New Jersey Traffic Ticket Attorney

Municipal Court Violation Lawyer in Haddonfield, NJ Represents Clients Charged with Criminal Offenses and Serious Traffic Offenses in Camden County, Gloucester County, Burlington County, and Throughout South Jersey

The flashing police lights in your rearview mirror usually result in a feeling of dread. No one likes to be pulled over and ticketed, and sometimes it’s difficult to even know what you did wrong. New Jersey police officers are often aggressive about issuing traffic violations. New Jersey drivers must be equally aggressive about defending their rights and fighting those tickets. At The Law Office of Jill R. Cohen, I fight on behalf of my clients to resolve their cases. As an experienced New Jersey traffic ticket attorney, I can help try to get your case dismissed or your charges reduced.

Secure Your Future With Experienced and Dedicated Defense;Schedule a Free ConsultationWith Me, New Jersey Criminal Defense Attorney Jill Cohen, to Fight For Your Rights and Seek The Justice You Deserve.

Traffic Violations and Municipal Court Cases in New Jersey

Many people do not take their charges in municipal court in New Jersey seriously, but these charges are very serious and carry severe penalties. They can result in criminal convictions that will affect you for the rest of your life. For young offenders, a criminal conviction in municipal court can limit your ability to borrow money for college, may affect your credit, and might even stifle your career by preventing you from obtaining many jobs.

Many lawyers are sending letters to obtain you as a client, but they do not always have your best interests in mind. You can count on me to defend you against your NJ municipal court charges because I have over thirty (30) years of experience and have practiced in municipal courts throughout the state of New Jersey, as far north as Sussex County and Essex County, and also in Mercer County, Middlesex County, and in all the courts in towns throughout the State of New Jersey.

Municipal Court Cases and Procedures for Challenging a Ticket

In New Jersey, traffic tickets, minor crimes, misdemeanor violations, and even most DWI cases are handled at the municipal court level and heard by a judge in the town where the violation occurred. Cases are presided over by a judge and not heard by juries. If you have been issued a citation and wish to defend yourself against the crime, there are instructions on how to challenge the ticket. An appeal of a municipal court case goes on to be heard by a judge at the Superior Court level.

Hiring an experienced New Jersey traffic ticket attorney to help you argue your case will give you the best chance of success in having the case and charges dismissed. Many of my clients’ traffic tickets can be dismissed altogether. Others have had their charges and fees significantly reduced, therefore preserving a good driving record. Almost any New Jersey traffic ticket can be negotiated with proper legal representation.

Why You Should Not Just Pay Your Fine

Paying your ticket is the equivalent of pleading guilty. This means you will pay the fines, get points on your driving record, face insurance premium hikes, and more. Also, it’s not unusual for a driver to receive more than one ticket violation during a New Jersey traffic stop. Those points add up. Every point on your license puts you one step closer to the suspension of your driving privileges.

The consequences of New Jersey traffic violation convictions are significant. Your license can be suspended, and your driving privileges can be taken away. You could even be jailed or imprisoned for up to six months without parole if you drive while suspended or revoked. If you are a truck driver and you depend on your commercial driver’s license (CDL), your livelihood is on the line when you face serious traffic violations.

The New Jersey Driver’s License Points System and Driver’s Suspension

Every traffic offense in New Jersey, from failing to signal to drunk driving, has a number of “penalty points” attached to it. If you get six or more points within three years on your current driving record, you will be assessed a surcharge. If you rack up 12 points in a three-year period, you will have your New Jersey driving privileges suspended. This means you will not be able to legally operate a motor vehicle in New Jersey. Failure to heed the guidelines for a driver’s license suspension will result in even more serious consequences.

Driving With A Suspended License In New Jersey

Driving is a privilege that we don’t even think about and often take for granted until it’s taken away. It is tempting to drive anyway, with the idea that no one will even know. Don’t. Driving while your license is suspended creates even more problems, including additional fines and increased suspension periods, and makes it even harder to get your license back again. If your license has been suspended, there is a process to apply to get it restored, and I can help you do this.

Skilled New Jersey Traffic Ticket Attorney Fights to Get Clients’ Municipal Court Violations and Traffic Charges Dismissed

It is important to have an attorney who has a close relationship with the prosecutors in the municipal towns. I have only good relationships with the prosecutors and judges in most towns throughout New Jersey. Further, I am intimately familiar with the NJ criminal codes and the local township code violations. I can often get your criminal offenses reduced to minor local code violations, which you can thereafter expunge. Also, I often get the criminal charges dismissed altogether.

