Morris County, New Jersey Criminal Defense Lawyer

Defending Your Rights, Freedom, and Reputation after a Criminal Arrest Or Investigation

Criminal charges are the most serious form of litigation you can face, because your rights, physical and financial freedom, and reputation are all directly at stake. There is no area of the law where it is more important for you to have experienced, skilled, and zealous attorneys representing you than when you face criminal charges or accusations.

Macri Law Firm fights tenaciously for criminal defendants, ensuring that the State must meet the high burden of proving you guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in order to convict you and subject you to legal punishment.

If you have been arrested or charged, or you are being investigated for or accused of a crime, you have everything to lose and you must act with speed and decisiveness to ensure you do not incur a criminal record, fines and penalties, or worst of all, prison time.

First, do not discuss your case with anyone but your attorney.

Make sure that you do not discuss your case with law enforcement without the presence of an attorney. While law enforcement officers may represent that things will be made easier on you if you engage in discussion with them, this is almost never the case. The United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey guarantee your right to remain silent, and you should preserve whatever defenses you may have available by doing so. Further, never discuss your case with friends, family members, or others.

Second, understand the gradation of the crime(s) with which you have been or will be charged.

New Jersey does not use the terms, “felony” or “misdemeanor,” as in other states. Instead, under New Jersey law, you may be charged with an “indictable offense or crime” a “non-indictable offense or crime.” An indictable offense conviction becomes a part of your permanent record and may involve prison time.

What Is an Indictable Offense?

Indictable offenses in New Jersey are the equivalent of felonies in other states. Courts classify charges into first, second, third and fourth-degree charges, with first-degree offenses being the most serious of all charges and almost always entailing significant jail time if you are convicted.

“Indictable” means that the State of New Jersey must conduct a grand jury investigation and a grand jury must find that there is enough evidence to charge the defendant. If you are indicted, a grand jury has found enough evidence against to bring you to trial before the New Jersey Superior Court Criminal Division.

Convictions for indictable offenses typically entail minimum jail sentences of six months or more. If sentenced for over a year, you will carry out the sentence in state prison. Due to the drastic consequences involved with being convicted of an indictable offense, including not only the possibility of imprisonment but permanent limitations on your ability to obtain employment, you should contact seasoned criminal defense attorneys immediately if you have been or believe you may be charged with an indictable offense of any degree.

What Is a Non-Indictable Offense?

A non-indictable offense can be either a disorderly persons or petty disorderly persons offense. There is no grand jury investigation with non-indictable offenses. Instead, the New Jersey Municipal Court system handles all non-indictable offenses. If charged with a disorderly persons or petty disorderly persons offense, you will face a trial before a municipal court judge.

Third, make sure that you obtain representation from expert criminal defense attorneys who will advocate aggressively on your behalf.

Working with seasoned criminal defense attorneys who specialize in adversarial litigation and focus on your desired outcomes is crucial if you are facing criminal charges.

If you have been charged with or accused of any of the following, you should contact Macri Law Firm immediately:

Violent crimes (assault, battery, homicide, arson, armed robbery, kidnapping, and numerous other indictable and disorderly persons offenses)
Drug crimes (possession, distribution, offenses involved with illegal drug activities)
White collar crimes (fraud, money laundering, embezzlement, etc.)
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (DUI) / Driving while intoxicated (DWI)
Any of the many other types of indictable offenses, disorderly persons offenses, or petty disorderly persons offenses under New Jersey law

We at Macri Law Firm handle criminal justice matters with the utmost seriousness they deserve. When you have been charged with a crime, your rights, freedom, and future are all at stake, regardless of whether you have been charged with an indictable (“felony”) or non-indictable (“misdemeanor”) offense.

Determining the extent of your criminal liability (possible charges you could face; criminal record, fines, and jail time you may face)
Advocating against subsequent charges or for dropping charges
Negotiating with prosecutors on your behalf
Establishing and conducting the most rigorous defense possible for your case
Redeeming your good name to the extent possible, and at minimum, forcing the State to meet its burden of proving you guilty beyond a reasonable doubt
Defending your fundamental rights and your future

Fundamentally, we at Macri Law Firm believe that there is no more important legal principle than that the accused are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If you have been accused, let us fight for you.