If you are facing a criminal charge for the first time in your life, you may be eligible for admission to a diversionary program. In these programs, a defendant can avoid a criminal conviction or even avoid having any record of their arrest and charge removed from their record, so long as the defendant successfully completes the terms of…

If you are arrested and charged with a crime but your charges are later dismissed or you obtain an acquittal at trial, you may wonder whether your arrest and charges will show up on a background check for employment, housing, or admission to an educational program.  Do Criminal Charges That Resulted in Dismissal or Acquittal Show Up on a Background…

Mischief Night is a quasi-holiday observed by many children and teens across New Jersey on October 30, the night before Halloween. On Mischief Night, young people will often engage in mostly harmless pranks, like ringing doorbells and running away, throwing rolls of toilet paper, and smashing pumpkins. Unfortunately, some young people choose to escalate the scope or destructive nature of…

Under New Jersey law, there are four major kinds of weapons offenses: possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession by a person not to possess weapons. Learn more about the penalties associated with each of these below.  Prohibited Weapons New Jersey law prohibits possession of certain kinds…

If you are accused of violating a restraining order that has been taken out against you in New Jersey, you should be aware that the penalties can be particularly severe, often including jail or prison time. In New Jersey, simply violating the terms of a restraining order is itself considered a criminal offense that can lead to prosecution and a…