New Brunswick NJ Shoplifting Lawyers
Middlesex County as a whole deals with a tremendous amount of shoplifting offenses each and every year. This is largely due to the fact that it is home to several malls and large shopping centers including Menlo Park, Woodbridge Center and Brunswick Square Mall. If you have been charged with shoplifting in towns like Woodbridge, Edison, New Brunswick, East Brunswick and North Brunswick the New Jersey shoplifting lawyers at Proetta & Oliver can help. Our attorneys have been defending clients accused of shoplifting for years now. Shoplifting is a very serious offense, one that if not handled properly could have rather significant consequences on one’s life. As you will see below, anyone convicted of shoplifting will be facing jail time, high fines, community service, probation, a criminal record, restitution, court order shoplifting anonymous classes even if they are a first time offender. In addition to that, shoplifting is considered a crime of moral turpitude by the federal court system. That means that on top of the other penalties previously mentioned, anyone convicted of a shoplifting offense would most likely also face deportation proceedings as well.
If you have been charged with shoplifting, possession of burglary tools, burglary, robbery, trespassing, receiving stolen property or any other offense for that matter in Middlesex County, Proetta & Oliver can help. Our attorneys are well verse in defending clients accused of shoplifting offenses. Combined, our attorneys have probably defended more than a thousand different shoplifting charges throughout our careers. We defend those accused of shoplifting in courts throughout New Jersey but we have extensive experience in dealing with the Edison Municipal Court as our office is right around the corner. If you would like to come into our office for a free face to face consultation then please contact us at (732) 856-9959. We will go over the specific facts of your case and we will give you our honest feedback on how we think we can be of assistance. Do not let a simple mistake jeopardize your future.
Shoplifting Charges in Middlesex County NJ?
The attorneys at Proetta & Oliver are well aware of what is on the line when someone is charged with a shoplifting offense. We are dedicated to make sure that what normally amounts to a simple lapse in judgement does not affect your life moving forward. Our attorneys appear in courts throughout Middlesex County on a regular basis and some of the most frequented courts include:
- The Woodbridge Municipal Court
- The Middlesex County Superior Court
- The Edison Municipal Court
- North Brunswick Municipal Court
- The East Brunswick Municipal Court
- The Old Bridge Municipal Court
In addition, some of the most common stores that we deal with as they are technically the “victim” when someone is charged with a shoplifting offense are:
- The Home Depot
- Lowes
- Macy’s
- Sephora
- ShopRite
- Stop & Shop
Is Shoplifting a Felony Offense in NJ?
The governing statute in New Jersey for shoplifting is NJSA 2C:20-11b. Shoplifting can either be a misdemeanor or a felony offense in New Jersey. What determines the degree will be the dollar amount of the merchandise in question. Here is a quick breakdown of the different degrees:
- 2nd Degree Felony Shoplifting Charge
- In order to be charged with this degree the Defendant must have alleged to have taken more than $75,000 worth of merchandise.
- 3rd Degree Felony Shoplifting Charges
- If a Defendant is charged under this subsection, it must be alleged that they have taken more than $500 but less than $75,000 worth of merchandise.
- 4th Degree Felony Shoplifting Offense
- If a Defendant is facing a fourth degree felony shoplifting offense then it must be alleged that they had taken more than $200 but less than $500 worth of merchandise.
- Disorderly Persons Offense Shoplifting Charge: NJ Version of Misdemeanor
- A Defendant is alleged to have taken less than $200 worth of merchandise.
Anyone charged with a disorderly persons shoplifting offense will be forced to defend their charges in the local municipal court in the municipality where the offense occurred. So if the offense occurred at the Home Depot in Edison and the value of the merchandise is less than $200 the charges will be litigated in the Edison Municipal Court. Conversely, anyone charged with a felony level shoplifting offense will be forced to litigate those charges in the Middlesex County Superior Courthouse which is located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. However, an experienced Middlesex County shoplifting defense attorney may be able to convince the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office to remand the charges back to the local municipal court. If that is to occur, the felony shoplifting charges will be downgraded to a misdemeanor shoplifting charge. ‘
Shoplifting Attorneys in Edison NJ
Being charged with a criminal offense can be extremely nerve wracking. However, hiring an attorney who not only knows how to defend shoplifting charges but also knows the ins and outs of the courts can go a long way to alleviating some of the stress. If you have been charged with shoplifting in Middlesex County, in towns like Monroe, Plainsboro, Spotswood, Perth Amboy, Highland Park or Rahway, Proetta & Oliver can help. For a free consultation today, please contact us at (732) 856-9959.