[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/types-of-complaints-in-nj-criminal-cases\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/types-of-complaints-in-nj-criminal-cases\/","headline":"Types of Complaints in NJ Criminal Cases","name":"Types of Complaints in NJ Criminal Cases","description":"Received a Criminal Complaint in Hudson County, New Jersey If you have had a criminal complaint filed against you in New Jersey, you may be wondering how a citizen\u2019s complaint differs from a police complaint and whether this means you\u2019re facing\u00a0criminal charges. Often, citizen\u2019s complaints arise in situations involving\u00a0domestic disputes, however, they can also be […]","datePublished":"2018-10-10","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\/criminal-complaint.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/criminal-complaint.jpg","height":987,"width":2000},"url":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/types-of-complaints-in-nj-criminal-cases\/","about":["Criminal Case Issues"],"wordCount":738,"articleBody":"Received a Criminal Complaint in Hudson County, New JerseyIf you have had a criminal complaint filed against you in New Jersey, you may be wondering how a citizen\u2019s complaint differs from a police complaint and whether this means you\u2019re facing\u00a0criminal charges. Often, citizen\u2019s complaints arise in situations involving\u00a0domestic disputes, however, they can also be filed by a bystander who observes criminal activity. Understanding the difference between a citizen\u2019s complaint and a complaint filed by police will allow you to better understand the state of your case and how each type of complaint can initiate criminal proceedings against you.What Is a Citizen\u2019s Complaint in NJ?A citizen\u2019s complaint occurs when a citizen alleges that a crime has been committed or provides a statement regarding illegal conduct. New Jersey law provides a legal avenue through which private citizens can file criminal complaints and traffic complaints against another individual for certain violations. If a court determines, after review, that there is probable cause, the individual can be charged with an offense.It is important to note that a citizen\u2019s complaint does not in and of itself impose criminal charges on an individual. If someone you know falsely accused you of crime and made a citizen\u2019s complaint against you, that does not automatically mean that you will be put into the criminal justice system. First, the court must determine that there is probable cause to believe that the claim(s) against you are true.Citizen Complaints Vs. Police Complaints in New JerseyA police-filed complaint may come about in a few different ways. First, if an officer personally observes illegal conduct, they may file a complaint based on their own observations. For example, if a police officer observes a drug deal taking place, approaches the individuals, and confirms the occurrence of a drug sale, the officer may file a complaint based on their own observations. This means the police officer files criminal charges against the individuals for\u00a0heroin distribution,\u00a0intent to sell marijuana,\u00a0distributing cocaine,\u00a0drug distribution in a school zone,\u00a0or another drug offense.A police-filed complaint may also follow from an investigation prompted by statements and observations from a private citizen. This situation may arise if a private citizen observes criminal activity (like an attempted\u00a0car theft), flags down a police car, and tells the police officer what they saw and what direction the suspect is headed in. If the police investigate and determine that there is probable cause to arrest and charge an individual with a criminal offense, they will file a complaint themselves. In this process of filing charges against the alleged offender, the officer will file a complaint for\u00a0sexual assault,\u00a0lewdness,\u00a0harassment, or another criminal offense that applies to the situation.How Do You File a Criminal Complaint Against Someone in New Jersey?If you want to file a citizen\u2019s complaint in New Jersey regarding a criminal violation made by another person, you can do so by visiting the municipal court or the police department in the town or city where the criminal activity occurred. You will be asked to fill out a citizen\u2019s complaint form. This form will be submitted to the State Electronic Complaint System (ECDR) and you will be asked to sign the document, swearing that the contents are true and accurate.\u00a0You may be required to also file a police report. New Jersey law requires the individual filing the complaint to appear in court when their complaint is reviewed. The municipal court will then determine if there is probable cause to file criminal charges against the alleged offender, based on the complaint and any other evidence available.Criminal Complaint Defense Lawyers in Hudson County, NJIf you receive a criminal complaint in Hudson County, it is\u00a0important to obtain the representation of an experienced criminal defense lawyer right away. A police complaint means you may face prosecution in the\u00a0Hudson County Superior Court\u00a0or a local Municipal Court in Hudson County.\u00a0If someone has filed a citizen\u2019s complaint against you, a judge will review this complaint and it could lead to criminal charges against you. For additional information about types of complaints in New Jersey criminal cases,\u00a0contact our firm\u00a0today at\u00a0(201) 793-8018. One of our skilled criminal defense attorneys at\u00a0William Proetta Criminal Law\u00a0is available to provide you with a free\u00a0review of your 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":"Types of Complaints in NJ Criminal Cases","item":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/types-of-complaints-in-nj-criminal-cases\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]