Yes, the Palisades Interstate Court (Court Code: 0288) is a municipal court, but the Court is different than a traditional municipal court in the State of New Jersey. The Court is officially called Court of the Palisades Interstate Park (N.J.S.A. 32:14-22). The Court hears matters that are alleged to have occurred within the New Jersey section of the Palisades Interstate Park (N.J.S.A. 32:14-23). The Park includes 12 miles of the Palisades Interstate Parkway, which begins near the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee and proceeds north along the cliffs of the Hudson River through Englewood Cliffs, Tenafly, and Alpine. The Court is primarily responsible for hearing cases that are filed by police officers from the Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Department instead of police officers from local towns or municipalities. The Court is located in Alpine, but is unrelated to the Alpine Municipal Court (Court Code: 0202). The Court is also unrelated to the Palisades Park Municipal Court (Court Code: 0245), which is located in the nearby Borough of Palisades Park.

The Palisades Interstate Court hears quasi-criminal matters (N.J.S.A. 32:14-23), including Operating Under Influence of Liquor or Drugs (DUI-DWI) and Refusal to Submit to a Breathalyzer, criminal matters such as disorderly persons offenses and petty disorderly persons offenses, serious motor vehicle and traffic offenses such as Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Driving With a Suspended License, and Reckless Driving. In addition, the Court also hears cases that allege violations of the Park rules and regulations established by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (N.J.S.A. 32:14-23). Accordingly, a majority of the Court's matters involve traffic tickets that were issued on the Palisades Parkway by Palisades Parkway Police Officers for motor vehicle offenses, such as Unlicensed Operator (Park Ordinance 411.1C), Speeding (Park Ordinance 413.1B), Driving Too Close (Park Ordinance 411.1R), Failure to Pass Left When Overtaking (Park Ordinance 411.1T), Driving Carelessly (Park Ordinance 411.1W), Failure to Keep Right (Park Ordinance 411.1U), No Disregard of Traffic Signs and Signals (Park Ordinance 411.1Q), and Commercial Vehicle Not Permitted in Park (Park Ordinance 412.2A).

The information above is a brief overview of the Palisades Interstate Court. You should contact an experienced defense attorney who will explain all of your options and defenses based upon the specific circumstances of your case and work hard to reduce or avoid the potential negative consequences. All individuals accused of traffic offenses and other quasi-criminal offenses in New Jersey are entitled to the same constitutional protections as those accused of a serious felony crime, namely the right to be represented by an attorney, the right to remain silent, and the right to a speedy and fair trial where the State has the burden to prove each and every element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt.

Surcharges are mandatory civil penalties imposed by the State of New Jersey, Motor Vehicle Commission (NJ MVC) upon drivers whose driving record includes certain driving offenses and point accumulations (N.J.S.A. 17:29A-35, N.J.A.C. 13:19-12.1 to 13:19-12.12 and 13:19-13.1 to 13:19-13.3). Surcharges are separate fees in addition to court imposed fines or premiums that are assessed by car insurance companies.

New Jersey surcharges were created in 1984 (L.1983, c.65, s.6). Surcharges are sometimes referred to as "insurance surcharges" because the program was originally called the Motor Vehicle Insurance Surcharge, but was renamed the New Jersey Surcharge Violation System (NJ SVS) in 2010 (R.2010 d.277). The NJ SVS was created to help subsidize insurance bonds for drivers who could not afford car insurance. However, under a law that was passed in 2020, the NJ SVS is expected to be eliminated by January 1, 2035 (PL 2019, c. 301; N.J.S.A. 52:9S-3.1 et al.). The reason for the gradual and delayed elimination of the NJ SVS is to allow for the State to repay its outstanding debt obligations, which were funded by the program's surcharge revenues. New Jersey is not the only state to have a surcharge program. For example, the State of New York, Department of Motor Vehicles (NY DMV) names the civil penalty surcharge fee the Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA).

