Union Township Domestic Violence Defense Lawyers

Handling harassment, simple assault, stalking, criminal mischief charges in Union Twp., NJ

Harassment Criminal Charge NJ

Have you received a criminal charge for harassment in New Jersey? We can help. Here is a harassment case we successfully handled for one of our very satisfied clients.

The criminal defense team at the Tormey Law Firm succeeded in getting another case dismissed on behalf of a satisfied client. This time, our client was accused of harassment and the matter was being heard in the Union Township Municipal Court. In this case, the client was accused of sending multiple text messages and emails to a former lover as well as allegedly tracking her car. However, there were no third-party witnesses to the alleged conduct and the prosecution could not prove the case without the victim present to testify. Simply put, the victim had to be present in court to be called as a witness. But the victim failed to appear on more than one occasion and after an application to dismiss the case for failure to prosecute, the court agreed that the case should be dismissed and now our client has no criminal record.

The New Jersey Criminal Code defines harassment as follows under N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4: a person commits a petty disorderly persons offense if, with purpose to harass another, he: a. makes, or causes to be made, a communication or communications anonymously or at extremely inconvenient hours, or in offensively coarse language, or any other manner likely to cause annoyance or alarm; b. subjects another to striking, kicking, shoving, or other offensive touching, or threatens to do so; or c. engages in any other course of alarming conduct or of repeatedly committed acts with purpose to alarm or seriously annoy such other person. No matter the specific allegations, the fact remains that any case of harassment must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt before a judge can find a defendant guilty of harassment and enter a conviction on the person’s record. Thus, our strategy was to hold the prosecution to its burden of proof and require the presence of the alleged victim. In the end, the victim failed to appear and the harassment charge was dismissed.

Harassment charges in New Jersey fall into the lowest category of offenses – petty disorderly persons offenses; however, harassment charges should not be taken lightly because the penalties for a petty disorderly persons offense include up to a $500 fine and thirty days in jail. But, most importantly, there will also be a permanent record of a conviction that will show up on background checks.

Arrested for Harassment in Union? Contact Us For Help

Thus, if you are charged with harassment you should not hesitate to contact the harassment defense lawyers at the Tormey Law Firm. Not only does our team of criminal defense attorneys boast decades of experience, but we have also successfully defended clients accused of harassment in municipal courts throughout New Jersey. If you are facing harassment charges in New Jersey, call the Tormey Law Firm today for a free initial consultation at 201-556-1570.