Legal Question in Criminal Law in New Jersey

Hello,

I got a ticket for being in a local park after hours in New Jersey. Later on, I got to speak with the officer who issued the ticket and with the prosecutor at the same time.

The officer genuinely did seem to sympathize with my case, but the prosecutor didn't. I spoke to the officer away from the prosecutor and asked him if it would be possible to dismiss the ticket and the officer told me to 'come back' and that the ticket will 'probably get dismissed'. The officer indicated that the ticket wasn't going to be dismissed then and there since the prosecutor had a reputation as a 'mean' prosecutor.

This was the second prosecutor I had spoken to; the first prosecutor said it would be possible to dismiss the case if the officer agreed, but unfortunately I didn't meet with this prosecutor this time.

Anyway, in part because of the officer's advice, I went with �not guilty�. After meeting with the officer and the prosecutor, I was told by the judge that I'd receive notice of my court date in the mail which I have since received.

I'm not sure how I should proceed at this point given the officer's instructions/advice to me. When the officer said to 'come back' did he mean that I should make arrangements to speak to another prosecutor before my actual court date or did he mean that I should make my case in court and that it might be dismissed there?

Also, what can I expect when I go to court for this again?

Is it possible to have this case dismissed? This ordeal is going on 4 months now and I'm about to go to court for the third time over it.

Thank you.

P.S. I don't know if it would help at all, but I have no priors whatsoever and I'm from a different municipality from where I got the ticket.

Potential Mitigating Factors For My Case?:

1) The ticket was (allegedly) given on the edge of the park's parking lot.

2) There were five people who were seen coming out of the park who were not issued tickets. The police saw these people. These people violated more laws than I'm accused of, such as: A) Being in the park after hours, B) Having a vehicle in the park after hours, C) Walking out from an area with at least one "No Trespassing" sign on it; criminal trespassing?, and perhaps, D) Violating a noise ordinance.

3) I have no prior record whatsoever.

4) I'm from a different municipality where park hours are not posted on park signs in many cases.


Asked on 10/11/16, 10:44 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Jef Henninger, Esq Law Offices of Jef Henninger, Esq.

If you'd like to have an attorney help you with this, call us at 1-855-9-JEFLAW

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Answered on 10/12/16, 6:29 am


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