Conviction based surcharges are imposed by the NJ MVC through the NJ SVS for convictions associated with certain motor vehicle offenses, such as DUI-DWI, Refusal to Submit to Breath Test, Driving With a Suspended License, Driving Without Insurance, and Driving Without a Valid Driver's License (N.J.S.A. 17:29A-35 and N.J.A.C. 13:19-13.1). These surcharges are billed each year for three years regardless of whether the offense occurred in New Jersey or another state. The surcharge for DUI-DWI (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50) and/or Refusal to Submit to Breath Test (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.4a, N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.2) is $1,000.00 a year for three years for first and second violations. However, a surcharge of $1,500.00 for three years is imposed for third or subsequent violations that occur within three years of the first violation. The surcharge for Driving While Suspended offenses (N.J.S.A. 39:3-40, 39:3-40i) is $250.00 per year for three years. The surcharge for No Insurance offenses (N.J.S.A. 39:6B-2) is $250.00 per year for three years. The surcharge for Unlicensed Driver and/or Expired License offenses (N.J.S.A. 39:3-10b, 39:3-10a) is $100.00 per year for three years.

Point based surcharges are assessed by the NJ MVC through the NJ SVS against any driver who, in the preceding three year period, has accumulated six or more motor vehicle penalty points (N.J.S.A. 17:29A-35).  The surcharge for six points is $150.00, plus $25.00 for each additional point.

The information above is a brief overview of the Motor Vehicle Violations Surcharge System. You should contact an experienced defense attorney who will explain all of your options and defenses based upon the specific circumstances of your case and work hard to reduce or avoid the potential negative consequences. All individuals accused of traffic offenses and other quasi-criminal offenses in New Jersey are entitled to the same constitutional protections as those accused of a serious felony crime, namely the right to be represented by an attorney, the right to remain silent, and the right to a speedy and fair trial where the State has the burden to prove each and every element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt.

There are 515 Municipal Courts in the State of New Jersey. The Central Municipal Court of Bergen County (Court Code: 0290) is different than almost every other Municipal Court in the State. The Central Municipal Court is a countywide court that was established based upon census data showing the large and dense population of Bergen County (N.J.S.A. 2B:12-1e). The Court is regarded as one of the biggest Municipal Courts in the State due to the sheer volume of cases that are filed with the Court each year. The recently published statistics reveal there were approximately 20,000 total filings with the Central Municipal Court over the past year, which include DUI-DWI offenses, Criminal matters, and Traffic Tickets.

The Central Municipal Court is located in Hackensack, but is unrelated to the Hackensack Municipal Court (Court Code: 0223). The Central Municipal Court can be informally dubbed the Sheriff's Court since the Court is primarily responsible for hearing cases that are filed by the police officers from the Bergen County Sheriff's Department instead of police officers from local towns or municipalities. In addition, the Central Municipal Court handles cases that allegedly involve offenses that occurred anywhere in Bergen County. On the other hand, the Hackensack Municipal Court is primarily responsible for handling cases filed by the Hackensack Police Department for offenses that allegedly occurred in the City of Hackensack. The Sheriff's Department provides assistance to all 70 municipalities in Bergen County from Fort Lee to Elmwood Park and from Mahwah to North Arlington, including patrolling all of the parks, roads, and highways such as Route 4 and Route 17.

Historically, the Central Municipal Court was located on the first floor of the Bergen County Courthouse (10 Main Street). Some of the notable judges that are now retired who presided over the Court include the Honorable Joseph H. Cerame, the Honorable Louis J. Dinice, and the Honorable Bonnie J. Mizdol. The Court moved across the street into a renovated office building (71 Hudson Street) in 2012. Originally, the County police officers were members of the Bergen County Police Department, however that department merged with the Sheriff's Department in 2015.

