Kearny Municipal Court – What To Know

If you received a ticket or criminal complaint in Kearny, start with the court named on your paperwork and the specific charge. Kearny Municipal Court, at 404 Kearny Avenue, hears disorderly persons and petty disorderly persons offenses, traffic and parking tickets, DWI charges, and town ordinance violations. Indictable crimes go to Hudson County Superior Court in Jersey City, even when the arrest happened in Kearny.

This guide covers Kearny’s court information, what its filing numbers mean, and how to respond to a summons. Call (201) 793-8018 for a free case review — we answer 24/7, and se habla español.

Kearny Criminal Defense Lawyer

William Proetta Criminal Law defends people charged in Kearny and throughout Hudson County. Our Jersey City office is about 20 minutes from Kearny Municipal Court.

• Direct attorney contact. You talk with a lawyer about your case, not a call center.
• We start early. We review police reports, body-worn and dash-cam video, and Alcotest data while the evidence is still available.
• Record and license protection first. When the facts support it, we pursue dismissals, downgrades, and diversion programs.

Kearny Municipal Court is at 404 Kearny Avenue, next to Town Hall at 402 Kearny Avenue. Use the address and entrance on your notice, not just the Town Hall address. Kearny holds separate regular, DWI, evening, and parking sessions, so the general schedule doesn’t tell you when you must appear. Your latest notice does. The town and the NJ Judiciary list different office hours, so call before an early or late visit.

What Kearny’s Court Numbers Mean

The total went up, but not because of arrests. From July 2025 through June 2026, the New Jersey Judiciary reported 67,862 filings in Kearny Municipal Court, up about 21% from 56,113 the year before. Nearly all of that increase was parking:

• Parking filings rose about 27% (43,981 to 55,901) and made up about 82% of the total.
• Criminal filings fell about 9% (3,908 to 3,545).
• DWI filings were flat (155 to 156).
• Moving-violation filings rose slightly (8,069 to 8,260).

So the increase doesn’t reflect more arrests or DWIs. The criminal total includes indictable complaints that start in Kearny and move to Superior Court, so it isn’t limited to cases decided in Kearny. These are court filings, not a count of individual people, Kearny residents, or tickets written only by Kearny police.

The 116% clearance rate means the court resolved more matters than were newly filed, including older cases carried over from earlier periods. It’s not a conviction or dismissal rate, and it doesn’t predict how long any individual case will take.

Criminal Complaints Heard in Kearny Municipal Court

The statute, subsection, and grading on your complaint determine which court hears it and what penalties apply. An offense name alone may not tell you the full charge. Common disorderly persons offenses heard in Kearny include:

• Simple Assault — N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(a)
• Disorderly Conduct — N.J.S.A. 2C:33-2
• Harassment — N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4
• Shoplifting (under $200) — N.J.S.A. 2C:20-11
• Criminal Mischief — N.J.S.A. 2C:17-3. Graded by the amount of damage; higher amounts are indictable.
• Drug Paraphernalia — N.J.S.A. 2C:36-2

When several charges come from one incident, track each complaint separately: what conduct it alleges, what evidence relates to it, and whether later paperwork moves it to another court. A notice about one complaint doesn’t necessarily resolve the others.

When a Kearny Case Goes to Superior Court

Indictable charges, such as aggravated assault, terroristic threats, unlawful weapon possession, burglary, and most drug possession, are prosecuted by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Hudson County Superior Court. These cases may come with release conditions you must follow from the start.

Don’t assume a charge will be sent back to Kearny because it’s a fourth-degree offense or because someone else’s case was downgraded. A downgrade depends on the actual charge, the evidence, your history, and the prosecutor’s review. A lawyer can assess the evidence, procedural issues, and diversion options such as Pretrial Intervention (PTI).

If you get paperwork from more than one court, keep separate records of each docket number and date. Confirm where each matter is pending before relying on Kearny Municipal Court’s schedule.

Kearny Traffic Tickets, Parking Tickets, and DWI

A parking ticket, a moving violation, and a DWI summons each need a different response:

• Payable tickets. If your ticket doesn’t say “court appearance required,” you can usually pay online at NJMCdirect.com, by mail, or in person. Paying is a guilty plea, so any points, MVC surcharges, and insurance increases still apply. If you want to contest it, contact the court or a lawyer before paying.
• Parking tickets. Kearny resumed driver’s license suspensions for unpaid parking tickets on October 1, 2024.
• Appearance required. DWI, refusal, and tickets marked “court appearance required” go before the judge. Kearny holds dedicated DWI sessions three times a month.
• Out-of-state drivers. Some traffic cases can be handled by a written Defense by Certification, with the court’s approval. The form is on the town’s court page.

