Municipal Court FAQ

You have the right to represent yourself in Municipal Court matters; however we cannot give you legal advice. Only your lawyer may provide you with legal information.

Please read this information: Your Day In Court Form

The court does not issue points. That is a function of the Motor Vehicle Commission.

Please click here for MVC information: NJMVC Suspensions and Restorations

If you were issued a summons for a payable ticket, you may pay online at NJ Courts Ticket Search, mail in a check or money order, or appear at the Violations Bureau during normal business hours, which are Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 3:30 pm excluding holidays.

Municipal appeals must be filed within 20 days of your conviction.

You may ask the court staff for an appeal packet or download it here. NJ Courts Appeals Packet

No all contested matters must be heard in open court on the record.

Sentences in municipal court may include jail time, probation, community service, loss of driver’s license, restitution and fines in addition to other penalties. A conviction of a disorderly persons or petty disorderly person’s offense would also result in a criminal record. Therefore, persons appearing in Municipal Court may wish to be represented by an attorney. If you do not know an attorney, you may contact the Mercer County Bar Association at (609) 585-6200.

For the Judge to consider whether or not you qualify for representation by the Public Defender, you must fill out an application and provide financial information to the Court so the Judge may determine your eligibility. An application fee of up to $200.00 in the Judge’s discretion may be imposed if the application is granted.

Click here to download the  Municipal Courts Financial Questionnaire

Generally, the court date for payable uncontested violations is the payment due date.

You must call the court seven days prior to the court date on the summons for further instructions. The most common reason is that the officer failed to check the box for a mandatory court appearance violation. The date on your summons is the day you must appear in court.

 Cash, check, money order, VISA and MasterCard that are not connected to a debit card.

If you need the services of an interpreter, please notify the court two weeks prior to your court appearance. When the court has scheduled a matter requiring an interpreter, parties are required to notify the court two days prior to the court date, if the matter settles or is otherwise to be postponed so that the court does not incur unnecessary interpreter fees. A party that fails to notify the court may be assessed the cost of the interpreter.

Please read the details here: Municipal Court Mediation

Download the Complaint Information Form here: Complaint Information Form

Expungement means the extraction and isolation of all records on file within any court of an offense within the criminal justice system.  New Jersey law provides a limited right to expungement.  The purpose of the law is to give a person who has either one or very few convictions a fresh start.  The law also provides for the removal of records of arrests where the arrest did not end in a conviction.  The expungement law states in detail who is eligible for an expungement.  You should review N.J.S.A. 2C:52-1 et seq. to determine if you are eligible.  An eligible person must prepare and file a Petition of Expungement.  A Petition of Expungement must be filed in the Superior Court in the county where the arrest or prosecution took place.  A judge then decides whether the person should be granted an Expungement Order, which means that with some exception, the criminal proceedings never happened.

• Any person convicted of an indictable offense under the laws of this State and who has not been convicted of any prior or subsequent crime, whether within this State or any other jurisdiction, and has not been adjudged a disorderly person or petty disorderly person on more than two occasions may, after the expiration of a period of 10 years from the date of his conviction, payment of fine, satisfactory completion of probation or parole, or release from incarceration, whichever is later, file a Petition for Expungement.  Please refer to 2C:52-2 for more details.
• Any person convicted of a disorderly persons or petty disorderly persons offense under the laws of this State who has not been convicted of any prior or subsequent crime, whether within this State or any other jurisdiction, or of another three disorderly persons or petty disorderly persons offenses, may, after the expiration of a period of 5 years from the date of the conviction, payment of fine, satisfactory completion of probation or release from incarceration, whichever is later, file a Petition for Expungement.  Any person that has been found guilty of violating a municipal ordinance of any governmental entity of this State and who has not been convicted of any prior or subsequent crime, whether within this State of any other jurisdiction and who has not been adjudged a disorderly person or petty disorderly person on more than two occasions, may, after the expiration of a period of 2 years from the date of conviction, payment of fine, satisfactory completion of probation or release from incarceration whichever is later, file a Petition for Expungement.  Any person that has been arrested or held to answer for a crime, disorderly persons offense, petty disorderly persons offense or municipal ordinance violation under the laws of this State or of any governmental entity thereof and against whom proceedings were dismissed, or acquitted or was discharged without a conviction or finding of guilt, may at the time following the disposition of proceedings, file a Petition for Expungement.

If you are charged with a disorderly persons offense, petty disorderly persons offense, or a municipal ordinance violations, and those charges are either dismissed, you are acquitted, or your case is discharged without a conviction or finding of guilt, you may be eligible for an expedited expungement pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:52-6. For more information and to determine if you are eligible, you may inquire with the municipal court at the time of disposition.

Please review the information here: Instructions For Expungements

The Veterans Assistance Project is a voluntary referral service.  Its purpose is to refer veterans who come in contact with the court system and who may be in need of veteran’s services to their Veterans Service Office.  Services that may be available can include mental health counseling, addiction services, legal services and housing.  The Veterans Assistance Project strives to get services and support for veterans to improve the quality of life for the men, women and families who have made sacrifices in the defense of the United States. 

For additional information please contact Lawrence Township Municipal Court or read online at:  Veterans Assistance Project

People who do not:

1) Come to court when summoned or subpoenaed

2) Make payments as required 

3) Comply with other requirements of their sentences 

Face additional punishments including fines, driver’s license suspensions, arrest and jail.

• Requests for adjournments

• Uncontested motions

• First arraignments

• Guilty pleas

• Contested motions

• Pleas of not guilty (with an attorney)

• Pleas of not guilty (without an attorney)

The adopted ordinances can be found here: Adopted Ordinances