The information above is a brief overview of the Central Municipal Court of Bergen County. You should contact an experienced defense attorney who will explain all of your options and defenses based upon the specific circumstances of your case and work hard to reduce or avoid the potential negative consequences. All individuals accused of traffic offenses and other quasi-criminal offenses in New Jersey are entitled to the same constitutional protections as those accused of a serious felony crime, namely the right to be represented by an attorney, the right to remain silent, and the right to a speedy and fair trial where the State has the burden to prove each and every element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt.

Yes, Driving Without Insurance, specifically operating a motor vehicle without valid liability insurance and/or with expired insurance policy coverage (N.J.S.A. 39:6B-2) is a very serious offense in New Jersey, which could result in significant direct and collateral consequences. The direct consequences are the penalties which are imposed by the court, while the collateral consequences are the effects of having that offense on your driving history record. The potential direct penalties associated with a first offense include a fine of up to $1,000, license suspension of up to 1 year, and a period of community service. The possible direct penalties associated with a second or subsequent offense include a jail term of 14 days, fine of up to $5,000, license suspension of up to 2 years, and community service for 30 days. The potential collateral consequences associated with no insurance cases include immigration problems (if you are not a citizen of the United States, a conviction may result in your removal from the United States and/or stop you from being able to legally enter or re-enter the United States and you have the right to seek individualized advice from an attorney about the effect your guilty plea will have on your immigration status), work-related problems, international travel restrictions (some countries deny entry to travelers with certain convictions), commercial driver's license (CDL) issues, auto insurance problems, motor vehicle violations surcharges system assessment of $250.00 per year for 3 years (N.J.S.A. 17:29A-35, N.J.A.C. 13:19-13.1), and 9 automobile insurance eligibility points (N.J.S.A. 17:33B-14, N.J.A.C. 11:3-34.5 Appendix).

The information above is a brief overview of the serious nature of matters involving driving without insurance. You should contact an experienced traffic attorney who will explain all of your options and defenses based upon the specific circumstances of your case and work hard to reduce or avoid the potential penalties. All individuals accused of traffic offenses and other quasi-criminal offenses in New Jersey are entitled to the same constitutional protections as those accused of a serious felony crime, namely the right to be represented by an attorney, the right to remain silent, and the right to a speedy and fair trial where the State has the burden to prove each and every element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt.

There are numerous potential direct and collateral legal consequences associated with a conviction for Speeding (N.J.S.A. 39:4-98 and 39:3-20(b), N.J.A.C. 19:9-1.2 and 19:2-2.1) in the Municipal Courts of New Jersey. The direct consequences are the penalties which are imposed by the court, while the collateral consequences are the effects of having that offense on your driving history record. Examples of possible direct consequences associated with Speeding include suspension or revocation of driver's license (N.J.S.A. 39:5-31), fine of up to $400.00 (N.J.S.A. 39:4-98, 39:4-98.7, 39:4-104), and imprisonment up to 15 days but only in extreme cases (N.J.S.A. 39:4-104). Examples of potential collateral consequences associated with Speeding include up to 5 points imposed by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, work-related problems, commercial driver's license (CDL) issues, auto insurance problems, motor vehicle violations surcharges system assessment for 6 or more motor vehicle penalty points (N.J.S.A. 17:29A-35), and up to 5 automobile insurance eligibility points (N.J.S.A. 17:33B-14, N.J.A.C. 11:3-34.5 Appendix). It is important to note that when a driver is accused of traveling at a high speed, namely exceeding the posted speed limit by 25 mph or more, the police will often issue additional traffic summonses, such as for Careless Driving: likely to endanger persons or property (N.J.S.A. 39:4-97, 27:23-26, 27:25A-21(b), and N.J.A.C. 19:9-1.17) and Reckless Driving (N.J.S.A. 39:4-96). In those situations, the potential consequences are even greater, such as a suspension of driving privileges for willful violations (N.J.S.A. 39:5-31).

