The governing body in Woodbridge Township NJ has adopted an assortment of ordinances to regulate conduct within the municipality. The headings which follow explore some of the more frequently encountered ordinances in the Woodbridge Municipal Court. Our Woodbridge Criminal Lawyers are available to assist you with detailed questions regarding any violation in this municipality. Call us anytime 24/7 for a free consultation at 732-751-4458.
Consuming Alcohol in Public
3-2.1 Consumption and Possession Restricted.
- No person shall possess any alcoholic beverage in or upon a public park, playground, recreation area, public school ground or school building.
- No person shall drink, imbibe or consume any alcoholic beverage in or upon:
- A public street, lane, roadway, avenue, sidewalk, public parking place, park, playground or recreational area, or any other public place;
- A public conveyance;
- A private motor vehicle while the same is in motion or parked on any public street, lane, public parking lot or public place; or,
- Any private property not his or her own, without the express permission of the owner or other person having authority to grant such permission.
Underage Drinking and Possession of Alcohol
3-3 Consumption and Possession of Alcohol by Underage Persons on Private Property.
3-3.1 Definitions.
Guardian shall mean a person who is qualified as a guardian of an underage person pursuant to testamentary or court appointment.
Relative shall mean an underage person’s parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling, first cousin or closer relative by blood, marriage or adoption who has attained the legal age to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages.
3-3.2 Violations; Exceptions.
- Any person under the legal age to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages who, without legal authority, knowingly possesses, orders, purchases, serves or consumes alcoholic beverages or who is under the influence of alcoholic beverages within the municipality boundary of the Township of Woodbridge shall be in violation of this section and subject to the penalties hereof.
- This section shall not apply to an underage person consuming or possessing an alcoholic beverage in connection with a religious observance, ceremony or rite or consuming or possessing an alcoholic beverage in the presence of and with the permission of a parent, guardian, or relative who has attained the legal age to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages.
- This section shall not apply to any underage person while actually engaged in the performance of employment by a person who is licensed under Title 33 of the New Jersey State Statutes or while actively engaged in the preparation of food while enrolled in a culinary arts or hotel management program at a County vocational school or post-secondary educational institution; however, this section shall not be construed to preclude the imposition of a penalty under section N.J.S.A. 33:1-18 or any other section of law against a person who is convicted of unlawful alcoholic beverage activity on or at premises licensed for the sale of alcoholic beverages.
3-3.3 Penalties; Fines.
a. The fine for such an offense under this section shall be two hundred fifty ($250.00) dollars for a first offense and three hundred fifty ($350.00) dollars for any subsequent offense.
b. The court may further suspend or postpone for six (6) months, the driving privilege of the defendant in addition to the fine authorized for this offense. If a person at the time of the imposition of such sentence is less than seventeen (17) years of age, the period of license postponement, including a suspension or postponement of the privilege of operating a motorized bicycle, shall commence on the day the sentence is imposed and shall run for a period of six (6) months after the defendant reaches the age of seventeen (17) years. If a person at the time of the imposition of such sentence under this section has a valid driver’s license issued by the State, the court shall immediately collect the license and forward same to the State Motor Vehicle Commission along with the report.
These ordinance are not intended to supersede offenses set forth in the New Jersey Criminal Code, for example, Underage Drinking and Alcohol Possession charges. If you would like to discuss an ordinance violation, criminal offense or any other issue which you are having in Woodbridge Township, call our Woodbridge Office at 732-751-4458.
