Lebanon Borough is a compact town of 1,665 people (2020 census) on less than one square mile along Route 22, between Clinton and Whitehouse Station. Its population has roughly doubled since 1980. The borough is ringed by Clinton Township, and its location on Route 22, a short drive from Interstate 78, puts a lot of through traffic on its streets.
Lebanon Borough (highlighted) within Hunterdon County. Indictable cases from every town are heard at the Justice Center in Flemington (star). Map data: NJ Office of GIS.
Lebanon Borough charges are heard in the Lebanon Borough Municipal Court. Many people are surprised to learn the court does not meet in Lebanon. It holds sessions at the Bethlehem Township Municipal Building, 405 Mine Road, Asbury, about 15 miles west, along with the courts for Alexandria, Bethlehem, Bloomsbury and Glen Gardner.
Lebanon Borough Municipal Court at a Glance
- Location: Bethlehem Township Municipal Building, 405 Mine Road, Asbury, NJ 08802
- Phone: 908-735-4559
- Court sessions: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays (check your notice; some dates are virtual)
- Also meeting in this building: Alexandria Township, Bethlehem Township, Bethlehem/Bloomsbury Joint, Glen Gardner Borough
- Indictable crimes: Superior Court, Hunterdon County Justice Center, 65 Park Avenue, Flemington
Where Lebanon Borough cases are heard. Confirm the date, time and format on your court notice.
Getting to the Right Court
Lebanon Borough’s court meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month in Asbury. It is a different court from the Lebanon Township Municipal Court, which meets in Annandale. Before your first date, confirm the court name and location on your ticket or summons, and check whether the appearance is in person or virtual. If you go to the wrong building, you may miss your case, and a missed date can mean a bench warrant or license suspension.
Route 22 and Local Charges
Route 22 brings commercial traffic and commuters through the borough. Charges that start here include:
- DWI and refusal, often after a stop near the Route 22 business strip
- Driving while suspended or without insurance
- Shoplifting under N.J.S.A. 2C:20-11 at local stores
- Possession of drug paraphernalia found in a car
- Harassment and simple assault in residential disputes
Even a first-time shoplifting conviction carries mandatory community service and creates a criminal record. Many first offenders qualify for conditional dismissal instead.
Lebanon Borough population by census, 1980 to 2020. Source: U.S. Census Bureau via NJ Office of GIS.
Lebanon Borough’s population roughly doubled between 1980 and 2020, from 820 to 1,665, with the biggest jump after 2000 as new townhouses and apartments were built. The borough is less than a square mile, so even modest development changes its character. Route 22 traffic, rather than local residents, generates many of its traffic and DWI cases.
Indictable Charges
Crimes of the fourth degree and above are not heard in Asbury. They are forwarded to the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office and heard at the Hunterdon County Justice Center, 65 Park Avenue, Flemington. That includes possession of controlled dangerous substances, theft over $200, burglary and aggravated assault. Some of these can be downgraded to disorderly persons offenses and sent back to municipal court, where the penalties are lower.
Protecting Your Record
First-time defendants may be able to avoid a conviction through conditional discharge (drug and paraphernalia charges), conditional dismissal (other disorderly persons offenses) or Pretrial Intervention (indictable charges). If a conviction already happened, New Jersey’s expungement laws may allow it to be cleared after a waiting period. See our expungement page.
What Happens After a Route 22 DWI Arrest
A DWI arrest in Lebanon Borough usually follows the same steps. After the stop and field sobriety tests, the driver is taken to a police station for an Alcotest breath test. Refusing that test is a separate offense under N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.4a. The driver is then released, typically to a sober adult, with summonses for DWI and any related traffic offenses.
The case is heard in municipal court. Penalties for a first offense depend on the breath reading: an ignition interlock device is required for every conviction, and readings of 0.15 percent or higher also bring a license forfeiture. Fines, surcharges and the Intoxicated Driver Resource Center program are added on top. Because DWI cannot be resolved through diversion, the defense looks at the stop, the 20-minute observation period before the breath test, the instrument’s calibration records and the officer’s training.
What Is at Stake: Penalties by Offense Level
- Petty disorderly persons offense: up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine
- Disorderly persons offense: up to 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine
- Fourth-degree crime: up to 18 months in prison
- Third-degree crime: 3 to 5 years
- Second-degree crime: 5 to 10 years
- First-degree crime: 10 to 20 years, and longer for some offenses
Maximum jail exposure rises sharply once a charge becomes an indictable crime.
How We Approach a Lebanon Borough Case
The first step in a Lebanon Borough case is making sure you know where to go: the court meets in Asbury, not Lebanon. We confirm the court date and format, request discovery, and review the police report and any video before your first appearance.
For first offenses, we usually seek conditional dismissal or conditional discharge to avoid a criminal record. For shoplifting cases, we also address the civil demand letters stores often send, which are separate from the criminal case. For DWI and traffic matters, we review the stop and testing for legal problems. If the charge is indictable, we work with the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office in Flemington.
Nearby Hunterdon County Town Guides
If your charge was written in a neighboring town, that town’s guide explains where the case will be heard and what to expect.
- Heard in the same court building: Glen Gardner, Bethlehem Township, Bloomsbury, Alexandria Township
- Neighboring towns: Clinton Township
- Every town: Hunterdon County town guide index
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Lebanon Borough Municipal Court?
It meets at the Bethlehem Township Municipal Building, 405 Mine Road, Asbury, NJ 08802. The phone number is 908-735-4559. Sessions are on the second and fourth Tuesdays.
Why is Lebanon Borough’s court in Asbury?
Lebanon Borough shares court facilities with several western Hunterdon towns. The case remains a Lebanon Borough case.
Is Lebanon Borough the same as Lebanon Township?
No. They are separate towns with separate courts. Lebanon Township’s court meets in Annandale.
Can a shoplifting charge be dismissed?
Many first-time shoplifting charges qualify for conditional dismissal. Some can also be negotiated down or dismissed on the evidence.
Who patrols Lebanon Borough?
Patrol arrangements in small Hunterdon boroughs vary. Your complaint will name the officer and the agency.
Do I have to pay a store’s civil demand letter after a shoplifting charge?
A civil demand is separate from the criminal case. Paying it does not end the criminal charge, and not paying it does not make the criminal case worse. Get advice before responding.
Talk to a Hunterdon County Defense Attorney
A Lebanon Borough charge may take you to Asbury or Flemington, depending on its grade. Keith Oliver Criminal Law defends people charged in Lebanon Borough and across Hunterdon County from our Bridgewater office. Call Keith Oliver Criminal Law at (908) 533-1064 or contact us online to talk about your case.