Morris County NJ Municipal Court
New Jersey recently enacted a law which allows criminal defendants in municipal courts to avoid jail time and instead enter into a divisionary program known as the conditional dismissal program. The new program has also been referred to as “PTI in Municipal Court” because it is very similar to the Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI) program which has long been available in Superior Court for first-time offenders facing indictable felony-level offenses.
In order to qualify for the conditional dismissal program in New Jersey, a defendant must meet certain basic requirements, including:
- Charged with a disorderly persons or petty disorderly persons offense (not domestic violence)
- No prior criminal record
- Never used a diversionary program before (including PTI, conditional discharge, or conditional dismissal)
- Arrest occurred after January 4, 2014
If you meet the above requirements, you may be eligible for the conditional dismissal program in Morris County, New Jersey. If you qualify, you will need to plead guilty to the offense, at which point the charges against you will be suspended for one (1) year. As long as you stay out of trouble for a year, the charges will be dismissed at the end of the probationary period. You will avoid jail time and you will have no criminal record.
Additionally, the arrest record can potentially be expunged six (6) months after you successfully complete the program.
If you’ve been charged with a criminal offense in Morris County, NJ, it is imperative that you speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney. For additional information or to learn whether you might qualify for the conditional dismissal program in Morristown, NJ, contact Travis J. Tormey anytime at 908-336-5008.
