Each summer and throughout the year, tourists from New Jersey and the surrounding states flock to Avalon to hit the beach and have some fun. While most folks enjoy their visit without incident, other times, especially when drinking is involved, things can end up getting out of hand and someone may find themself arrested. Especially if you are not from the Avalon area, being arrested can be frightening and disorienting and you may be unsure what to do next to give yourself the best chance at getting out of custody quickly and ultimately getting the charges against you dismissed.
At the Law Offices of John J. Zarych, our skilled Avalon, NJ criminal defense lawyers have years of experiences successfully defending tourists as well as year-long residents charged with a variety of criminal charges in Avalon. We understand that this may be the scariest experience of your life, and are here to answer any questions you may have, offer you our best guidance, and treat you as a person and not just yet another case. Our team will work relentlesslynto bring your case to the best possible resolution for you. Call us today at (609) 616-4956 for a free consultation.
Types of Crimes Our Avalon, NJ Criminal Defense Lawyers Can Assist With
The NJ criminal code is long and convoluted and contains many different types of actions that, if undertaken in a certain context, can constitute criminal behavior. The below list of charges we have experience defending against is by no means exhaustive. Anytime you are charged with a crime, reach out to our skilled criminal defense lawyers at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych so we can examine the particulars of your situation and chart the best course forward.
The following list includes some of the most common types of charges we deal with:
- DUI
- Underage Drinking
- Public Intoxication
- Disorderly Conduct
- Assault
- Trespass
- Resisting Arrest
- Robbery
- Theft
- Homicide
- Sexual Assault
- Drug Crimes
- Fraud Terroristic Threats
How an Avalon, NJ Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Help at Each Stage of Your Case
While some charges can be resolved quickly, the criminal justice system can often be long and contain multiple different proceedings before a final resolution is reached. Our skilled criminal defense attorneys at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych are here to assist you at every stage of your case, from start to finish.
Arrest or Citation
Typically for minor infractions (for example, traffic tickets), the officer will simply write you a citation that contains a court date and let you go. In this instance, by contacting a skilled criminal defense attorney as quickly as possible, you give us the chance to reach out to the prosecutor before the hearing date and try to get the matter resolved in a single appearance. In most cases, however, when the police have reasons to believe that you did commit a crime, they will arrest you. Sometimes they may have probable cause to arrest you on the spot, such as if they personally witness you commit a crime, while other times they will investigate and apply for an arrest warrant with a judge when they believe they have enough evidence.
Arraignment and Detention (Bail) Hearing
After the arrest, you will be transported to the local police station to go through the booking process, which involves the police fingerprinting and photographing you and collecting your biographical information. Once booking is complete, you will be held in the station’s holding cell or at the local detention center until your initial appearance and detention hearing can be held, typically within 48 hours of the arrest at most. For this reason, it is vital to contact a skilled attorney for a detention hearing like those at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych as soon after your arrest as possible, so that we can have time to prepare and represent you at these important early proceedings that can set the tone for your entire case.
At your initial appearance, the judge reads the charges against you and advise you of your rights, and, if you are charged with a disorderly persons offense, your arraignment will occur. At the arraignment, you will be asked to enter a primary plea of guilty or not guilty. In indictable offense cases, this does not occur until after a grand jury has returned an indictment. Your lawyer will usually advise you to plead not guilty while they collect all the evidence and try to work out a plea deal. At your detention hearing, also known as a bail hearing, the judge will decide whether or not you must be held in jail while the case against you plays out. Because New Jersey has virtually eliminated cash bail, they make this decision on a series of holistic factors like the nature and severity of your alleged offense and your assessed flight risk. Our attorneys know the best arguments to persuade a judge to release you, and without any burdensome conditions like GPS ankle monitoring.
Pre-Trial and Trial
Once we have handled getting you released from jail, our lawyers will turn their attention to collecting any outstanding evidence, filing any relevant motions, and negotiating with the prosecution about a deal to get you downgraded or dismissed charges. For first-time offenders, we may be able to convince the prosecutor to allow you into a pre-trial intervention program; If you successfully complete this program, your charges will get dismissed. Other possible deals include an agreement by the prosecution to downgrade the charges, like from aggravated assault to simple assault, or recommending a more lenient sentencing. If you don’t want to accept a deal, our battle-tested trial lawyers at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych are always ready to fight for your rights and innocence in the courtroom.
Call Our Veteran Avalon, NJ Criminal Defense Lawyers Today
No matter what kind of crime you have been charged with, our seasoned Avalon and Atlantic City criminal defense lawyers at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych have almost certainly seen it before. The quicker after an arrest you get into contact with us, the better chance we have of using our skills and experience in the local courts to bring your matter to the most positive possible conclusion. For a free consultation, call us today at (609) 616-4956.
