Highland Park Municipal Court – What To Know
Reviewed by William A. Proetta, Esq. · Updated
If you received a ticket or summons in Highland Park, your case will most likely be heard in Highland Park Municipal Court. Highland Park is a small borough across the Raritan River from New Brunswick, with Route 27 (Raritan Avenue) running through its downtown and a large number of Rutgers students and staff living in town. The court sees many DWI and traffic cases, as well as disorderly persons charges involving young people. This guide covers where the court is, how to read your summons, and what happens next. Call (732) 659-9600 for a free case review — we answer 24/7, and se habla español.
Highland Park Criminal Defense Lawyer
William Proetta Criminal Law defends people charged in Highland Park, the 1.8-square-mile borough across the Raritan River from New Brunswick, and throughout Middlesex County. Our Edison office is about 15 minutes away.
- A lawyer who answers. Many of our Highland Park clients are Rutgers students, commuters and their parents. You speak with an attorney directly, and so can a parent you want involved.
- Evidence first. We request Highland Park Police reports, body-worn and dash-cam video from stops on Raritan Avenue, Woodbridge Avenue and River Road, and any Alcotest data before recordings are overwritten.
- Protecting a clean record. For a student or young professional, a disorderly persons conviction can surface on graduate school, licensing and job applications. When the facts allow, we push for dismissal, a downgrade to a borough ordinance, or a diversion program.
Highland Park Municipal Court
Highland Park Municipal Court hears traffic tickets, DWI cases, borough ordinance violations, and disorderly persons offenses (New Jersey’s version of misdemeanors) arising in the Borough of Highland Park.
Highland Park Borough Municipal Court
221 South Fifth Avenue, Highland Park, NJ 08904
Telephone: 732-777-6010
Email: HighlandPark.MC@njcourts.gov
Court Staff & Contacts
Municipal Court JudgeEdward H. Herman, JMC
Court AdministratorTracey L. Horan
Court Email Court TelephoneCourt Calendar & Office Hours
Published Court SessionsMonday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Check the official court page and appearance instructions →
Your summons or latest court notice controls your date, time, courtroom and whether you attend in person or virtually.
Parking & Arrival
Highland Park Municipal Court is located at Borough Hall, 221 South Fifth Avenue. The Highland Park Municipal Court has a very small lot of about a dozen parking stalls. You will normally have to find free street parking on S 5th Avenue or Mansfield Street.
When to arrive: Allow approximately 20–30 minutes before any required in-person appearance for parking, security and check-in. This is practical planning advice, not a court-mandated arrival time.
Eligible traffic tickets and citations may be paid through NJMCdirect or by using the Borough Hall secure payment drop box. Criminal fines cannot be paid through the drop box.
Courthouse Map
This map shows the courthouse location. Use the directions link to plan your visit.
Highland Park Court by the Numbers
Highland Park Court Filings, Case Resolutions and Overall Caseload
Court Performance
Charges We Defend in Highland Park
Criminal and Disorderly Persons Offenses
- Simple Assault — N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(a), including disputes between roommates and in off-campus housing
- Harassment — N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4
- Disorderly Conduct — N.J.S.A. 2C:33-2
- Fake ID / False Government Document — N.J.S.A. 2C:21-2.1
- Shoplifting — N.J.S.A. 2C:20-11
- Burglary — N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2
- Cocaine Possession — N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10
- Prescription Drug Offenses — N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10.5
- Drug Paraphernalia — N.J.S.A. 2C:36-2
DWI and Traffic Offenses
Traffic charges we defend in Highland Park, including stops along Raritan Avenue (Route 27), Woodbridge Avenue and River Road, are DWI (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50), refusal to submit to a breath test (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.4a), driving while suspended (N.J.S.A. 39:3-40) and driving without insurance (N.J.S.A. 39:6B-2).
What’s at Stake
- Petty disorderly persons offenses (harassment, for example) – up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine.
- Disorderly persons offenses – up to 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
- Indictable crimes (such as burglary and cocaine possession) – state prison exposure, handled in Middlesex County Superior Court in New Brunswick.
Beyond the sentence, a Highland Park conviction can bring probation, community service or a license suspension, and Rutgers students can face a separate university conduct process. The record also shows up on background checks for jobs, graduate programs and professional licenses.
Highland Park Municipal Court FAQs
Can I pay my Highland Park ticket instead of going to court? Often, yes, for non-criminal matters like most traffic tickets. You can pay through the Violations Bureau by mail, at the court office, or online at NJMCdirect.com, as long as the “court appearance required” box isn’t checked, the offense is on the Statewide Violations Bureau Schedule, and no one was injured. Paying is a guilty plea, so any points, MVC surcharges, and insurance increases still apply. Late payments can bring extra penalties, and an unpaid ticket can lead to a license suspension and a warrant.
When do I have to appear in Highland Park Municipal Court? You must appear for any criminal or disorderly persons charge, such as assault, shoplifting, harassment, or drug charges. For traffic tickets, you must appear if the “court appearance required” box is checked, if you want to plead not guilty and have a trial, if the offense isn’t on the Statewide Violations Bureau Schedule, or if someone was injured. A lawyer can often appear with you or, for some matters, in your place.
I posted bail on a ticket. Do I still have to go to court? Not always. If the ticket is payable, you can ask the court about a bail waiver. That applies your bail to the fines, costs, and penalties you owe, so you don’t need to appear. Keep in mind that this resolves the ticket as a guilty plea.
I’m a Rutgers student charged in Highland Park. What should I know? A charge in Highland Park goes through Highland Park Municipal Court like any other case, but students may also face a separate university conduct process. Getting a dismissal, downgrade, or diversion in court can help with both, so it’s worth talking to a lawyer before you respond to either.
Is a fake ID charge serious in New Jersey? Yes. Possessing a false government document is a disorderly persons offense that can lead to a criminal record and, in some cases, a license suspension. First-time offenders may qualify for conditional dismissal.
Is a DWI in Highland Park heard in municipal court? Yes. DWI is a motor vehicle offense in New Jersey, so a Highland Park DWI is tried by the borough’s municipal judge without a jury, at Borough Hall on South 5th Avenue or by video when the court schedules it. Penalties can include fines, an ignition interlock device and license suspension. See New Jersey DWI penalties.
What if my Highland Park charge is a felony? A Highland Park complaint for an indictable crime goes across the Raritan to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and Superior Court in New Brunswick. If it’s downgraded, it comes back to Highland Park Municipal Court. Our Middlesex County criminal defense page explains how Superior Court cases proceed.
Can I avoid a record for a first offense? Often, yes. A first-time Highland Park defendant may qualify for conditional dismissal on a disorderly persons charge, conditional discharge on a minor drug charge, or Pretrial Intervention (PTI) if the case is indictable. Each program has its own eligibility rules and needs approval, so admission isn’t automatic.
Do you handle cases near Highland Park? Yes. Highland Park borders New Brunswick, Edison and Piscataway, and we handle cases in all three courts. Highland Park’s judge also sits in Spotswood.
Talk to a Highland Park Criminal Defense Lawyer Today
If your Highland Park case could affect school, a job or a license, the first few weeks matter most. Call (732) 659-9600 for a free, confidential case review. Available 24/7 — se habla español.