Friday, March 16, 2018

Your Attorney Can Help You Convert A Disorderly Persons Offense NJ Into A Fine-based Case

By Virginia Stone


Sometimes even good people who obey the laws of their country can find themselves on the wrong side of the state. The problem with the law is that it disallows anyone from pleading they were ignorant of certain laws. The state and the other organs of government assume you know all the rules that govern your jurisdiction. A disorderly persons offense NJ does not look like a serious matter, but it can get you into a lot of trouble.

If you are a first-time offender, you most likely will not go to jail. However, if you have it, you are facing a maximum of six months of jail time. You do not want to end up in jail, nor do you want to have a criminal history. That is the reason you want to fight these charges. Doing so might require you to hire an experienced lawyer.

You might not have done something serious, but the law regards such an offense as a criminal charge. It is of the same category as a misdemeanor. The problem with the two of them is that once you are convicted, you will end up with a criminal record. This is something to avoid because if anyone runs a background check on you, they will know about it.

The local municipality where you were charged is the one that handles your case. Maybe you too are also asking yourself whether you can have the record expunged after some time. The answer is yes, but there is a five-year waiting period. At the end of this period, you can make an application to have it permanently removed. That said, you will not be eligible for this if you also have other issues.

Five years of waiting to have your name cleaned is a long time. Many who find themselves infringing the law wonder if there is anything they can do to have their case dismissed. What you ought to do is look for a qualified and experienced lawyer. They can earn you the dismissal you seek. Go for someone who has dealt with hundreds of these kinds of situations successfully.

A well-trained and experienced legal professional can have you put into a diversionary program instead. They know how to use their expertise and knowledge of the law to earn you a conditional discharge which typically attracts a fine. Other times, a lawyer will negotiate to have your matter downgraded to a lesser count that does not harm you.

Typically, your attorney tries their level best to have the court downgrade your matter to a municipal ordinance violation. This count comes with a fine and no jail time or criminal record. Assume you participated in a bar brawl and now have a case to answer. Your attorney will fight hard to make sure you plead guilty to noise making, an ordinance violation, and not the other count.

It is not recommended that you handle the situation alone. The right thing to do is to look for a professional who has a proven history of helping those in cases like yours. The expert will demand fees, of course, but they can help you turn a bad situation into one that does not turn your life upside down.




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