The Town of Clinton is a small, walkable town of 2,773 people (2020 census) on about 1.4 square miles along the South Branch of the Raritan River. Its downtown, centered on Main Street and the Red Mill Museum Village, draws visitors year-round, and the town sits right beside the junction of Interstate 78 and Route 31. Clinton is entirely surrounded by Clinton Township and Union Township, which often causes confusion about where a case belongs.
Clinton Town (highlighted) within Hunterdon County. Indictable cases from every town are heard at the Justice Center in Flemington (star). Map data: NJ Office of GIS.
Charges written by the Clinton Town Police Department are heard by the Town of Clinton Municipal Court. Like several northern Hunterdon courts, it meets in the Clinton Township Municipal Building at 1370 Route 31 North in Annandale, not in the town itself.
Town of Clinton Municipal Court at a Glance
- Location: Clinton Township Municipal Building, 1370 Route 31 North, Annandale, NJ 08801
- Phone: 908-735-3730
- Court sessions: Wednesdays (check your notice; some dates are virtual)
- Also meeting in this building: Clinton Township, Hampton Borough, High Bridge, Lebanon Township, Union Township
- Local police: Clinton Town Police Department
- Indictable crimes: Superior Court, Hunterdon County Justice Center, 65 Park Avenue, Flemington
Where Town of Clinton cases are heard. Confirm the date, time and format on your court notice.
Town or Township? Why It Matters
The Town of Clinton and Clinton Township share a name, a ZIP code area and even a court building, but they are separate municipalities with separate police departments and separate court calendars. If you were stopped on Main Street, Leigh Street or Halstead Street, your case is likely in the Town of Clinton. If you were stopped on Route 31 north of the interchange or near Round Valley, it is likely in Clinton Township. The municipality listed on your summons controls.
Downtown Charges
The town’s restaurants and riverside parks bring in visitors, and the typical cases reflect that:
- DWI after leaving a restaurant or event
- Disorderly conduct and simple assault after an argument downtown
- Fake ID use or providing alcohol to people under 21
- Criminal mischief involving damage to property
- Possession of drug paraphernalia found during a stop
These are usually disorderly persons offenses heard in municipal court. That does not make them minor. A conviction is a criminal record, and some carry license suspensions or mandatory fines.
Clinton Town population by census, 1980 to 2020. Source: U.S. Census Bureau via NJ Office of GIS.
The Town of Clinton has grown slowly but steadily, from 1,910 residents in 1980 to 2,773 in 2020. Most of the growth came in the 1990s, when new housing was built near the edges of the town. Because the town is small and walkable, most cases involve people who were downtown, at local events or passing through on the nearby highways.
When the Case Leaves Clinton
If a charge is indictable, such as possession of a controlled dangerous substance, burglary or aggravated assault, the Town of Clinton court cannot decide it. The case is forwarded to the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office and heard at the Justice Center in Flemington. Some indictable charges are later downgraded and sent back to municipal court; whether that happens is often the most important negotiation in the case.
Options for Avoiding a Conviction
New Jersey offers several paths to a dismissal for first-time defendants. Conditional discharge covers many drug and paraphernalia charges. Conditional dismissal covers many other disorderly persons offenses. Pretrial Intervention covers first-time indictable charges. Each program has eligibility rules, fees and conditions, and each can generally be used only once. A lawyer can help decide whether to use one now or fight the charge on the facts.
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 Town of Clinton Case
We start by confirming that your case is in the right court, since confusion between the Town and the Township is common. Then we gather the police report, body camera footage and any witness statements, and review whether the stop, search or arrest was lawful.
For first offenses, we usually focus on keeping your record clean through conditional dismissal or conditional discharge. For DWI, we review the Alcotest procedures and the officer’s observations. If the charge is indictable, we deal directly with the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office and push for a downgrade or PTI where it fits.
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: Clinton Township, Union Township, High Bridge, Hampton, Lebanon Township
- Neighboring towns: Franklin Township
- Every town: Hunterdon County town guide index
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Town of Clinton Municipal Court?
It meets at the Clinton Township Municipal Building, 1370 Route 31 North, Annandale, NJ 08801. The phone number is 908-735-3730, and sessions are held on Wednesdays.
Do Town of Clinton and Clinton Township share a court?
They share a building, not a court. Each has its own calendar, and your case stays with the town named on your complaint.
Can I get a Town of Clinton DWI dismissed through a program?
No. New Jersey does not allow diversion programs for DWI. The defense focuses on the stop, the testing and the evidence.
How soon can I expunge a dismissed charge?
A charge dismissed outright, or through conditional discharge or dismissal, can usually be expunged right away, although some programs have a short waiting period.
Does the Town of Clinton have its own police department?
Yes. The Clinton Town Police Department patrols the town.
Can a Town of Clinton DWI affect my insurance?
Yes. A DWI conviction carries large insurance surcharges in addition to court penalties.
Talk to a Hunterdon County Defense Attorney
A charge in the Town of Clinton may be heard in a small courtroom, but its effect on your record can be lasting. Keith Oliver Criminal Law defends people charged in Clinton and across Hunterdon County. Call Keith Oliver Criminal Law at (908) 533-1064 or contact us online to talk about your case.