A harassment offense in North Brunswick is frequently emotionally driven. An argument with an ex-spouse, a difficult breakup or a dispute with your boss or a co-worker can lead to a series of repeated phone calls, text messages or emails. The end result of these unwanted communications is often a harassment charge, a potentially serious North Brunswick New Jersey criminal offense requiring the services of a skilled and resourceful lawyer.
The harassment defense team at Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall is composed of respected and seasoned attorneys who dedicate their practice to representing the accused. They have more than a century of combined experience as defense lawyers and prosecutors, including one member who served the North Brunswick Municipal Court. You should not go to court to face an harassment offense on your own. Contact us today at (732) 246-7126 to to speak to an attorney in a free initial consultation.
Harassment Offense in North Brunswick New Jersey
The North Brunswick Police can arrest you for harassment under N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4 if you do something that is prohibited by this law. You may be convicted for:
- Making, or causing to be made, communications at extremely inconvenient times or communicating anonymously with another person or using offensively coarse language to annoy or alarm the person;
- Kicking, shoving, striking or offensive touching committed or threatened against another person; or
- Engaging in a course of conduct intended to alarm or to seriously annoy another person.
The content of phone calls, text messages and other communications are not the only thing police and prosecutors look at when someone complains about being harassed. Investigators also look at the time and frequency of the communications in determining whether someone has cross into the threshold of harassment.
If the victim of harassment is someone afforded protection under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, the conduct constitutes an act of domestic violence. New Jersey Law permits a temporary or final restraining order to be issued in accordance with N.J.S.A. 2C:25-19 to protect the victim from future acts of alleged abuse. You can find additional information on this subject by referring to our North Brunswick Domestic Violence page.
North Brunswick Harassment Penalties
Harassment is a petty disorderly persons offense. This is the equivalent of a misdemeanor in other states and leaves you with a criminal record if you are convicted. A permanent criminal record is not the only consequence of a North Brunswick harassment offense conviction. You could be sentenced to serve up to 30 days in the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center and pay up to $500 in fines.
If you are on probation or parole for commission of an indictable offense or were serving time in prison or jail for an indictable offense at the time of the harassment, prosecutors can charge you with harassment as an indictable crime of the fourth degree. This is the equivalent of a felony conviction in other states and could subject you to up to 18 months in prison along with substantial fines.
There are two diversion programs that can allow you to avoid prosecution for harassment. Pretrial Intervention applies where someone is facing a fourth degree crime for harassment and Conditional Dismissal is the appropriate relief where someone is charged with a disorderly persons offense for harassment.
North Brunswick Harassment Defense Attorney
When your future is at stake, a hard-hitting North Brunswick harassment defense attorney from the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall is an excellent resource to insure that your interests are protected. We are former prosecutors, including from North Brunswick, and lawyers who have over a century practicing in North Brunswick Municipal Court and elsewhere in Middlesex County. To secure a free consultation from one of our defense attorneys to get the answers you need, contact our office anytime 24/7. A lawyer is available now at (732) 246-7126 to provide the insight and guidance you are looking for.
