Being arrested or charged with a crime in Burlington County, NJ, is no laughing matter—not even for a minor offense. An arrest in itself can be highly disruptive to your life and that of your family, as can the weeks or months while you're awaiting trial. If the charges result in a conviction…even more so.
If you're facing criminal charges in New Jersey, you will likely face a slew of emotions and questions. What happens if you are convicted? What does arrest or conviction mean for your job? Your family? Your future?
As an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney with an excellent record of success, Joseph D. Lento understands better than most how the Burlington County courts work and how to ensure your rights are protected through the process. To help you be better prepared in the event of criminal charges, the Lento Law Firm has compiled the following helpful information on the New Jersey criminal justice system, courts in Burlington County, and what to expect if you become a defendant.
Ramifications of Criminal Charges in Burlington County, NJ
The impact of criminal charges on you and your family begins the moment you are arrested or receive a summons, and it continues until your trial (and beyond, if you're convicted). New Jersey criminal reform rules have eliminated bail requirements for nearly all criminal cases in recent years, but that doesn't mean life returns to normal for you after an arrest. Your release from jail to await trial is considered “conditional,” and the courts may impose certain restrictions on you depending on the level of “risk” to ensure you show up for your trial. Some of these conditions may profoundly affect your life and routine. Examples may include:
- Requiring you to check-in with law enforcement regularly.
- Giving you a curfew.
- Requiring to you remain employed until your trial (or to be actively seeking employment if you were unemployed).
- Restricting your ability to travel.
- Placing you in the custody of a designated individual who is responsible for your movements.
- Forbidding or restricting your use of alcohol during the pre-trial period.
- Forbidding you to possess a firearm during the pre-trial period.
- Issuing one or more restraining orders that prohibit you from making contact with certain loved ones.
If the courts deem you to be a flight risk, they may still impose bail in certain instances. In other cases, they may require you to remain in “pre-trial detention” (i.e., jail) until your trial.
The Consequences of Conviction
The list of possible restrictions only deals with the pre-trial period—the time between when you are charged with a crime and when your trial happens. If you are convicted of a crime in New Jersey, the impacts can be even further reaching. A conviction can result in any or all of the following:
- Fines, probation, and/or jail time.
- Financial difficulty—either by being held in jail or losing a job due to your arrest/conviction.
- Fewer job prospects. Being convicted of a crime can restrict your ability to work in certain jobs. It can also affect your chances for advancement in your current job.
- Restrictions or loss of custody. Being convicted of certain crimes may jeopardize your custody or visitation rights.
Misdemeanors and Felonies in New Jersey
New Jersey uses different terminologies than most other states to classify certain crimes, although the way those crimes are processed is similar. New Jersey doesn't use the terms misdemeanor or felony; instead, “misdemeanors” are disorderly persons offenses, and “felonies” are indictable offenses. Let's discuss these two terms more in detail.
Disorderly Persons Offenses in New Jersey
In New Jersey, disorderly persons offenses are the equivalent of misdemeanor crimes in other states. They are considered “minor” crimes and carry lessor sentences that may include probation, fines, and occasionally a bit of jail time. Common examples of disorderly persons offenses include:
- Disorderly conduct
- Bad check writing
- Simple assault
- Harassment
- Shoplifting
If you're accused of a disorderly persons offense in Burlington County, your case will be assigned to the Municipal Court within that jurisdiction, whether the alleged crime occurred in Florence, Westhampton, Delanco, etc. Most sentences for disorderly persons conviction involve penalties like probation, community service, and/or small fines, but be aware the sentence could be up to six months in jail and up to $1000 in fines. (Having a good defense attorney in your corner can go along way toward mitigating these penalties.)
Indictable Offenses in New Jersey
Felony-level crimes in New Jersey are called indictable offenses, in part because state law requires a grand jury indictment for crimes at this level. If you are charged with an indictable offense in Burlington County, your trial will take place in Mt. Holly, NJ at the Burlington County Superior Court.
