Upon the arrest of a suspect, the police take fingerprints, check the criminal history, and issue either a summons or warrant. With a summons, the accused typically goes free until the next hearing. They go to jail with a warrant, after which pretrial services recommends whether a defendant stays in jail until trial or goes […]

Criminal cases in New Jersey are contests between the state and an accused. The state presents evidence to prove that a defendant or defendants committed the crimes alleged in its complaint. Defendants use evidence to deny the state’s charges and to prove their innocence or to show how they are not as blameworthy as the […]