Criminal Defense Lawyers for Weapons Offenses in Haddon Heights, NJ
Our Certified Criminal Trial Attorneys have Decades of Experience Defending Clients Charged with Weapons Offenses in Haddon Heights
If you are facing charges for a weapons offense in Haddon Heights or elsewhere in New Jersey, you could be facing significant mandatory jail time before you are eligible for parole. New Jersey law imposes severe penalties for weapons offenses, and even possessing a weapon can be enough to establish criminal culpability.
Our criminal defense lawyers are vigorous advocates for individuals charged with weapons offenses in Haddon Heights. With everything that is at stake, you cannot afford to trust your case to an inexperienced attorney. Our defense team includes three lawyers who have been certified as Criminal Trial Attorneys by the Supreme Court of New Jersey, and we have decades of experience fighting for our clients’ freedom in New Jersey’s criminal courts.
Weapons Offenses in New Jersey
New Jersey’s weapons offense laws are extremely broad. Under New Jersey law, it is a criminal offense to:
- Possess a weapon of any kind without a lawful purpose;
- Possess a gun or firearm without the necessary permit; or,
- Use or threaten to use a weapon against any person or item of property.
Possessing a handgun without a permit in New Jersey is a second-degree offense. Second-degree offenses carry the potential for a 5 to 10-year prison sentence, with 3 ½ to 5 years without parole eligibility and a fine of up to $150,000. Unfortunately, unlike the over 40 states that permit those who have licenses to own or even carry firearms in another state to do so in their state, New Jersey does not reciprocate. This means that an individual who does not have a New Jersey permit to own a gun will be charged with the second-degree crime of possession of a firearm without a permit if he or she is found with a firearm -- even if they are merely passing through New Jersey to another state.
If you have been charged with a weapons offense involving an “air gun, spring gun or pistol . . . in which the propelling force is a spring, elastic band, carbon dioxide, compressed [gas or] air,” this is a third-degree offense. Third-degree offenses carry a three to a five-year prison sentence and up to a $15,000 fine. In many cases, individuals convicted of weapons offenses involving firearms will be required to serve a portion of their prison sentence (up to 85 percent) before they will be eligible for parole.
New Jersey’s weapons offense statutes do not just apply to firearms. You can also be convicted of a weapons offense in New Jersey for unlawfully possessing:
- Baseball bats
- Knives
- Throwing stars
- Tire irons
- Other weapons and items that can be used as weapons
3 Reasons to Choose Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A. in Haddon Heights
1. Our Criminal Defense Team
Some law firms consist of an attorney and a part-time administrator. Our firm is comprised of a team of experienced criminal defense attorneys and legal professionals who have devoted their careers to helping individuals with their legal needs.
2. Our Recognition and Experience
Our criminal defense attorneys are well-known for their effective trial representation, and several of our attorneys have decades of experience representing clients in criminal matters.
3. Our Commitment to Justice
We believe in what we do. When we take your case, we will assess all options for protecting you against the consequences of an unjust conviction, and we will fight vigorously to protect your rights at trial.aA
Speak with a Hadden Heights Criminal Defense Attorney in Confidence
To speak with one of our Haddon Heights criminal defense attorneys about your case, please call (856) 547-7888 or contact us online. We will schedule your initial consultation as soon as possible.
