Title 39 of the New Jersey Statutory Code contains the traffic code for the State. Within the traffic code are various individual statutes that provide the basis for the traffic tickets issued by NJ law enforcement and police. The traffic code is vast, and there are many statutes to choose from when issuing a ticket or exploring alternatives to initial charges during plea negotiations. There are, however, a number of common recurring tickets that are issued by police officers and law enforcement officials around the state. At the Reinartz Law Firm, we know the NJ traffic laws and are able to work within the constructs of the traffic code to secure clients fair plea deals in traffic matters.
Frequently Issued Non-Moving Violations in New Jersey
Non-moving violations commonly issued by law enforcement in NJ include driving without liability insurance, driving while suspended and unlicensed driving. In particular, driving while suspended is a common offense, as many motorists have their licenses suspended for a variety of reasons, including failure to pay surcharges and old tickets. It is not uncommon for people to be completely unaware of their suspended status until they attempt to renew their license or get pulled over for a moving violation.
Common Moving Violations
Moving violations frequently issued by NJ police include careless driving, reckless driving, speeding, improper lane change, improper passing and failure to observe a traffic signal. With regard to speeding tickets, the higher over the speed limit you are going, the higher the points will be on the ticket. Often, with the assistance of an experienced traffic lawyer, litigants can negotiate a “no-point” plea deal to these violations in court.
Clearing Traffic Violations
The New Jersey municipal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction that hear traffic violation matters, among others. Typically, traffic cases are resolved by way of plea deal between the defendant and the prosecution. In a plea deal, the prosecutor amends or reduces a charge in exchange for a guilty plea by the defendant. Any plea deal reached with the prosecution must be approved by the court, who will then handle the sentencing aspect of the case.
Pre-exsiting Points, Prior Convictions and Guilty Pleas
Prior traffic violations and points already on your license may affect your ability to negotiate a plea deal. Under these circumstances, your lawyer can explore alternative options with the prosecutor. Of course, if all else fails, your attorney can take your case to trial.
The New Jersey Municipal Courts are serious about prosecuting traffic offenses. If you’ve been cited in Bergen County, New Jersey for a traffic violation, contact The Reinartz Law Firm to learn more about the court process, potential penalties and your options.