Fines And Sentences: Criminal Penalties in Atlantic City, NJ

The fines, sentences, and other criminal penalties you face depend on the way your charges are categorized. Some crimes are always categorized a certain way, while others can become more or less severe depending on the presence of mitigating or aggravating factors.

While each charge must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, some typical mitigating factors include lack of intent to cause harm, acting in self-defense, acting negligently or carelessly, and being a first-time offender. By comparison, common aggravating factors include causing extremely serious injury, using a dangerous weapon, acting intentionally or recklessly, having a record of prior offenses, committing the offense in a designated school zone, and/or endangering a child during the commission of the alleged crime (such as having a child passenger in an alleged DUI).

Some states use alphabetic labels to distinguish criminal categories, such as “Class A,” “Class B,” and so forth. When you commit a crime in Atlantic City, numeric degrees are used. The lower the degree, the more serious the crime (and potential consequences). For example, a first degree crime is considered more serious than a third degree crime.

As you can see, New Jersey unfortunately imposes some of the highest felony fines in the country. While many states hold fines for similar offense classes to the tens of thousands at most, the maximum criminal fines for your criminal charges in Atlantic City can easily reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars — in addition to decades of incarceration in prison.

While the fines and incarceration are often the greatest cause for concern, they are far from the only penalties which may be imposed. Depending on the type of crime involved in the charges, you may be subject to offense-specific penalties as well. For example, many sex crime convictions require placement on the state’s Sex Offender Registry. Likewise, a DWI conviction can result in the temporary suspension of your driver’s license. Drug possession charges may lead to mandatory counseling for substance abuse, while crimes involving graffiti and vandalism often involve community service and volunteer work requirements.

What to expect if you’re arrested in Atlantic City, NJ

If you’ve been charged with a crime in Atlantic CIty, or if one of your loved ones has been arrested, you need dedicated legal representation on your side in court. Don’t go up against the prosecutor alone: get trusted legal guidance from an aggressive defense lawyer who can fight to have your charges reduced or dismissed altogether. To start exploring some of your potential options in a free and completely confidential legal consultation, call Joseph Lombardo right away at (609) 445-4300.