Harassment Charge in Carteret New Jersey
While a harassment charge rarely results in a jail sentence in Carteret New Jersey, there are serious consequences if you are convicted of this offense. A finding of guilt will result in a criminal record that can negatively effect your ability to obtain employment, a professional license or maintain immigration status. Ramification such as these should provide all the incentive to make sure you hire a skilled attorney if you have been charged with harassment in Carteret.
The defense lawyers at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall have handled their share of harassment charges and we are certainly adept in how to effectively defend such an offense with over a century of combined experience. We have what it takes to fully protect your interests against a Carteret harassment charge. Contact us anytime 24/7 for an immediate free consultation with a criminal lawyer on our staff. Attorneys are ready to assist you now at 732-210-6241.
Carteret Harassment Offense
The law regarding harassment in New Jersey is found at N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4. The law states that a person must have a purpose to harass another and commit one or more of the following acts to be guilty of harassment:
- Communicate anonymously or at extremely inconvenient hours, or in offensively coarse language, or any other manner likely to cause annoyance or alarm;
- Subjecting someone to striking, kicking, shoving, offensive touching or threatens to do so; or
- Engaging in a course of alarming or repeated conduct that is likely to cause alarm or seriously annoyance.
What is “causing annoyance or alarm?” The harassment law is rather broad and uses terms that are vague like serious “annoyance” and “alarm.” In order to determine conduct is seriously alarming or annoying, the judge of the Carteret Municipal Court must consider: (1) age of the parties; (2) gender of the parties; (3) the relationship between the victim and the accused; and (4) the context in which the conduct occurs.
What are the penalties for harassment? Harassment is typically a petty disorderly persons offense that is dealt with in Carteret Municipal Court. The penalties for this grade of harassment includes up to 30 days in jail and up to a $500 fine. A harassment offense can also be enhanced to a fourth-degree crime if the harasser is in prison, on parole, or probation when the violation is committed. The penalties that may be imposed at the Middlesex County Superior Court for fourth degree harassment include up to 18 months in prison and $10,000 fine.
Harassment and Domestic Violence. When a victim falls under the umbrella of the New Jersey Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, he/she may secure a temporary restraining order against the accused. This results in the defendant being charged with both a criminal offense and also be subject to the restrictions of a domestic violence restraining order. For more information on this subject, refer to our Carteret Domestic Violence page.
Carteret Harassment Lawyer
There are a wide range of fact patterns that can result in an harassment offense including repeated texting, telephone calls using threatening or harassing words, inappropriate emails or many other scenarios. The best option for protecting yourself against a criminal record for harassment in Carteret or anywhere else is to retain an accomplished lawyer to defend your case. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall have this pedigree with many former prosecutors and knowledge advocates that have been practicing in Carteret Municipal Court for decades. Let one of our lawyers help you through the process. An attorney is standing by now at 732-210-6241 to speak to you.
