Juvenile Disorderly Persons Offense Attorney in New Jersey

Disorderly persons offenses are the lowest level of crime under New Jersey statutes. They include such minor offenses as fighting (simple assault), trespassing, criminal mischief (vandalism), and shoplifting. But even a misdemeanor disorderly persons conviction can result in a fine, detention, and a juvenile record for a youth who may soon want to go to college or get a job.

If your child is under 18 and has been charged with a disorderly persons offense in New Jersey, you should speak with a juvenile criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Don’t take an arrest of this nature too lightly and jeopardize a young person’s future by accepting a conviction that may be avoided.

Attorney Jason A. Volet is an experienced New Jersey juvenile defense attorney who can help you navigate New Jersey’s juvenile justice system work and protect your child’s future. New Jersey law provides a variety of probationary and diversionary programs for youths who have broken the law. But some courts will choose to punish an underage defendant who does not have strong legal representation.

Contact the Law Office of Jason A. Volet today for a free initial consultation about your child’s options when charged with a disorderly persons offense. Jason Volet is a former criminal prosecutor in Monmouth County who has handled more than 2,000 criminal defense cases. He knows how New Jersey’s juvenile justice system is intended to work and what really happens in family court. Jason is easy to talk to and will do everything possible to pursue the best outcome in your child’s case.

Disorderly Persons Offenses and Penalties in New Jersey

Many minor crimes are classified as disorderly persons offenses. Among those that juvenile offenders are commonly arrested for are:

• Simple Assault
• Harassment
• Disorderly Conduct
• Criminal Mischief
• Trespassing
• Shoplifting
• Bad Checks
• Possession of Less than 50 Grams of Marijuana
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Obstructing the Administration of Law
• Resisting Arrest
• False Reports
• Lewdness
• Underage Alcohol Possession or Consumption
• Possession of a Fake ID

What is the Difference Between a Stationhouse Adjustment and a Criminal Complaint?

Technically, disorderly persons offenses are not crimes under New Jersey law. However, a conviction may still show up on a background check conducted by a prospective employer or a school’s admissions office and people will draw their own conclusions.

If a juvenile with no record is arrested for a disorderly person’s offense, his or her parents may receive a phone call and be asked to come to the local police precinct for a stationhouse adjustment. This is a meeting with the juvenile, his or her parents or guardian, and the victim to discuss the offense and what the juvenile may do to atone for their behavior. This may require performing community service, paying restitution, or providing another form of reparation. A stationhouse adjustment is meant to teach a young person a lesson and keep them from entering the juvenile criminal justice system and having an arrest on their record.

In other cases, police will file a criminal complaint with the local Family Division of the Superior Court and the juvenile unit of the county prosecutor’s office. The state will then review the case and decide whether it should be handled through a formal hearing before a Juvenile Judge or in a less formal proceeding conducted by a Juvenile Referee or Juvenile Conference Committee.

Any of these can result in a disposition that includes the detention of the juvenile for up to 6 months, as well as a fine, restitution if appropriate, and other requirements, such as suspension of an older juvenile’s driver’s license. If your child has been charged with a disorderly persons offense, you should obtain legal representation from an experienced New Jersey juvenile defense lawyer. A judge, referee, or committee must be persuaded that offering an accused juvenile offender a second chance is in the best interest of the child and the community.

How an Experienced NJ Juvenile Defense Lawyer Can Help

Juvenile defendants have the same rights as adults. Without a guilty plea, the prosecutor must prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt to gain a conviction. Our team will investigate the circumstance of your child’s arrest and determine the best path forward. If we are unable to get charges dismissed, Jason Volet would make a case to persuade the judge that some type of probation and release to you is what is best for your child and society. In such a case, we would expect to be able to promise a statement of remorse and a willingness to pay restitution if applicable, perform community service, and participate in counseling or other appropriate programs.

New Jersey’s Juvenile Code provides judges many dispositions, or sentences, to impose when a young person is adjudicated delinquent. A committee determines the disposition to be handed down based on the child’s record, the nature of the offense, the impact of the potential disposition on the family, and other factors and circumstances.

What is Deferred Disposition?

A young person with an otherwise clean record who is adjudicated delinquent may be offered a second chance through a deferred disposition. This is a type of probation that, if successfully completed, wipes the slate clean. A deferred disposition may carry several requirements, such as alcohol or drug testing if the original charge involved drinking or substance abuse, and last for up to a year. At the end of the deferred disposition term, if the juvenile has met the conditions of the deferral, the original charges will be dismissed and there will be no record of the charge.

If an active adjudication of delinquency cannot be avoided, attorney Jason Volet can help your child apply to have the record expunged in due time. When a criminal record has been expunged, no prospective employer or anyone else will find it in a background check. An expungement also means the individual no longer has to disclose a past arrest or conviction on applications that ask such questions.

Contact a Juvenile Disorderly Persons Attorney in New Jersey

If your underage child is facing a disorderly persons charge in New Jersey, contact an experienced New Jersey juvenile defense lawyer. The Law Office of Jason A. Volet in Neptune or Freehold can help protect your child’s rights and help you pursue the best possible outcome. Contact our offices online or at 732-702-3785 today to discuss your child’s legal options in a free, no-obligation initial legal consultation.