Haddonfield, NJ Criminal Defense Lawyer

Haddonfield, with its charming tree-lined streets and excellent school system, is considered one of the nicest towns in the state of New Jersey, and one of the best places to raise a family. Of course, this does not mean that people do not get arrested or accused of committing crimes there just like any other place. Those facing such charges, especially if they have no prior experience with the criminal justice system or the police, are likely to feel scared, alone, and confused about what to do next. The most important thing you can do to give yourself the best chance as successfully dealing with charges against you is to reach out to an experienced, local criminal defense attorney as soon after your arrest or citation as possible.

At the Law Offices of John J. Zarych, our skilled Haddonfield, NJ criminal defense lawyers have years of experience successfully defending clients in Haddonfield and throughout the South Jersey area against all sorts of criminal charges. Our lawyers are here to answer any questions you may have, serve as your fearless advocate, and work to get the charges against you downgraded or dismissed. Contact our office today at (609) 616-4956 for a free consultation.

What Are the Penalties for Criminal Offenses in Haddonfield, NJ?

In New Jersey, there are three types of crimes: indictable offenses, disorderly persons offenses, and petty disorderly persons offenses. Indictable offenses, generally the most serious of the three types of charges, are the equivalent of felonies in other states, while disorderly persons offenses and petty disorderly persons offenses are the equivalent of misdemeanors and infractions, respectively. Potential penalties for a criminal conviction vary depending on the severity of the crime, with more serious penalties being possible for indictable offenses than disorderly persons offenses.

The minimum and maximum permissible sentences vary depending on how severely the state treats each crime as well as your own criminal history. Then, it is up to the judge to decide, based on the arguments made by your lawyer, whether to use their discretion and sentence you to something on the lower or higher end of the scale. For example, if you are a first time offender charged with a disorderly persons offense, you will probably face only fines and probation. However, if you are a repeat offender charged with homicide, then jail time is a near-certainty if you are convicted.

How a Haddonfield Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help Get Your Charges Dropped

To avoid facing the most serious penalties and give yourself the best chance at getting your charges dismissed, it is important to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney like those at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych as soon after your arrest as possible. It is especially important that we get to work quickly if you have been arrested and a detention hearing, formerly known as a bail hearing, is set to occur. Such hearings, along with your initial appearance, are held within 48 hours of your arrest and booking, but often much sooner. Because New Jersey essentially eliminated the use of cash bail in 2017, meaning you cannot just pay your way out of jail, it is more important than ever to have a skilled bail hearing attorney by your side to argue to the judge why you should be released based on such factors as your criminal record, ties to the community, and the nature and severity of the alleged offense.

At your initial appearance, the judge will read the charges against you and advise you of your rights during the criminal case process. In disorderly persons cases, your arraignment, where you enter your initial plea of guilty or not guilty, will also occur. In indictable offense cases, this will happen later, after the prosecutor has taken the case before the grand jury and returned with an indictment. In both instances, unless they have already worked out a plea deal with the prosecutor, your lawyer is likely to advise you to enter an initial plea of not guilty.

After dealing with your arraignment and detention hearing, our lawyers will turn our attention to requesting any outstanding evidence from the prosecutor, filing any needed motions, and trying to work out a deal with the prosecutor. For some first-time offenders, we may be able to get you into a pretrial intervention program, and your charges will be dropped if you complete this program successfully. Other times, the prosecutor may offer to downgrade the charge to something less serious in exchange for a guilty plea. Of course, if you wish to take the matter to trial, our skilled trial attorneys are always ready and able to do so.

Types of Haddonfield, NJ Criminal Charges Handle by Our Law Firm

Between all of our attorneys and support staff at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych, there are few, if any, crimes that we have not dealt with before. Below are just some of the most common types of charges we have experience successfully defending clients against, but this is by no means an exhaustive list.

• Assault
• Theft
• Disorderly Conduct
• DUI
• Underage Drinking
• Drug Crimes
• Sexual Assault
• Fraud Crimes
• Robbery
• Burglary
• Terroristic Threats

Call Our Seasoned Haddonfield, NJ Criminal Defense Lawyers Today

Any time you are charged with a crime, even if it something you would consider relatively minor, you should take it seriously. Aside from facing high fines and jail time in many cases, a criminal conviction can have long-term collateral consequences such as making it more difficult for you to find gainful employment. As such, it is vital that you reach out to an experienced Haddonfield, NJ criminal defense lawyer like those at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych as soon after your arrest as possible. The sooner we can get to work on your case, the better chance we have of mitigating the damage, keeping you from facing the most serious potential penalties, and working with the prosecutor to get the charges against you downgraded or dismissed. Call our Atlantic City criminal defense lawyers today at (609) 616-4956 for a free, confidential consultation.