{"id":26,"asset_id":"121","title":"Criminal Defense","alias":"criminal-defense","introtext":"<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>Criminal Defense Attorney in NJ<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><br \/> <\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><img src=\"images\/mymedia\/criminal_defense_in_nj.jpg\" alt=\"criminal defense in nj\" width=\"200\" height=\"132\" style=\"margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; float: left;\" \/>If you have been charged with a crime or disorderly persons offense in New Jersey, it is essential that you have legal representation. The repercussions of conviction may include fines, penalties, probation, jail-time, a criminal record and other negative consequences. A criminal record can also effect your ability to get a job or join the military.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Joseph F. Morgano handles criminal cases in the NJ Superior Courts and Municipal Courts, including: drug charges; shoplifting charges; assault charges; probation violation; and other types of criminal cases.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><em><strong>Is your case serious<\/strong><\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">?&nbsp; My opinion is that all criminal charges are serious, even if you are not facing jail-time.&nbsp; The seriousness of your charges is something you will discuss with your attorney, however, the following is a breakdown of how the NJ criminal system classifies criminal offenses.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Crimes<\/strong><\/span>.<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Crimes are classified as first, second, third or fourth degree, and are handled in the Superior Court (County Court) of New Jersey. (NJ does not use the classification of \"felony\", however, a \"crime\" is the equivalent of a \"felony\").<br \/><\/span><\/p>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Disorderly Persons Offense (DP)<\/strong><\/span>.<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Disorderly Persons Offenses are not considered \"crimes\" in NJ, however, they are considered to be criminal charges.&nbsp; Disorderly persons offenses are handled in the NJ Municipal Courts. <span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">(NJ does not use the classification of \"misdemeanor\", however, a \"disorderly persons offense\" is the equivalent of a \"misdemeanor\").<\/span><br \/><\/span><\/p>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Petti Disorderly Persons Offense (PDP)<\/strong><\/span>.<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Petti Disorderly Persons offenses are the same as above but are not as serious. Petti disorderly persons offenses are handled in the NJ Municipal Courts.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Borough Ordinance Violation<\/strong><\/span>.<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Borough Ordinance Violations are the least serious and are handled in the NJ Municipal Courts. An example of a Borough Ordinance would be where a municipality has prohibited playing loud music at your home after a certain time of the day.&nbsp; If you violate a borough ordinance, the sentence will usually be a fine.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Sentencing<\/strong><\/span>. <\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">First Degree<\/span><\/strong>.&nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">10 to 20 years in prison;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Second Degree<\/span><\/strong>.&nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">5 to 10 years in prison;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Third Degree<\/span><\/strong>.&nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">3 to 5 years in prison;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Fourth Degree<\/span><\/strong>.&nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Up to 18 months in prison;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Disorderly Persons Offense<\/span><\/strong>.&nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Up to 6 months in jail; and<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Petti-Disorderly Persons Offense<\/span><\/strong>.&nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Up to 30 days in jail.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">If you have a criminal matter you would like to discuss, please call for an appointment.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h4 style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;<\/h4>","fulltext":"","state":1,"catid":"13","created":"2016-07-30 00:42:02","created_by":"622","created_by_alias":"","modified":"2018-02-04 15:21:37","modified_by":"621","checked_out":"621","checked_out_time":"2018-02-04 15:21:10","publish_up":"2016-07-30 00:42:02","publish_down":"0000-00-00 00:00:00","images":"{\"image_intro\":\"\",\"float_intro\":\"\",\"image_intro_alt\":\"\",\"image_intro_caption\":\"\",\"image_fulltext\":\"\",\"float_fulltext\":\"\",\"image_fulltext_alt\":\"\",\"image_fulltext_caption\":\"\"}","urls":"{\"urla\":false,\"urlatext\":\"\",\"targeta\":\"\",\"urlb\":false,\"urlbtext\":\"\",\"targetb\":\"\",\"urlc\":false,\"urlctext\":\"\",\"targetc\":\"\"}","attribs":"{\"article_layout\":\"\",\"show_title\":\"\",\"link_titles\":\"\",\"show_tags\":\"\",\"show_intro\":\"\",\"info_block_position\":\"\",\"info_block_show_title\":\"\",\"show_category\":\"\",\"link_category\":\"\",\"show_parent_category\":\"\",\"link_parent_category\":\"\",\"show_associations\":\"\",\"show_author\":\"\",\"link_author\":\"\",\"show_create_date\":\"\",\"show_modify_date\":\"\",\"show_publish_date\":\"\",\"show_item_navigation\":\"\",\"show_icons\":\"\",\"show_print_icon\":\"\",\"show_email_icon\":\"\",\"show_vote\":\"\",\"show_hits\":\"\",\"show_noauth\":\"\",\"urls_position\":\"\",\"alternative_readmore\":\"\",\"article_page_title\":\"\",\"show_publishing_options\":\"\",\"show_article_options\":\"\",\"show_urls_images_backend\":\"\",\"show_urls_images_frontend\":\"\",\"groupdata\":\"\",\"textforscore\":\"\",\"reviewsummary\":\"\"}","version":78,"ordering":"4","metakey":"monmouth county nj criminal defense attorney","metadesc":"If you have been charged with a crime, it is essential that you have legal representation. The repercussions of conviction may include ... Read More.","access":"1","hits":"1026","metadata":"{\"robots\":\"\",\"author\":\"Joseph F. Morgano\",\"rights\":\"\",\"xreference\":\"\"}","featured":"0","language":"*","xreference":""}