Should I Hire a Lawyer for a Municipal Court Case?

In almost all cases (except parking tickets), you should hire an experienced defense lawyer for your case in the Municipal Courts of New Jersey. However, if you are unsure, you should at least consult with one about your case.  Unfortunately, some people mistakenly believe that it will be more expensive to hire a lawyer as opposed to "just pleading guilty".  That belief is completely false.  Each town or municipality appoints an experienced lawyer to represent the State's interests and prosecute the cases. Therefore, you should hire your own experienced lawyer to represent you, defend you, and protect your interests.  An experienced defense lawyer is a hard-working advocate with in depth knowledge of the law, sharp negotiation skills, and polished litigation skills who has represented and protected the rights of numerous individuals and businesses accused of wrongdoing.  Most people are interested in protecting the following three interests, their liberty (i.e. not going to jail), their driver's license (i.e. avoiding points and license suspensions), and their finances (i.e. avoiding high fines, motor vehicle surcharges, and car insurance premium increases).  There are legal defenses known by experienced defense lawyers that can be presented in a logical and persuasive manner to the prosecutor and the Court which could drastically improve the outcome of your case. For example, finding procedural mistakes with the breathalyzer test in DUI-DWI cases, lack of proper notice in Driving While Suspended cases, and certain exemptions for drivers accused of Driving Without Valid Liability Insurance.  Often, a successful outcome of a case will lead to significant financial savings for a client. An experienced defense lawyer knows how to use the law to save his or her client money. For example, certain traffic violations (i.e. Driving While Suspended) carry motor vehicle surcharges (i.e. $750.00) and insurance eligibility points (i.e. 9 points). An experienced defense lawyer who is able to persuade the prosecutor to change or amend the original offense to another violation that does not carry those same penalties will end up saving his or her client a lot of money.

The information above is a brief overview of the advantages of retaining a lawyer for a Municipal Court matter. 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 in the Municipal Court 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.