Consequences of a Criminal Guilty Plea or Conviction in Municipal Court

Consequences of a Criminal Guilty Plea or Conviction in Municipal Court 1. If you plead guilty you will have a criminal record. 2. You may be required to do Community Service.  Ever see those people on side of road picking up trash or on beach raking garbage.        3. You can go to jail, pay thousands of dollars in fines, and may be barred from future employment 4. You may not be able to get a job as a teacher, public employee, banking industry, real estate or other state regulated field. 5. On employment applications, the answer to a question was you convicted of a criminal offense would be yes. 6. You must pay a $75 Safe Neighborhood Services Fund assessment for each conviction. You must pay a minimum Violent Crimes Compensation Board assessment of $50 ($100 minimum if you are convicted of a crime of violence) for each count to which you plead guilty. 7. If you are being sentenced to probation, you must pay a fee of up to $25 per month for the term of probation. 8. Your name may be posted on the internet together with the type of charge. Difficult to get a job if a quick internet search shows a conviction for 2C:12-1a - simple assault 2C:14-4 - lewdness 2C:17-3 - criminal mischief, property damage $499 or less 2C:18-3b - trespassing 2C:20-3 - theft $199 or less 2C:20-4 - theft by deception $199 or less 2C:20-11 - shoplifting $199 or less 2C:29-2 - resisting arrest 2C:33-2 - disorderly conduct 2C:33-4 - harassment 2C:35-10a(4) - possession of under 50 grams of marijuana 2C:35-10b - under the influence or use of a controlled dangerous substance 2C:35-10c - failure to make lawful disposition of controlled dangerous substance 2C:36-2 - possession of drug paraphernalia 9. In certain matters, you will be required to provide a DNA sample, which could be used by law enforcement for the investigation of criminal activity, and you pay for the cost of testing. 10. You must wait several years to expunge a first offense.  2C:52-3 11. Future employers may not hire you because you have a criminal record. If you are a public office holder or employee, you can be required to forfeit your office or job by virtue of your plea of guilty. 12. If you are not a United States citizen or national, you may be deported/removed by virtue of your plea of guilty or denied the opportunity to become a citizen. 13. You must pay restitution if the court finds there is a victim who has suffered a loss. 14. You lose the presumption against incarceration in certain cases. 2C:44-1 15. Before the judge can accept your guilty plea, you will have to stand up in open court and tell the judge what you did that makes you guilty of the particular offense in front of all persons in the courtroom. Copyright 2020 Vercammen Law KENNETH VERCAMMEN & ASSOCIATES, PC 2053 Woodbridge Ave. Edison, NJ 08817 (Phone) 732-572-0500  (Fax)    732-572-0030 www.BeNotGuilty.com