Helping Defendants Get Acquittals, Reduced Sentences, and Alternative Sentences In Middlesex County
Being charged with a crime is a traumatic experience. Your freedom and reputation are at stake. If convicted, you may face imprisonment and substantial fines. The case against you will move quickly, so it is crucial to have legal counsel on your side from the initial bail hearing and preliminary hearing through the negotiation stage and the jury trial.
Our Middlesex County practice areas
At Aiello, Harris, Abate Law Group PC, our Middlesex County criminal lawyers have been helping those charged with crimes get justice for six decades. In many cases, we have secured acquittals for our clients or had charges dismissed before the case went to trial, thereby avoiding the need to present the case to an unpredictable jury for a decision. Our New Jersey criminal lawyers have received the respect and admiration of our peers, and many of our lawyers have been rated as experienced and trusted attorneys in the state.
Our Middlesex County criminal defense attorneys handle the following types of offenses:
Possession of controlled substances – Drugs are classified as Schedule I, II, III, IV, and V drugs. Schedule I drugs are non-prescription drugs. In some cases, other schedules may be prescribed. The offense is charged if there is no prescription. Possession of Schedule V drugs is considered a 4th degree offense, while the other drug possession charges are more serious 3rd degree offenses.
Driving while intoxicated (DWI) – The police, if they have the right to stop a driver, will generally give the driver a field sobriety test. If the driver fails the sobriety test, the officer will administer a breath or blood test to determine the driver’s BAC. Our Middlesex municipal offense lawyers challenge the tests with the goal of having them ruled inadmissible.
Burglary – Anyone who breaks into a building or structure with the intent to steal, damage property, or commit a crime can be charged with burglary.
In some cases, we are able to have a defendant’s criminal record expunged.
Case Study
Multiple Municipal Court Charges Dropped
The defendant was charged with several moving violations, including driving while intoxicated (D.W.I.) in violation of N.J.S.A. 39:4-50 and refusing to submit to a breath test in violation of N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.4a. The attorneys of Aiello, Harris, Abate Law Group PC filed a motion to dismiss the refusal for failing to inform the defendant of all penalties.
Strong advocacy for Middlesex County residents accused of municipal crimes
Our Middlesex criminal defense attorneys are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We have offices across the state. If you are arrested, we are ready to help you right away. Many of our lawyers are former prosecutors, so we understand the criminal justice system inside and out. We handle the full range of indictable and municipal offenses.
Municipal charges include:
Motor vehicle violations, such as speeding, improper passing, and not stopping at a stop sign.
Less serious criminal offenses, such as first-time drunk driving offenses, shoplifting, simple assault, and writing bad checks.
Violations of municipal ordinances, including building code violations.
Fish and gaming violations.
Juvenile offenses.
These offenses, particularly traffic offenses and minor crimes, can cause significant harm. If convicted, violators can face county jail time and expensive fines. Traffic offenders may lose their license and will likely face costly insurance premium increases. They may have to pay surcharges, and will have a negative report on their driver’s license. Anyone convicted of drunk driving is looking at the possibility of jail time, the certainty of huge penalties and fines, and many indirect but costly expenses, such as higher insurance rates.
We also represent defendants who have been accused of more serious crimes, such as robbery, theft, and assault. These cases, when they occur in Perth Amboy, East Brunswick, Piscataway, or any other Middlesex County location, are transferred to the Superior Court of Middlesex County.
Some common defense strategies in municipal court cases in New Jersey
There are various types of defenses, depending on the charge, current law, the police’s performance of their duties, and the facts of the case.
Some common defenses are:
Asserting that your Constitutional rights were violated. Police need proper authority to seize evidence and to question witnesses.
Questioning the validity of the equipment used to conduct any tests or the officer’s handling of thetest. Our Middlesex defense lawyers challenge every aspect of any device used to demonstrate law violations and contest the skills and certification of the person administering the test.
Breath tests, which are the most common way to analyze a drunk driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC) can be challenged if the test machine, such as the Dräger Alcotest®, was not correctly calibrated, was misused, or if the test results are interpreted incorrectly. Breath machines must be routinely calibrated. Due to their complexity, officers must be certified before administering a breath test.
Speed radar guns, which are frequently used as the basis for issuing speeding tickets, must also be properly calibrated on a regular basis.
Showing that there was reasonable doubt. This can include any reasonable explanation for the offense, such as that you had used mouth alcohol before a breath test and the mouthwash gave a false result.
Additionally, we also argue that the charges should be reduced. For example, in speeding ticket cases, we often can negotiate an agreement with the police officer to reduce the points from four or five to two points.
At Aiello, Harris, Abate Law Group PC, our Middlesex County defense lawyers prepare each case as if we were going to trial for you. In this way, we cover all the necessary legal arguments and research the key facts. Being fully prepared enables us to present our case to the jury effectively, argue for evidence to be dismissed, and gives us the best opportunity to arrange a satisfactory plea bargain.
Call us today at (848) 346-2369 or contact us. Your initial consultation will take place over the phone, and you can schedule an appointment at the Woodbridge, NJ, office or one of our other office locations across New Jersey.
Contact our Middlesex County Criminal Lawyers
Meet Our Team
The Aiello Harris Abate Law Group is made of a group of professionals that are here to help you through all challenges.