[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/how-cases-work-in-new-jersey-municipal-court\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/how-cases-work-in-new-jersey-municipal-court\/","headline":"How Cases Work in New Jersey Municipal Court","name":"How Cases Work in New Jersey Municipal Court","description":"Have a Case in Municipal Court in Hudson County? Among New Jersey Criminal Courts, Municipal Courts are the most common courts that citizens will ever appear before, either as a witness, a victim, or a defendant. Municipal courts handle a high volume of the most common types of cases in New Jersey, including parking and\u00a0traffic […]","datePublished":"2019-03-08","dateModified":"2025-12-09","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/author\/newjerseycriminallawfirm\/#Person","name":"William Proetta Criminal Law","url":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/author\/newjerseycriminallawfirm\/","identifier":12,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bf046e483cfd218aa23b814afd7f502ea8e6bd244632161b6e42395a76e91a8e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bf046e483cfd218aa23b814afd7f502ea8e6bd244632161b6e42395a76e91a8e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"William Proetta Criminal Law","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/william-proetta-criminal-law-logo.png","url":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/william-proetta-criminal-law-logo.png","width":250,"height":76}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/municipal-court-2.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/municipal-court-2.jpg","height":281,"width":500},"url":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/how-cases-work-in-new-jersey-municipal-court\/","about":["Criminal Process"],"wordCount":878,"articleBody":"Have a Case in Municipal Court in Hudson County?Among New Jersey Criminal Courts, Municipal Courts are the most common courts that citizens will ever appear before, either as a witness, a victim, or a defendant. Municipal courts handle a high volume of the most common types of cases in New Jersey, including parking and\u00a0traffic tickets,\u00a0disorderly persons offenses\u00a0and\u00a0municipal ordinance violations, and other comparatively minor criminal or quasi-criminal offenses (as compared to indictable offenses, which are similar to felonies in states outside New Jersey). If you have an upcoming case in municipal court, it is important to understand how municipal courts in New Jersey function. Our criminal attorneys defend clients in municipal courts throughout Hudson County and New Jersey on a regular basis, including\u00a0Hoboken, Jersey City, Kearny, Weehawken, Bayonne, Union City, and Secaucus. To learn more about how we can help with your defense in municipal court, call us at\u00a0(201) 793-8018\u00a0or\u00a0request a free consultation\u00a0online.What Types of Charges Are Handled in New Jersey Municipal Courts?You will not find individuals arrested for serious criminal charges, or indictable offenses, in a New Jersey Municipal Court. Crimes such as robbery,\u00a0aggravated assault, murder, auto theft, and other serious matters are transferred to a Superior Court, not a Municipal Court. Municipal Courts are thus known as courts of \u201climited jurisdiction.\u201dMunicipal Courts handle less serious criminal and traffic matters. These matters can include disorderly persons offenses or petty disorderly persons offenses\u2014similar to misdemeanor offenses outside New Jersey\u2014like\u00a0possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana, shoplifting under $200 worth of merchandise,\u00a0disorderly conduct. These charges are not indictable in nature but are still serious, as they can result in a criminal record and even time in jail.\u00a0Driving under the influence (DUI and DWI) offenses\u00a0are also heard and decided in municipal court. These courts also handle even less serious offenses like a barking dog ticket or a violation of a municipal building code. Some of these offenses, particularly municipal ordinance violations, do not even qualify as disorderly persons offenses, but are rather considered quasi-criminal or non-criminal in nature.Do I Have to Appear in NJ Municipal Court?Below is some general guidance on when you are required to appear in a municipal court, but the details included on your ticket and your jurisdiction\u2019s Municipal Court always controls this information, and you should be sure to check both those sources prior to your court date.If you are charged with a criminal offense in municipal court, a court appearance is always required. Criminal matters generally include violations like\u00a0simple assault,\u00a0drug charges,\u00a0shoplifting, and the like. If you appear on a criminal matter, you can will need to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. If you plead guilty, you will also be required to provide payment for fines in most cases.Some traffic tickets include a checkbox next to the words \u201ccourt appearance required.\u201d If that box is checked, you need to appear at the time and place noted on the ticket. If that box is not checked, you do not need to appear unless you plan to go to trial, the charge is not listed on the statewide violations schedule (indicating that it cannot be paid at a court office or in the mail), or personal injury is involved. If you do not pay a traffic or some other tickets prior to your municipal court appearance date, you may have to pay late fees.Traffic Ticket Trials in Municipal CourtsDui & Traffic Tickets Handled in Municipal CourtThe most common offenses at issue in municipal courts are generally traffic tickets. If you wish to go to trial on a traffic case, you need to notify the Court Administrator five days or more before your scheduled court date (which is usually noted on the ticket). If you fail to give notice, you may have to come back for another court date so that the prosecutor will have time to prepare. Note that if you could have paid the ticket by mail, the court has the ability to impose a higher fine and\/or court costs if you go to trial and lose, depending on the charge or ticket at issue, and the judge could also suspend your driving privileges. There are certain cases like\u00a0driving with a suspended license,\u00a0reckless driving, and drunk driving that you are best advised not to attempt to handle on your own. In fact, you would be surprised to learn of the severe penalties that may be imposed in municipal court, including up to 6 months in jail, thousands of dollars in fines and court fees, and driver\u2019s license suspension that could last up to 10 years.Need a Defense Lawyer for Hoboken Municipal Court CaseIf you have been arrested and charged with a crime or issued a serious traffic ticket and have to go to municipal court, you should speak with an experienced criminal defense lawyer who can explain the process moving forward and discuss the options you may have. The lawyers at our firm have been successfully defending clients in municipal courts in New Jersey for years. Contact us today at\u00a0(201) 793-8018 for a free consultation and get answers about your specific case."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How Cases Work in New Jersey Municipal Court","item":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/how-cases-work-in-new-jersey-municipal-court\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]