The information above is a brief overview of the potential consequences associated with Speeding tickets in the Municipal Courts of New Jersey. It is critical to hire an experienced traffic attorney who can prepare and present a persuasive defense or hardship argument based upon the proper mitigating factors and the specific circumstances of your matter, especially in high speed cases when often accompanied by accusations of Reckless Driving or Careless Driving, in order to try to reduce or avoid the potential negative consequences. All individuals accused of traffic offenses and other quasi-criminal offenses in New Jersey are entitled to the same constitutional protections as those accused of a serious felony crime, namely the right to be represented by an attorney, the right to remain silent, and the right to a speedy and fair trial where the State has the burden to prove each and every element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt.

All individuals convicted of Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs (DUI-DWI) and/or Refusal to Submit to a Breath Test (Refusal) in New Jersey must satisfy the screening, evaluation, referral, program, classes, and fee requirements of the Intoxicated Driving Program (IDP), the Intoxicated Driver Resource Center (IDRC), and a program and/or classes of substance use disorder education and highway safety (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(b), N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.4(a)).

IDP is part of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services of the State of New Jersey. IDP is responsible for managing and coordinating court-mandated requirements for individuals with DUI-DWI and/or Refusal related convictions and monitoring services provided by the IDRC (N.J.A.C. 10:162-1.2). The IDP is responsible for the administration of post-conviction interventions for individuals convicted of DUI-DWI offenses.  Through a partnership between the Department of Human Services, Administrative Office of the Courts, and the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC), the IDP administers New Jersey's post-conviction DUI-DWI and/or Refusal offenses system, approves and coordinates a network of county based and regional IDRC facilities that detain, educate, and screen individuals to determine the need for additional addiction treatment interventions, recommends appropriate license action (suspensions and/or restorations) to the MVC, and manages various other issues regarding documentation, general information, and response to public inquiry.

IDRC educates and evaluates individuals who have been convicted of DUI-DWI and/or Refusal. These individuals are mandated by the Municipal Court to participate in the IDRC program. IDRC facilities are established and operated by the counties in New Jersey and approved by the IDP. The IDRC detains and determines, on the basis of an evaluation and counselor evaluation and other information, the extent, if any, of an individual's substance use disorder-related problem and that monitor and report on referrals to approved treatment programs (N.J.A.C. 10:162-1.2).

There are potentially serious consequences in the event an individual fails to report and complete the IDRC classes, screening, evaluation or any subsequent IDRC ordered treatment referral. The IDRC will notify the Municipal Court about the person's alleged non-compliance with the IDRC requirements (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(f)). The Municipal Court will then schedule a non-compliance hearing (N.J.A.C. 10:162-8.1). An individual who is found to be in non-compliance with the IDRC requirements (i.e. attendance, education, screening, evaluation, referral, program, and/or fee) is subject to a two day Jail term by the Municipal Court and an indefinite revocation or suspension of their driver's license by the MVC until the requirements are satisfied (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(b)).

The information above is a brief overview of IDRC non-compliance matters in the Municipal Courts of New Jersey. You should contact an experienced DUI-DWI defense attorney who will explain all of your options and defenses based upon the specific circumstances of your case and work hard to reduce or avoid the potential negative consequences.

The statute of limitations is the time limitation or deadline for the commencement or beginning of a prosecution. The applicable statute of limitations for a motor vehicle offense in New Jersey depends upon the type of traffic violation. In the case of most traffic tickets, the time limitation is generally within 30 days after the date of the offense (N.J.S.A. 39:5-3). However, certain traffic offenses have longer deadlines, such as 1 year for Leaving the Scene of an Accident (N.J.S.A. 39:4-129, N.J.S.A. 39:5-3b), 6 months for Driving Without Insurance (N.J.S.A. 39:6B-2), 90 days for Driving While Suspended (N.J.S.A. 39:3-40, N.J.S.A. 39:5-3b), 90 days for DUI-DWI and Refusal to Submit to a Breath Test (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50, N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.4a, N.J.S.A. 39:5-3b), and 90 days for Failure to Observe a Traffic Control Device, Traffic Signal or Traffic Light (N.J.S.A. 39:4-81, N.J.S.A. 39:5-3a).

