By Keith G. Oliver, Keith Oliver Criminal Law | Updated November 2026
Ewing is home to The College of New Jersey, and every semester some TCNJ students end up with a summons from campus police or the Ewing police after a party, a night out or a dorm incident. For most of them it is a first brush with the legal system, and the instinct is to pay the ticket and move on. That can be a costly mistake. Many of the charges students face, especially fake ID charges, carry real criminal records, and those records can block the teaching, nursing and other professional licenses that many TCNJ graduates pursue.
Keith Oliver Criminal Law defends college students and young adults in Ewing and throughout Mercer County. Our Mercer County office is at 100 Horizon Center Boulevard in Hamilton. Call (609) 789-0779 for a free, confidential consultation. We are not affiliated with The College of New Jersey.
Where TCNJ Student Cases Are Heard
Most student cases, including fake ID offenses used to buy alcohol, simple assault and disorderly conduct, are heard in Ewing Municipal Court at 2 Jake Garzio Drive, in the same building as the Ewing Police Department. More serious charges go to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and the Superior Court in Trenton. Our Ewing criminal lawyer page explains how the municipal court works. Students under 18 go to the Family Part instead.
Drinking and Marijuana: The Warning System
If you are under 21 and police find you drinking or with marijuana on campus, in public or in a car, New Jersey law says you get a written warning, not a charge. N.J.S.A. 2C:33-15 bars police from arresting you for it, fingerprinting you or fining you, and they cannot ask for your consent to search for alcohol or cannabis. Warnings are kept in a separate file and destroyed within two years or by your 21st birthday. Our under-21 warning guide has the details, and our Ewing marijuana page covers adult cases.
The warning system has limits. It does not cover selling, other drugs, driving or fake IDs. Students who host off-campus parties in Ewing should also know that serving alcohol to anyone under 21 is a disorderly persons offense under N.J.S.A. 2C:33-17, and noise and nuisance complaints often bring the police to the door in the first place.
Fake IDs: The Charge Students Underestimate
A fake ID can turn a night out into a criminal case. Using one to buy alcohol is a disorderly persons offense with a minimum $500 fine under N.J.S.A. 33:1-81. Simply possessing a fake driver’s license is a fourth-degree crime, and handing it to a bartender or officer can be charged as a third-degree crime under N.J.S.A. 2C:21-2.1. Students who order IDs in bulk for friends can face second-degree charges for distribution. A judge can also suspend driving privileges.
The good news is that first-time fake ID cases can often be downgraded or diverted so that no criminal conviction results. That outcome is rarely offered to someone who shows up without a lawyer. See our fake ID charges page for more.
Fights, Assault and Resisting Arrest
A shoving match at a party usually becomes a simple assault charge in Ewing Municipal Court. If someone is seriously hurt, a bottle or other object is used, or an officer is struck, the charge can become aggravated assault, an indictable crime. Pulling away during an arrest can add a resisting arrest charge. Video from phones and body cameras often decides these cases, and self-defense is a common and strong defense. See our Ewing assault lawyer page.
Other Common Student Charges in Ewing
- Adderall and other stimulants. Possessing prescription pills that are not prescribed to you is a third-degree crime. Giving or selling them to a friend can be charged as distribution.
- DWI. Drivers under 21 can be penalized with almost any measurable alcohol in their system. See our Ewing DWI page.
- Drug possession. See our Ewing drug possession page.
Future Teachers, Nurses and Professionals
Many TCNJ students are training for careers that require a background check and a state license, including teaching, nursing and other health fields. Even a disorderly persons conviction can raise questions on those applications. The goal in a student case is usually to protect the record, not just to minimize a fine. Options include a conditional dismissal in municipal court, Pretrial Intervention for indictable charges, and negotiated downgrades. If you already have a record, our expungement lawyers can help.
The College Conduct Process
TCNJ can open its own student conduct case over the same incident. That process moves on its own schedule and does not wait for the court. Statements you give in a conduct meeting may be used in the criminal case, so speak with a defense lawyer before you meet with conduct staff.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my parents be notified?
If you are 18 or older, police do not notify your parents about an under-21 alcohol or marijuana warning. If you are under 18, they must.
Can I just pay the fine for a fake ID?
Fake ID charges usually cannot be resolved by mail, and pleading guilty creates a conviction. Talk with a lawyer first.
I live out of state. Do I have to come back for court?
Often your lawyer can handle much of the case, but you may need to appear for certain hearings. We work around academic schedules where possible.
Talk With a Lawyer About Your Ewing Charge
Call Keith Oliver Criminal Law at (609) 789-0779 for a free, confidential consultation. For other charges, visit our Mercer County criminal defense page.