New Jersey Criminal Defense

New Jersey criminal law is codified in Title 2C, the Code of Criminal Justice, which took effect on 1 September 1979 and replaced the common-law and Title 2A provisions that preceded it. New Jersey does not use the terms other states use for offense classification, and that difference matters from the first conversation onward. Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C. handles New Jersey criminal matters. Call (888) 437-7747.

Degrees, Not the Familiar Labels

New Jersey classifies indictable offenses by degree, from first through fourth, rather than using the terminology common elsewhere. Less serious matters are disorderly persons offenses and petty disorderly persons offenses, handled in municipal court. Indictable matters proceed in the Law Division, Criminal Part of the Superior Court in the county where the charge arose. A person told they face a particular label from another state’s vocabulary is being given a description that does not map onto New Jersey practice.

How Title 2C Is Organised

The Code is arranged by chapter: 2C:1 covers general provisions, 2C:11 criminal homicide, 2C:12 assault, 2C:13 kidnapping, 2C:14 sex offenses, 2C:15 robbery, 2C:17 arson, 2C:18 burglary, 2C:20 theft, 2C:21 forgery and fraud, 2C:25 the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, 2C:35 drug offenses, 2C:39 weapons, 2C:43 through 2C:46 sentencing, and 2C:51 through 2C:52 disabilities and expungement. A specific offense is cited by its chapter and section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does New Jersey use the term felony?

No. New Jersey classifies indictable offenses by degree, first through fourth, and uses disorderly persons and petty disorderly persons offenses for less serious matters. Terminology from other states does not translate directly.

Which court will hear my case?

Indictable matters proceed in the Law Division, Criminal Part of the Superior Court for the county where the charge arose. Disorderly persons offenses are generally handled in municipal court.

What is Title 2C?

The New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice, effective 1 September 1979, which codifies the state’s criminal law and replaced the common-law and Title 2A provisions in force before it.

About Mr. Sris

Mr. Sris, Owner and Founder of Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C., has practiced since 1997. He is a former prosecutor, and that experience shapes how he reads a charging instrument, a discovery packet and an investigator’s file. He is admitted in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, and New York. His background at George Mason University in accounting and information systems applies to technology-related evidence, which appears in a growing share of these cases. Mr. Sris and the firm’s Of Counsel attorneys handle New Jersey matters together, with the division of work set at the start of the engagement.

Speak With Mr. Sris

Request a consultation. Reach our location at (888) 437-7747. Bring the complaint or charging paperwork, any court dates you have been given, the name of the county, and any correspondence from an investigator or agency. Do not discuss the allegation with anyone else before that conversation.

Last updated: August 25, 2026

This page provides general information about New Jersey criminal law and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Case results depend on a variety of factors unique to each case. Results may vary.

Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C., principal office: 4008 Williamsburg Court, Fairfax, VA 22032. By appointment. Call (888) 437-7747 to schedule.

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