​The information above is a brief overview of the statute of limitations associated with traffic ticket matters in the Municipal Courts of New Jersey. You should contact an experienced traffic violation defense attorney who will explain all of your options and defenses based upon the specific circumstances of your case and work hard to reduce or avoid the potential negative consequences.

There are numerous potential direct and collateral legal consequences associated with a conviction for Leaving the Scene of an Accident (N.J.S.A. 39:4-129) in the Municipal Courts of New Jersey. The direct consequences are the penalties which are imposed by the court, while the collateral consequences are the effects of having that offense on your driving history record. Examples of possible direct consequences associated with Leaving the Scene of an Accident (N.J.S.A. 39:4-129) include imprisonment up to 180 days, suspension of driver's license up to a permanent forfeiture, and a fine of up to $5,000.00. Examples of potential collateral consequences associated with Leaving the Scene of an Accident (N.J.S.A. 39:4-129) include up to 8 points imposed by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, immigration problems (if you are not a citizen of the United States, a conviction may result in your removal from the United States and/or stop you from being able to legally enter or re-enter the United States and you have the right to seek individualized advice from an attorney about the effect your guilty plea will have on your immigration status), work-related problems, commercial driver's license (CDL) issues, auto insurance problems, motor vehicle violations surcharges system assessment for 6 or more motor vehicle penalty points (N.J.S.A. 17:29A-35), and up to 8 automobile insurance eligibility points (N.J.S.A. 17:33B-14, N.J.A.C. 11:3-34.5 Appendix). A direct consequence associated with Failing to Report an Accident (N.J.S.A. 39:4-130) includes a fine of up to $100 or up to $1,000 in the event a person suppresses, by way of concealment or destruction, any evidence of a violation or suppresses the identity of the driver.

The information above is a brief overview of the potential consequences associated with Leaving the Scene and Hit and Run matters in the Municipal Courts of New Jersey. You should contact an experienced traffic attorney who will explain all of your options and defenses based upon the specific circumstances of your case and work hard to reduce or avoid the potential negative consequences. All individuals accused of traffic offenses and other quasi-criminal offenses in New Jersey are entitled to the same constitutional protections as those accused of a serious felony crime, namely the right to be represented by an attorney, the right to remain silent, and the right to a speedy and fair trial where the State has the burden to prove each and every element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt.

Yes, operating a motor vehicle during a period of driver's license suspension (Driving With a Suspended License) is a very serious offense or crime in New Jersey, which could result in significant direct and collateral consequences. Direct consequences are the penalties which are imposed by the court, while collateral consequences are the effects of having that offense on your record. Depending upon the circumstances of the case, a suspended driver is subject to the penalties of a traffic offense (N.J.S.A. 39:3-40) or a 4th degree crime (N.J.S.A. 2C:40-26). The direct penalties associated with the 4th degree crime include a term of mandatory imprisonment up to 18 months, of which at least 6 months shall be served without parole. The direct penalties of the traffic offense include a fine of up to $1,500, an additional license suspension of up to 30 months, and imprisonment up to 100 days. The potential collateral consequences associated with a suspended license violation include immigration problems (if you are not a citizen of the United States, a conviction may result in your removal from the United States and/or stop you from being able to legally enter or re-enter the United States and you have the right to seek individualized advice from an attorney about the effect your guilty plea will have on your immigration status), work-related problems, international travel restrictions (some countries deny entry to travelers with certain convictions), commercial driver's license (CDL) issues, auto insurance problems, motor vehicle violations surcharges system assessment of $250.00 per year for 3 years (N.J.S.A. 17:29A-35), and 9 automobile insurance eligibility points (N.J.S.A. 17:33B-14, N.J.A.C. 11:3-34.5 Appendix).

