Morris County Pre-Trial Intervention Program Lawyers

Criminal Defense Attorneys with offices in Morristown, New Jersey

The Pre-Trial Intervention program (PTI) is a first time offender program used on felony charges for those individuals with no prior criminal convictions and who have never used a diversionary program before. If you have used a conditional discharge, conditional dismissal, or PTI in the past, then you are not eligible for the program again. You must make an application to the court, be interviewed by the probation department, and be recommended by the probation department and the prosecutor’s office to be accepted into the program. The benefits are, if you successfully complete the probationary period, the felony charges you are facing will be dismissed and you will have no criminal record.

The Morris County criminal defense attorneys at our firm represent clients charged with a range of criminal offenses throughout Morris County including robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, and shoplifting in Madison, Parsippany, Dover, and Denville. In fact, our attorneys have literally handled thousands of criminal cases in Morris County over the last 10 years and have achieved tremendous results for our clients. Our criminal defense team is composed of former Morris County prosecutors, former Municipal prosecutors, and experienced criminal defense attorneys who will draft a comprehensive defense strategy to achieve the best possible outcome for you in court. For example, our managing partner, Travis J. Tormey, was recently recognized as one of the top 10 criminal lawyers in New Jersey by the American Jurist Institute.

The Pre-Trial Intervention Program (PTI) for first time offenders in New Jersey Criminal Cases – Eligibility

The Pre-Trial Intervention program (known as “PTI”) is a first-time offender program in certain New Jersey criminal matters. The PTI program is a Superior Court program so it must be used on indictable (felony) level crimes in the county in which you have been charged. Commonly, third degree and fourth degree crimes are the types of offenses that can be placed in the PTI program. Technically, you can get PTI on a first or second degree criminal charge but that is unlikely based on the severity of those types of charges. To be eligible for PTI you must meet the following criteria:

• Never been convicted of a criminal offense before
• Never used a diversionary program before (either a conditional discharge, conditional dismissal or PTI)
• Be charged with a crime in which you are eligible

If you meet these criteria then you can apply for the PTI program in the county Superior Court in which you are charged. It is a $75 application fee. You will be interviewed by a probation officer for your PTI application. They will discuss the nature of your charges, your background, any employment status, and any other facts you wish for them to consider (like character letters, etc.). Probation will then make a recommendation to the county prosecutor’s office as to whether or not they think you are a good candidate for PTI. Then, the prosecutor’s office will accept or reject you from the program. If you are rejected, you have the right to appeal that rejection to a judge, known as a PTI appeal. If you are accepted, your case will then proceed to a judge so you can be placed into the PTI program. If you are placed on the program, you will be placed on probation for a period of 1-3 years. There will be certain standard conditions and special conditions of PTI you must comply with. If you successfully complete the program your charges will be dismissed at the end of your probation.

I have been recommended for the PTI program by probation and the prosecutor’s office, now what?

Once you have been recommended for PTI by the Morris County probation department and the Morris County prosecutor’s office, you must be placed into the program by a Superior Court Judge. The Judge will sign as order of suspension which will freeze or suspend your charges for the period of your probation (1-3 years). There are certain standard conditions of PTI you must comply with including:

• Remain arrest free
• Comply with your probation officer
• Do not move out of the State
• If you are leaving the State you must notify probation
• Maintain or seek employment or be enrolled in school
• If you receive a ticket or summons you must notify probation

In addition, based on the nature of your case, there will also be special conditions of PTI which could include the following:

• Drug and alcohol testing
• Community service
• Restitution
• Forfeiture of property (like a BB gun or weapon)
• Psychological counseling
• No contact with the victim

Your attorney and the court will review these conditions with you before you are placed into the PTI program. Then, the judge will sign the suspension order and you will be placed on PTI supervision.

I’ve been accepted into PTI and placed on PTI probation, now what?

Comply with all of your conditions and the charges will be dismissed. If you have met all the requirements, you can file a motion to have your PTI terminated early after half of the probation period has been served. Once you successfully complete PTI, the charges are dismissed and you have no criminal record. However, there is an arrest record which will show up on a background check. There is a six (6) month waiting period after you successfully complete PTI and you are eligible to expunge that arrest off of your record.

PTI Violations – PTI Termination Hearings

If you are placed into the Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI) program and you violate any of the conditions (standard conditions of PTI or special conditions of PTI) you could be terminated from the probationary program and your charges can return to court for disposition. Some potential PTI violations can include:

• Arrested on new charges
• Didn’t do court ordered community service
• Didn’t get a court ordered drug or alcohol evaluation
• Didn’t pay your fines, court costs
• Didn’t pay court ordered restitution

If you plead guilty to your charges to get into PTI, known as “PTI with a plea”, then if you are violated and returned to court the only thing that remains is for you to be sentenced on your original charges. If you were admitted into PTI with no plea, then the charges go back on the court’s calendar and the prosecutor decides what happens next with your case.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About PTI in Morris County NJ

FAQ: What does PTI stand for?

PTI stands for Pre-Trial Intervention which is a diversionary program for first time offenders for certain felony charges in NJ.

FAQ: How do I apply for PTI?

There is a PTI application you can submit through the court system. There is a $75 application fee associated with it.

FAQ: Can I get PTI on a 2nd degree crime?

In some cases, possibly. But you can’t apply for PTI on a 2nd degree charge unless the prosecutor consents.

FAQ: What happens if I get into PTI?

They place you on probation for a period of time (usually 1-3 years). If you comply with all of the conditions of probation (standard and special conditions) then the charges against you are dismissed.

FAQ: If I get PTI will I have a criminal record?

No, the criminal charges are dismissed. You will have an arrest record you can expunge six (6) months after your PTI ends.

Other Helpful Information on PTI

• PTI application
• PTI Supervision and Monitoring
• Morris County Superior Court
• Morris County Courthouse

For more information, contact our Morris County criminal defense lawyers for immediate assistance at 201-556-1570. Our attorneys are available immediately at our Morristown offices to answer all of your questions.