Harassment can refer to a wide range of behavior in South Plainfield New Jersey. It can refer to hitting, beating, striking, or physically attacking someone. Someone can also commit a harassment offense by harassing, annoying, or threatening someone with offensive or indecent language or gestures, either in person or electronically through phone calls, emails, on the internet, or by any other means of communication. A lawyer at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall will make certain that your best defense to either type of harassment is presented in South Plainfield Municipal Court.
Although the criminal penalties for harassment are not as severe as a charge like aggravated assault in South Plainfield, the collateral consequences of being convicted include a record that will exist for many years. This can result in a suspension or revocation of a professional license, compromise you chances of obtaining employment or cause you to lose your immigration status. An accomplished attorney on our staff will help ensure that ramifications like these are avoided.
Our firm, the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall, is equipped with a team of eight criminal defense lawyers that have the know how to successfully defend your harassment charge. We have been practicing in South Plainfield and elsewhere in Middlesex County for over 100 years between the attorneys on our staff, including significant time serving as county and municipal prosecutors. Call us at 732-201-6509 for a free initial consultation with a knowledgeable lawyer anytime 24/7.
Harassment Charge in South Plainfield New Jersey
The New Jersey harassment law has evolved over the years into its current form which is contained at N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4. An individual commits harassment in violation of this law if he/she purposefully engages in any of the following behaviors:
a. Makes, or causes to be made, a communication or communications anonymously or at extremely inconvenient hours, or in offensively coarse language, or any other manner likely to cause annoyance or alarm;
b. Subjects another to striking, kicking, shoving, or other offensive touching, or threatens to do so; or
c. Engages in any other course of alarming conduct or of repeatedly committed acts with purpose to alarm or seriously annoy such other person.
In other words, anytime a person intentionally engages in behavior to harass or seriously annoy another via actions or communications made personally, electronically, or otherwise, he or she has committed a criminal offense.
Harassment in New Jersey is classified as a petty disorderly persons offenses (a misdemeanor). This grade of criminal offense falls within the jurisdiction of the South Plainfield Municipal Court. A conviction can result in penalties that include a fine of up to $500 and/or up to 30 days in jail. However, New Jersey also distinguishes the severity of harassment based on certain circumstances and can raise the charge to a fourth degree crime (a felony), punishable by a fine of up to 18 months in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000.
In addition to criminal penalties, harassment constitutes an act of domestic violence when it is committed against someone who qualifies under the New Jersey Prevention of Domestic Violence Act. When this is the case, the victim has the ability to apply for a temporary restraining order which can strip the defendant of the ability to communicate with that person or otherwise have any contact. Should you violate the restraining order and contact the victim, you face a separate criminal charge for violating a restraining order. The key in a domestic violence case is to make certain every effort is undertaken to win the final restraining order hearing. For more information on this subject, refer to our South Plainfield Domestic Violence page.
South Plainfield NJ Harassment Defense Attorney
The harassment defense attorneys at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall are experienced criminal defense trial lawyers who will fight aggressively for your rights. We have successfully represented clients requiring legal counsel in matters ranging from minor criminal charges to the most severe and complex charges. If you have been charged with harassment in South Plainfield, call our East Brunswick office at 732-201-6509, or visit our contact page to set up a no-cost, introductory consultation where we can discuss how to defend the charge.