Common Kearny traffic charges:

• Driving While Intoxicated (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
• Reckless Driving — N.J.S.A. 39:4-96
• Leaving the Scene of an Accident — N.J.S.A. 39:4-129
• Driving Without Insurance — N.J.S.A. 39:6B-2

See our Hudson County traffic ticket guide for more.

Keep your original summons with every later notice, and write down each case’s number and next court date. Make sure the court has your current address, phone, and email so updates reach you. If you need a different date, contact the court promptly and keep the confirmation. A request isn’t an approved adjournment until the court confirms it.

Preparing for Your Court Date

• Confirm whether your appearance is in person or virtual. Follow your current notice, not an old link or the general schedule.
• In person: Allow time to find the court entrance at 404 Kearny Avenue, locate the courtroom, and check in. Read parking signs carefully; don’t assume free visitor parking.
• Virtual: Test your device and connection ahead of time, and keep the court’s instructions for your specific event handy.
• Watch the Municipal Court Opening Statement video on the town’s court page before your date. It explains your rights.
• Preserve evidence. Save original messages, photos, and recordings, and write down potential witnesses.
• Don’t discuss the facts of your case with the prosecutor or officer without a lawyer.
• Keep the final disposition for each charge when your case ends.

What’s at Stake

A conviction can also mean probation, community service, license suspension, and a criminal record that shows up on background checks. DWI, refusal, and driving without insurance carry their own license suspensions and insurance surcharges.

Ways to Avoid a Conviction

• Dismissal when the evidence is weak or the stop or search was unlawful.
• Downgrade or amendment to a lesser offense or a town ordinance violation.
• Conditional dismissal for eligible first offenders charged with disorderly persons offenses.
• Conditional discharge for certain first-time drug offenses.
• PTI for eligible indictable charges in Superior Court.

Dismissed charges and many disorderly persons convictions can later be expunged. See our Hudson County expungement guide. If you’re convicted, Kearny’s court page has appeal information in English and Spanish. Appeals must be filed within 20 days.

Nearby Courts

Kearny borders Harrison and East Newark, across the Passaic River from Newark (an Essex County court) and the Hackensack River from Jersey City. We handle cases throughout Hudson County. For official forms, records requests, and notices, see the town’s municipal court page.

Kearny Municipal Court FAQs

Is a Kearny parking ticket a criminal charge? No. Parking tickets aren’t criminal charges and don’t create a criminal record. They make up about 82% of Kearny Municipal Court’s filings. But Kearny resumed driver’s license suspensions for unpaid parking tickets on October 1, 2024, so don’t ignore them.

What is the Kearny Municipal Court code? Kearny’s New Jersey Judiciary municipal court code is 0907. You’ll see it on court notices and may need it when paying a ticket or looking up a case online.

I got a text or email saying I owe money on a Kearny ticket. Is it real? Be careful. Kearny’s court page has warned about a phishing scam. Pay only through NJMCdirect.com, by mail, or in person at the court, and never through a link in an unexpected text or email. If you’re not sure, call the court at 201-955-7410.

I live out of state. Do I have to come back for a Kearny traffic ticket? Not always. For some traffic cases, the court may allow a written Defense by Certification instead of an in-person trial. The form is on Kearny’s court page, and the court must approve it. A lawyer can also appear for you on many traffic matters.

What happens if I miss my Kearny court date? The judge can issue a bench warrant for your arrest, and for traffic matters your license can be suspended. Call the court or a lawyer right away. The warrant can often be cleared and the case rescheduled.

Can a lawyer go to Kearny Municipal Court for me? For many traffic and minor matters, a lawyer can appear for you or handle the case without you being there. For DWI and most criminal charges, you’ll usually need to be present for the plea or trial, but your lawyer handles the negotiating and speaks for you.

Talk to a Kearny Criminal Defense Lawyer Today

The earlier we get involved, the more options you have. Call (201) 793-8018 for a free, confidential case review. Available 24/7 — se habla español.