New Jersey classifies indictable offenses according to degrees of seriousness (Fourth, Third, Second, and First Degree), with increasing maximum penalties for each. A Fourth-Degree indictable crime, for example, could result in a maximum of 18 months in prison and $10,000 in fines, while a First-Degree crime could result in life in prison and fines up to $200,000. Some examples of indictable offenses include:
- Marijuana possession (more than 6 ounces)
- Burglary
- Arson
- Forgery
- Aggravated assault
- Sexual assault/rape
- Possession of a controlled substance
- Distribution of drugs
- Armed robbery
- Manslaughter
- Murder (homicide)
Courts in Burlington County, New Jersey
New Jersey's court system is designed simply, which makes it fairly easy to determine which type of court will handle your case based on the type of charges. Let's discuss the courts in Burlington County, NJ, and the types of cases they handle.
Municipal Courts in Burlington County
In the New Jersey court system, Municipal Courts represent the lowest tier, dealing with minor concerns like traffic tickets and vehicle citations, as well as disorderly person offenses (misdemeanors). They also hold preliminary hearings for more serious indictable offenses to determine whether those cases should be bound over for trial. There are no jury trials in Municipal Courts; the presiding judge makes a ruling and pronounces sentence after hearing from both sides.
There are currently 39 Municipal Courts in Camden County, NJ, some of which operate from the same location and/or under shared services. See below for the location of the court nearest you:
Bass River Municipal Court
3 North Maple Avenue, PO Box 214, New Gretna, NJ 08224
Phone: 609-296-1410
Beverly City Municipal Court
446 Broad Street, Beverly, NJ 08010
Phone: 609-747-4073
Bordentown City Municipal Court
204 Washington Street, Fieldsboro, NJ 08505
Phone: 609-298-1616
Bordentown Township Municipal Court
1 Municipal Drive, Bordentown, NJ 08505
Phone: 609-298-2802
Burlington City Municipal Court
Township of Burlington Municipal Building
851 Old York Road, Burlington Township, NJ 08016
Phone: 609-239-5825
Burlington Township Municipal Court
851 Old York Road, Burlington, NJ 08016
Phone: 609-239-5825
Fax: 609-239-2191
Chesterfield Township Municipal Court
41 Schoolhouse Road, Jacobstown, NJ 08562
Phone: 609-758-2522
Cinnaminson Municipal Court
1621 Riverton Road, Cinnaminson, NJ 08077
Phone: 856-829-4027
Delanco Township Municipal Court
770 Coopertown Road, Delanco, NJ 08075
Phone: 856-461-0561
Delran Municipal Court
900 Chester Avenue, Delran, NJ 08075
Phone: 856-461-3888
Eastampton Township Municipal Court
710 Rancocas Road, Westampton, NJ 08060
Phone: 609-267-1895
Edgewater Park Municipal Court
400 Delanco Road, Edgewater Park, NJ 08010
Phone: 609-877-7645
Evesham Township Municipal Court
984 Tuckerton Road, Marlton, NJ 08053
Phone: 856-983-2929
Fieldsboro Municipal Court
204 Washington Street, Fieldsboro, NJ 08505
Phone: 609-298-1616
Florence Township Municipal Court
711 Broad Street, Florence, NJ 08518
Phone: 609-499-2222
Hainesport Township Municipal Court
710 Rancocas Road, Westampton, NJ 08060
Phone: 609-267-1895
Lumberton Township Municipal Court
35 Municipal Drive, Lumberton, NJ 08048
Phone: 609-267-3389
Mansfield Township Municipal Court
3135 Route 206 South, Suite 2, Columbus, NJ 08022
Phone: 609-298-0542 ext. 1023
Maple Shade Township Municipal Court
200 Stiles Avenue, Maple Shade, NJ 08052
Phone: 856-779-9610 ext. 167
Medford Lakes Municipal Court
1 Cabin Circle Drive, Medford Lakes, NJ 08055
Phone: 609-654-7589
Medford Township Municipal Court
91 Union Street, Medford, NJ 08055
