Charged with Harassment in the Borough of Roselle New Jersey
Hundreds of criminal charges are handled in the Roselle Municipal Court every year, and many of those offenses involve harassment. A harassment conviction is a serious matter that can potentially alter your life. Activities that lead to harassment charges are often associated with the emotional distress of a relationship struggle, such as a painful breakup. If you have been charged with harassment, it might be because you sent an excessive number of emails. You may have made repeated calls, not realizing that your actions were punishable in a court of law.
Penalties for a harassment conviction include having a criminal record that follows you on every job search and possibly serving time in jail. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall are experts at providing defense against harassment charges. We have former prosecutors and other well-qualified lawyers on staff who have successfully defended many clients charged with this and other disorderly persons offenses in Roselle NJ. To speak to a defense attorney immediately, contact us at 908-272-1700. A lawyer is available around the clock for free consultations.
Roselle NJ Harassment Offense
The offense of harassment is detailed in N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4. An individual who engages in any of the following activities can be charged with harassment:
- Communicates or causes to be made a communication or communications anonymously or at unreasonable hours that are inconvenient in the extreme or using language that is offensively course or in any other way that is likely to create alarm or cause annoyance.
- Strikes, shoves, kicks, or subjects another person to some other type of offensive touching or threatens to do so.
- Behaves in an alarming manner or repeatedly commits acts for the purpose of frightening or seriously annoying another individual.
The Element of Intent. For a prosecutor to find a person guilty of harassment, intent to harass the victim must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The issue of intent is an important reason our attorneys could make the difference between an acquittal and a conviction in your harassment case.
Jurisdiction. A harassment charge is customarily heard in Roselle Municipal Court as a disorderly persons offense. Harassment can, however, escalate to a fourth degree crime, a felony that may only be decided at the Union County Superior Court in Elizabeth, if the individual committing the offense was on probation or parole or serving a term of imprisonment at the time of commission.
Penalties for Harassment. The following are among the many penalties that could be imposed upon you if you are found guilty of a Roselle harassment offense:
- Jail time of up to 30 days in jail
- Pay a fine of up to $500
- Suspension of your driver’s license
- Probation
- Restitution paid to the victim
- Counseling
For a fourth degree harassment conviction, possible penalties include a maximum of 18 months in prison and paying a fine of up to $10,000.
Roselle Harassment Attorney
An accomplished attorney at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall possesses the skill in the defense of clients facing harassment charges in Roselle that you are looking for. Our firm is devoted exclusively to criminal defense with lawyers that have over 100 years of combined experience. We have an outstanding record of success defending clients just like you in Roselle Municipal Court and a lawyer is ready to provide a free consultation. Contact us at 908-272-1700 to speak to one of our attorney now.