In the event a driver is not issued a ticket by a police officer for operating while suspended, but instead receives a ticket for another moving violation or is involved in an accident while suspended, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) will automatically issue a Scheduled Suspension Notice to the driver for 180 days (i.e. 6 months) of license suspension when the moving violation and/or accident is reported to the MVC (N.J.S.A. 39:3-40, N.J.S.A. 39:5-30, and N.J.A.C. 13:19-10.8).

The information above is a brief overview of the serious nature of matters involving driving with a suspended driver's license. You should contact an experienced defense attorney who will explain all of your options and defenses based upon the specific circumstances of your case and work hard to reduce or avoid the potential penalties. All individuals accused of traffic offenses and other quasi-criminal offenses in New Jersey are entitled to the same constitutional protections as those accused of a serious felony crime, namely the right to be represented by an attorney, the right to remain silent, and the right to a speedy and fair trial where the State has the burden to prove each and every element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt.

​There are multiple levels of crimes and offenses in the State of New Jersey. The term crime is typically associated with criminal charges, which are categorized as felonies and carry a term of at least six months imprisonment (N.J.S.A. 2C:1-4(a)(1)). There are four classifications or grades of crimes in New Jersey, namely 1st degree, 2nd degree, 3rd degree, and 4th degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:43-1). Generally, 1st degree crimes are the most serious (i.e. imprisonment between 10 and 20 years N.J.S.A. 2C:43-6) followed by 2nd degree crimes (i.e. imprisonment between 5 and 10 years N.J.S.A. 2C:43-6). Next are 3rd degree crimes (i.e. imprisonment between 3 and 5 years N.J.S.A. 2C:43-6) followed by 4th degree crimes, which are the least serious crimes (i.e. imprisonment up to 18 months N.J.S.A. 2C:43-6). Ordinarily, there is a presumption of non imprisonment (N.J.S.A. 2C:44-1) associated with 3rd and 4th degree crimes. However, there are certain exceptions when that presumption does not apply (i.e. N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(b)(12) Aggravated Assault-Domestic Violence, N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1.1 Knowingly Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, N.J.S.A. 2C:29-2 Eluding Police) and some 3rd and 4th degree crimes have mandatory minimum periods of parole ineligibility (i.e. N.J.S.A. 2C:40-26 Operating Motor Vehicle During Period of License Suspension). In addition, crimes referred to as high misdemeanors are categorized as 3rd degree crimes and crimes referred to as misdemeanors are categorized as 4th degree crimes (N.J.S.A. 2C:43-1).

​The term offense is typically associated with quasi-criminal matters, namely disorderly persons offenses, petty disorderly persons offenses, municipal ordinance violations, and motor vehicle offenses. Disorderly persons offenses and petty disorderly persons offenses are classified as quasi-criminal offenses and are not crimes within the meaning of the New Jersey Constitution (N.J.S.A. 2C:1-4(b)(1)). Generally, disorderly persons offenses are the most serious type of quasi-criminal offense (i.e. imprisonment up to 6 months N.J.S.A. 2C:1-4) and traffic offenses are the least serious. However, there are exceptions due to the fact that certain offenses that are categorized as motor vehicle and traffic offenses (i.e. N.J.S.A. 39:3-40 Driving While License Suspended or Revoked, N.J.S.A. 39:4-50 Operating Under the Influence of Liquor or Drugs, and N.J.S.A. 39:4-129 Leaving the Scene of an Accident), have mandatory jail sentences depending upon the facts, circumstances, and the number of prior offenses. All individuals accused of traffic offenses and other quasi-criminal offenses in New Jersey are entitled to the same constitutional protections as those accused of a serious felony crime, namely the right to be represented by an attorney, the right to remain silent, and the right to a speedy and fair trial where the State has the burden to prove each and every element of the the offense beyond a reasonable doubt.

​The information above is a brief overview of the levels of crimes and offenses. You should contact an experienced criminal defense attorney who will explain all of your options and defenses based upon the specific circumstances of your case and work hard to reduce or avoid the potential penalties.