Legal Question in Criminal Law in New Jersey

Harboring a criminal?

If someone comes to live with you, and you find out that this person (without prior criminal record) has been stopped twice driving without proof of insurance, and was scheduled to appear in court years prior, but has dodged the law to the present, and is no longer driving; what are the ramifications to the people they are living with. Is the family at risk of being charged with harboring a criminal? The family has known the person for some time and believes they are normally true and honest, and has helped the family out a great deal (which I know, is irrelevant), and the family has urged this person to turn themselves into the law in order to ''get their life back'', but this person refuses. The situation presents no real impact to the family, except for possibly the aforementioned legal ramification. Please advise whenever possible. Thank you.


Asked on 1/21/04, 10:48 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Rafael Gomez Rafael Gomez, Attorney at Law, P.C.

Re: Harboring a criminal?

You are not harboring a criminal. He likely has a bench warrant for not appearing in traffic court. If he is stopped driving a car, or is questioned by police about something one day, he will be arrested. You have no connection with his failure to appear in court. If he turns himself in, he should be represented by a lawyer. There will be a bail that would have to be posted and then he will need to appear in court, you may call me.

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Answered on 1/22/04, 11:20 am


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