a municipality in Camden County, Gloucester County, Burlington County, Cape May County, Atlantic County, or Cumberland County, call the South Jersey municipal defense attorneys at Legome & Associates before you pay the fine or go to court on your own. We can provide all the information necessary to choose the defense path that is in your best interest. For a free consultation to discuss your traffic and municipal court case, please call Legome & Associates, at 856-528-3284 or click here to contact us online.