Our Defense Team Has Unique Qualifications For Defending Your New Brunswick Shoplifting Charge With A Former Prosecutor Of The Town’s Municipal Court & Former Director in the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office On Our Staff
There are countless shoplifting charges filed in New Brunswick annually. The City not only has slews of retailers but is also the home of the Middlesex County Superior Court where every second degree, third degree and fourth degree shoplifting case is heard. Whether you were charged with a disorderly persons offense for shoplifting or are facing an indictable charge for allegedly stealing merchandise, an attorney at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall has the skills to help you. Our unique qualifications go far beyond, however, the typical puffery you will find all over the internet.
Exceptional Experience & Credentials for Ensuring Success In Defending Your New Brunswick Shoplifting Offense
Your focus needs to be on actual facts concerning the attorneys you are considering rather than hollow statements on a website. Our firm has qualifications that are beyond question and, in our estimation, unparalleled. We offer our clients:
- Over 200 years of combined experience defending shoplifting charges in New Brunswick Municipal Court and at the Middlesex County Superior Court
- 15 attorneys who limit their law practices exclusively to criminal defense
- Former prosecutors of New Brunswick Municipal Court on staff
- A former Director in the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office on staff
- Certified criminal trial attorneys
- A long history of dismissals and other positive outcomes defending shoplifting charges arising in New Brunswick New Jersey
If you were arrested and charged with this offense, a New Brunswick Shoplifting Lawyer at the firm is ready to assist you in a free consultation. Contact our New Brunswick Office at 732-246-7126 to speak to a highly knowledge attorney.
Indictable Shoplifting Charge in New Brunswick New Jersey
New Brunswick has far more indictable shoplifting charges of the fourth, third and second degree than any municipality in Middlesex County. The reason is because this is town where the county courthouse is located, the place where every case involving shoplifting of merchandise having a value of $200 or more must be dealt with. The attorneys on our criminal defense team have represented hundreds and possibility thousands of individuals facing felony offenses at this venue and one of our members is even a former director in the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. It is important that you retain an lawyer with this type of pedigree since the penalties under N.J.S.A. 2C:20-11 are significant, including:
- Second Degree Shoplifting. It is a second degree crime to shoplifting merchandise with a value of $75,000 or more. The penalties that may be imposed at the time of sentencing for this offense include 5-10 years in prison and a fine of up to $150,000.
- Third Degree Shoplifting. The biggest percentage of felony shoplifting charges fall into this grade since it covers retail theft involving a value of at least $500 but less than $75,000. A conviction for a third degree crime carries penalties that include a maximum fine of $15,000 and 3-5 years of imprisonment.
- Fourth Degree Shoplifting. You can be sentenced to up to 18 months in prison and fined up to $10,000 for a fourth degree shoplifting. This grade of crime applies where the merchandise stolen has a value of at least $200 but less than $500.
New Brunswick Disorderly Persons Offense for Shoplifting
The types of shoplifting cases heard in the municipal court of New Brunswick are disorderly persons offenses. These are all charges that involve thefts of merchandise with a value of less than $200. Please note that many of these cases also include felony shoplifting cases that are remanded (downgraded) by the county prosecutor’s office. This typically occurs as a result of an attorney getting involved in a New Brunswick shoplifting case early and convincing the prosecutor that the charge is not worthy of treatment as a felony. A conviction for shoplifting as a disorderly persons offense can result in a fine of up to $1,000 and up to 6 months in the Middlesex County Jail.
Conduct That Constitutes Shoplifting under 2C:20-11. The New Jersey Shoplifting Law is contained at 2C:20-11 and outlines the type of conduct that can result in your being found guilty of stealing in this manner in New Brunswick. The following conduct constitutes shoplifting: (1) taking merchandise with intention of depriving the owner of its value; (2) concealing merchandise; (3) changing price tags on merchandise; (4) placing goods into a different container or box in order to distort the value of merchandise; (5) under-ringing merchandise at the register; or (6) stealing a shopping cart.
Diversion of a Shoplifting Case. There are two programs that allow an individual arrest and/or charged with shoplifting to avoid prosecution. Both of these avenues of relief are reserved for first time offenders and typically require one year of probation in order to avoid and criminal record and penalties for shoplifting. Felony shoplifting charges of the second, third and fourth degree may be diverted through Pretrial Intervention and disorderly persons charges can be resolved through Conditional Dismissal. An attorney at our firm is adapt in both programs and can help you secure admission.
New Brunswick Shoplifting Attorney
It is obvious that the penalties for shoplifting are serious in the event of conviction. An individual also faces the collateral consequence of a record for stealing, something that can effect your ability to secure employment, gain admission into graduate, law or medical school and effect other endeavors. This is precisely why you cannot afford to go without an attorney who is skilled in this area of law. The attorneys at the Marshall Law Firm have the level of qualification you need with over a century of combined experience defending shoplifting charges. Lawyers are available 24/7 to address your questions and concerns. Call us at 732-210-6241 for an immediate consultation with a highly knowledge shoplifting lawyer.
