Whether you are a year-long resident or a seasonal visitor looking to spend some time at the beach or bay, Ventnor is a great place to relax and have a good time. However, if things get out of hand and you end up arrested for a crime, you are likely to feel lost, scared, and alone, particularly if you are not from the area. Nonetheless, there are certain steps you can take in the immediate aftermath of being charged with a crime to give yourself the best chance at bringing the matter to a successful outcome, perhaps the most important of which is reaching out to an experienced, local criminal defense attorney right away.
At the Law Offices of John J. Zarych, our knowledgeable Ventnor, NJ criminal defense lawyers have years of experience successfully representing clients in Ventnor and throughout the South Jersey region charged with all sorts of crimes. We understand that the day of your arrest may be the worst day of your life, and we are here to make things easier and to guide you through this process with as few speed bumps as possible. We will leave no stone unturned fighting to get your charges downgraded or dismissed. For a free consultation, call our office today at (609) 616-4956.
When You Should Hire a Ventnor, NJ Criminal Defense Lawyer
Anytime you are arrested or cited for a crime, you or a loved one should reach out to a skilled criminal defense attorney like those at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych as soon as possible. If you are cited and allowed to go on your way, your citation will likely have a court date on it. Reaching out to a skilled criminal defense lawyer right away will give us a chance to contact the prosecutor and try to work out a deal for the entire matter to be resolved in one hearing. It will also ensure that you do not throw the citation aside and forget about your court date, which could lead to a bench warrant being issued for your arrest.
If you are arrested, you will be taken to the local station for the booking process. Within 48 hours of booking, but often much sooner, you initial hearing and detention hearing, also known as a bail hearing, will be held. You will definitely want to be represented by a skilled bail hearing attorney when the judge makes a decision about whether or not you can be released from jail while the case against you proceeds. In order to give us as much time as possible to prepare for this important proceeding, you or a loved one should reach out to the team at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych as soon after your arrest as you are able.
How a Typical Criminal Case Unfolds in Ventnor, NJ
After we have dealt with your detention hearing, the next steps in your case will depend on whether you have been charged with a disorderly persons offense, NJ’s version of a misdemeanor, or an indictable offense, NJ’s version of a felony. For disorderly persons cases, you will be arraigned at your initial appearance, meaning that you will be asked to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. In indictable offense cases, your arraignment does not occur until later, after the prosecutor has taken their case before a grand jury and an indictment has been returned. In either case, unless we have already reached a plea deal with the prosecutor, our skilled attorneys for a criminal arraignment at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych are likely to advise you to enter an initial plea of not guilty while we collect all the evidence to properly assess the case and file any necessary motions like a motion to exclude evidence obtained a result of an illegal search and seizure.
In some cases, especially for first-time offenders, we may be able to convince the prosecutor to allow you into a pre-trial intervention program, where your charges will be dismissed and you will not have a criminal conviction on your record if you complete the program’s requirements. In other cases, we may be able to work out a deal where the prosecutor agrees to downgrade the charge to something less serious, such as from DUI to reckless driving, in exchange for you entering a guilty plea and saving the state the time and cost of putting on a trial. Of course, if you wish to take your case to trial, our battle-tested trial attorneys at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych are ready to fight for a not guilty verdict in the courtroom.
Potential Penalties for Crimes in Ventnor, NJ
The criminal penalties you may face will vary greatly depending on the nature and severity of the alleged offense, including whether it is a disorderly persons offense or an indictable offense. For example, a first-time offender charged with underage drinking is likely to face probation, fines, or a pre-trial intervention program, while a person with a serious criminal record who is charged with homicide is almost certainly going to face serious prison time if convicted. Furthermore, it is important to note that all criminal convictions that leave you with a criminal record have collateral consequences like making it harder for you to find gainful employment down the line. By engaging an experienced criminal defense attorney like those at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych as early in the process as possible, you give us the best chance to mitigate the damage and stave off the most serious potential penalties.
Call Our Battle-Tested Ventnor, NJ Criminal Defense Lawyers Today
At the Law Offices of John J. Zarych, our skilled Ventnor, NJ defense lawyers are here to provide you with the most aggressive possible representation combined with a soft, personal touch. While we will leave nothing on the table fighting to get your charges downgraded or dismissed, we will also treat you as a person going through a difficult experience and not just another file to be closed. Call our Ventnor and Atlantic City criminal defense lawyer at (609) 616-4956 today for a free consultation.