When it comes to the defense of traffic offenses in NJ municipal courts, I know the “tricks of the trade.” I can anticipate and advise you as to what you can expect when you are charged by police for motor vehicle offenses in Camden, Pennsauken, Washington Township, Monroe, Hammonton, or anywhere else in South Jersey. It takes an attorney who knows the system in and out to get you the best result. I have been representing all types of people in municipal courts since starting my criminal practice in 2006. Before that, I was an acting Camden City Municipal Court prosecutor, so I have a deep understanding of how the municipal court system works.

Contesting Cannabis Possession and DUI Charges in South Jersey Municipal Courts

Keeping myself updated with the newest legal amendments and precedents is a key aspect of my profession; I aim to utilize these updates to serve my clients optimally. As you might have recently noticed, cannabis possession charges are now undergoing a substantial transformation in the municipal courts of New Jersey. Though these charges are not yet subject to automatic dismissal, my experience in the legal field might enable me to have these charges reduced to a local ordinance violation, or potentially delay proceedings until further favorable law changes. Notably, the recent legalization of marijuana in New Jersey may allow us to challenge any evidence obtained from a vehicle search if the search was solely justified by the “odor of marijuana.”

Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs constitutes a significant portion of my criminal defense practice in South Jersey. It is not uncommon to encounter attorneys who impose steep fees and portray themselves as having unrivaled knowledge of DUI cases. However, the ability to effectively combat a DUI charge is a necessity for any competent attorney, given its prevalence in our field. If you have been charged with DUI, specifically driving under the influence of drugs, in New Jersey, I am here to provide the required legal aid. It’s important to know that a DUI charge can be imposed even if the drugs in question were prescribed to you. A successful defense against these charges often requires consultation with a reputable toxicologist who can contest the police’s assertion that the drugs you consumed impaired your driving ability. Collaborating with such experts enables us to substantiate your claim that the medication you took did not compromise your ability to operate a vehicle safely. Moreover, if the local law enforcement did not appropriately prepare their case, there is often an opportunity to get these types of DUI charges dismissed. Vigilance in identifying errors in each case ensures the most beneficial outcomes for my clients.

Post-Conviction Relief for DUI Charges in New Jersey

I recently filed and won a motion for post-conviction relief arising out of a guilty plea for driving while under the influence of Xanax. The prior attorney advised my client to plead guilty to a DUI because the client admitted that he was prescribed Xanax and had taken a small amount before getting behind the wheel. He was in an accident, and the police and his prior attorney believed that he couldn’t beat the DUI charge. However, my toxicology expert reviewed the state’s records and gave an opinion that the Xanax in my client’s system had nothing to do with the accident and played no part in his ability to safely drive. Therefore, the matter was dismissed as part of post-conviction relief.

The Impact of Cannabis Legalization on DUI Charges in New Jersey

While marijuana has been legalized in New Jersey, law enforcement will continue to issue citations for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of Cannabis. If law enforcement officers perceive marijuana in your vehicle, either visually or through its odor, they might infer that your driving has been impaired due to marijuana use – a presumption that may not always be correct. In truth, it poses a considerable challenge for the State to substantiate the claim that marijuana negatively impacts your capacity to operate a motor vehicle safely. For initial evidence, law enforcement would need to have obtained either a blood or urine sample. My extensive experience in contesting DUI charges in New Jersey has enabled many clients to have their cases dismissed.

Remember this crucial fact – under New Jersey law, you are not obligated to consent to providing a blood or urine sample. If law enforcement requests this, you have the right to refuse. Currently, no negative inference can be drawn against you for opting not to provide these samples. This is sometimes confused with mandatory breathalyzer tests. Refusing a breath test can result in severe repercussions, and these refusal cases are typically hard to contest. However, there is no legal requirement for you to provide blood or urine samples – and without these samples, proving a DUI charge due to drug influence can become unfeasible. Should you decide to provide a blood or urine sample, I still recommend that one of our toxicologists or drug experts review the results to potentially strengthen your case.

I Offer Free Case Evaluations to Consult With You About The Charges You Are Facing. Call Me at 856-858-1500 or Reach Out Through My Online Form to Schedule Your Consultation Today.

Free Consultation with an Experienced New Jersey Municipal Attorney

Have you been charged with a disorderly persons offense, traffic violation, or DUI in South Jersey? Then you need to contact an experienced New Jersey traffic ticket attorney to explore your options.

To prevent the worst consequences of a municipal court violation, including penalties, fines, points, a suspended license, and even jail time, get in touch with me today. Call my Haddonfield office at 856-858-1500 or contact me online to schedule a free initial consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Traffic Tickets and Municipal Court Violations in New Jersey