Phone: 609-654-8813
Moorestown Township Municipal Court
1245 North Church Street, Suite 4, Moorestown, NJ 08057
Phone: 856-235-0922
Mount Holly Township Municipal Court
23 Washington Street, Mount Holly, NJ 08060
Phone: 609-845-1120
Mount Laurel Municipal Court
100 Mount Laurel Road, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054
Phone: 856-234-2003
North Hanover Municipal Court
41 Schoolhouse Road, Jacobstown, NJ 08562
Phone: 609-758-2522 ext. 213
Palmyra Municipal Court
20 West Broad Street, Palmyra, NJ 08065
Phone: 856-829-1763
Pemberton Borough Municipal Court
50 Egbert Street, Pemberton, NJ 08068
Phone: 609-894-9363
Pemberton Township Municipal Court
500 Pemberton-Browns Mills Road, Pemberton, NJ 08068
Phone: 609-894-3337
Riverside Township Municipal Court
1 West Scott Street, Riverside, NJ 08075
Phone: 856-461-8820 ext. 2
Riverton Municipal Court
Cinnaminson Township Municipal Building
1621 Riverton Road, Cinnaminson, NJ 08077
Phone: 856-829-4027
Shamong Township Municipal Court
1 Cabin Circle Drive, Medford Lakes, NJ 08055
Phone: 609-654-7589
Southampton Municipal Court
5 Retreat Road, Southampton, NJ 08088
Phone: 609-859-2747
Springfield Township Municipal Court
3135 Route 206 South, Suite 2, Columbus, NJ 08022
Phone: 609-298-0542 ext. 1023
Tabernacle Township Municipal Court
163 Carranza Road, Tabernacle, NJ 08088
Phone: 609-268-0363
Washington Township Municipal Court
3 North Maple Avenue, PO Box 214, New Gretna, NJ 08224
Phone: 609-296-1410
Westampton Township Municipal Court
Municipal Building
710 Rancocas Road, Westampton, NJ 08060
Phone: 609-267-1895
Willingboro Township Municipal Court
1 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Willingboro, NJ 08046
Phone: 609-877-2200
Woodland Township Municipal Court
3 North Maple Avenue, PO Box 214, New Gretna, NJ 08224
Phone: 609-296-1410
Wrightstown Municipal Court
41 Schoolhouse Road, Jacobstown, NJ 08562
Phone: 609-758-2522 ext. 213
Burlington County Superior Court
In the New Jersey court system, Superior Courts serve as the primary jury trial courts, holding trials for indictable offenses (felonies) as well as most civil suits. If you are charged with an indictable offense in Burlington County, your preliminary hearing will likely be held in your local Municipal Court. If the case is bound over for trial, your jury trial will take place at Burlington Superior Court in Mt. Holly:
Burlington County Superior Court
49 Rancocas Road, Mt. Holly, NJ 08060
Phone: 609-288-9500
Appeals Court/NJ Supreme Court
If you disagree with the verdict of your trial, whether in Municipal or Superior Court, your attorney may choose to file an appeal with the Appellate Division of Superior Court—and then, if applicable, to the New Jersey Supreme Court. These courts entertain no witness testimony, and their job is not to hear new evidence but to review the facts and outcomes of the case. If you appeal your case, you will not appear in these courts; your attorney will argue before the judges on your behalf.
When you're accused of any type of crime in Burlington County, NJ, your choice of a defense attorney matters. You need someone representing your interest who has specific experience in New Jersey courtrooms, preferably one with a track record of success. Joseph D. Lento has successfully defended many clients against criminal charges in New Jersey, and his years of experience with Burlington County courts make him an excellent choice to defend your case.
Even if your charges seem minor, a conviction could have deep ramifications for your future. Don't risk your future by hiring the wrong attorney. Call the Lento Law Firm at (888) 535-3686 for a consultation today.
