[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.njcriminaldefensefirm.com\/blog\/charged-disorderly-persons-offense\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.njcriminaldefensefirm.com\/blog\/charged-disorderly-persons-offense\/","headline":"Charged with a Disorderly Persons Offense in New Jersey?","name":"Charged with a Disorderly Persons Offense in New Jersey?","description":"What is a Disorderly Persons Offense? The term a \u201cdisorderly persons offense\u201d is often confused with the term \u201cdisorderly conduct\u201d. A disorderly persons offense is not a specific crime like disorderly conduct but it is a degree of a crime. It is New Jersey\u2019s version of a misdemeanor, just like an indictable offense\u00a0is New Jersey\u2019s […]","datePublished":"2017-10-07","dateModified":"2026-01-20","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.njcriminaldefensefirm.com\/blog\/author\/njcriminaldefensefirm\/#Person","name":"Keith Oliver Criminal Law","url":"https:\/\/www.njcriminaldefensefirm.com\/blog\/author\/njcriminaldefensefirm\/","identifier":8,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/eea6bf238055b0a92b0fd9a26bcfdcabbb3a035497bf65cc7d3ba0ef726197ae?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/eea6bf238055b0a92b0fd9a26bcfdcabbb3a035497bf65cc7d3ba0ef726197ae?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Keith Oliver Criminal Law","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/www.njcriminaldefensefirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/logo-footer.png","url":"http:\/\/www.njcriminaldefensefirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/logo-footer.png","width":205,"height":68}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.njcriminaldefensefirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/charged-disorderly-persons-offense.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.njcriminaldefensefirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/charged-disorderly-persons-offense.jpg","height":1707,"width":2560},"url":"https:\/\/www.njcriminaldefensefirm.com\/blog\/charged-disorderly-persons-offense\/","about":["Disorderly Persons Offenses"],"wordCount":517,"keywords":["Disorderly Persons Offense Lawyers in Mercer County","Lawrence NJ Disorderly Persons Offense Attorneys","NJ Disorderly Persons Offense Lawyer"],"articleBody":"What is a Disorderly Persons Offense?The term a \u201cdisorderly persons offense\u201d is often confused with the term \u201cdisorderly conduct\u201d. A disorderly persons offense is not a specific crime like disorderly conduct but it is a degree of a crime. It is New Jersey\u2019s version of a misdemeanor, just like an indictable offense\u00a0is New Jersey\u2019s version of a felony. Technically speaking, a disorderly persons offense is considered an \u201coffense\u201d in New Jersey and not a \u201ccrime\u201d. With that being said, anyone convicted of a disorderly persons offense will be scared with a criminal record.Where Do I go to Court of a Disorderly Persons Offense?All disorderly persons offenses and petty disorderly persons offenses will be litigated in the local municipal court int he municipality where the incident occurred. So, for example if a Defendant is arrested in Lawrenceville, New Jersey and charged with the\u00a0possession of marijuana under 50 grams they will be forced to appear in the\u00a0Lawrenceville Municipal Court\u00a0to answer for those charges. However, if for example the Defendant is arrested in Lawrenceville, New Jersey for possession of marijuana under 50 grams and the\u00a0possession of heroin, both charges will be transferred to the Mercer County Superior Court for disposition since the heroin charge is a felony offense.How Much Jail Time is there for a Disorderly Persons Offense?Misdemeanor offenses in New Jersey are broken down into two different degrees, disorderly persons offenses and petty disorderly persons offenses. Anyone convicted of a disorderly persons offense will be facing up to six months in the Mercer County Jail, a fine up to $1,000 and a criminal record. Anyone convicted of a petty disorderly persons offense will facing up to thirty days in the Mercer County Jail, a fine up to $500 and a criminal record. Pursuant to New Jersey expungement laws, anyone convicted of a disorderly or petty disorderly persons offense will be ineligible to erase that conviction from their record for at least three years. For more information on\u00a0expunging a disorderly persons offense in New Jersey, please click the link.Common Disorderly Persons Offenses Issued in Mercer CountyMercer County as a whole issues around 20,000 disorderly persons and petty disorderly persons offenses each and every year. That is a tremendous amount of offenses for what is considered one of the smallest geographical counties in all of New Jersey. Here is some of the most common disorderly and petty disorderly persons offenses that are issued in Mercer County:Disorderly\u00a0Persons OffensesPossession of MarijuanaSimple AssaultShopliftingPossession of Drug ParaphernaliaResisting ArrestPetty\u00a0Disorderly\u00a0Persons OffensesDisorderly ConductHarassment\u00a0Simple Assault (Mutual Combat)Some of the busiest courts in Mercer County for disorderly persons offenses include the\u00a0Trenton Municipal Court, the\u00a0Hamilton Municipal Court, the\u00a0Ewing Municipal Court, the\u00a0West Windsor Municipal Court, the\u00a0Robbinsville Municipal Court\u00a0and the\u00a0Princeton Municipal Court. The\u00a0Mercer County criminal defense attorneys at Keith Oliver Criminal Law routinely defend clients accused of disorderly persons offenses in courts throughout Mercer County. If you have any questions whatsoever, please do not hesitate to contact us at 609-789-0779."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.njcriminaldefensefirm.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Charged with a Disorderly Persons Offense in New Jersey?","item":"https:\/\/www.njcriminaldefensefirm.com\/blog\/charged-disorderly-persons-offense\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]