Our Deeply Experienced Property Crime Defense Lawyers in Haddonfield, NJ Will Represent You and Fight for Your Rights in Property Crime Cases in Atlantic County, Burlington County, Camden County, Gloucester County, and Throughout South Jersey
Property crimes involve the destruction, theft, or harm of other kinds to the property or belongings of another person or entity. They include everything from criminal mischief and vandalism to arson, shoplifting, robbery, and burglary. Based on the level of the offense in question, a person convicted of a property crime can face light sentences such as community or harsh and heavy sentences such as lengthy prison terms and substantial fines. If you are involved in any way in a property crime case or criminal proceedings involving property, contact the highly rated New Jersey property crime attorneys at Agre & St. John today for assistance with your case.
Don't face criminal charges alone – contact Agre & St. John today for experienced legal representation that will fight to protect your rights.
Common Property Crime Cases Handled by Our Veteran Property Crime Defense Lawyers in Haddonfield, NJ
Our team can assist you with a wide range of property crime cases, including:
- Arson
- Vandalism
- Trespassing
- Robbery
- Theft
- Burglary
- Criminal mischief
Many factors will determine the degree of crime for which you are charged in a property crime case, such as the value of the property involved and whether the alleged perpetrator has any priors. Minor criminal charges such as misdemeanors – called disorderly persons offenses in New Jersey – are handled in the municipal court where the charges were filed or where the defendant lives. More serious crimes that reach the level of a felony – otherwise known as an indictable offense – are handled in the county Superior Court.
Fines, Sentences, and How Our New Jersey Property Crime Attorneys Can Help You
In general, you can face the following fines and penalties for property crimes in New Jersey:
- Fines of up to $500 for convictions for petty disorderly persons offenses
- Fines of up to $1,000 for convictions for disorderly persons offenses
- Fines of up to $10,000 and 1.5 years in jail for convictions for fourth-degree offenses
- Fines of up to $15,000 and between three and five years in jail for convictions for third-degree offenses
- Fines of up to $150,000 and between five and 10 years in jail for convictions for second-degree offenses
- Fines of up to $200,000 and between 10 and 20 years in jail for convictions for first-degree offenses
Many property crime offenses are minor crimes. However, the severity of the punishment levied by the court will increase with the value of the property involved and the seriousness of the overall nature of the crime, such as if any serious personal harm to any victims was involved.
Take control of your defense – schedule a confidential consultation with Agre & St. John's experienced criminal defense team to discuss your case and explore your legal options.
Our highly skilled property crime defense lawyers in Haddonfield, NJ can help by:
- Gathering evidence to prove your innocence
- Interviewing witnesses
- Obtaining any relevant police reports, photos, videos, or other recordings to back your claims
- Helping you understand what documents and filings need to be drawn up and submitted and where
- Representing you in negotiations and courtroom hearings
- Making sure you understand your rights
- Making sure you know what to expect as your case progresses through the courts
- Weakening and discrediting the prosecution’s case using strategies such as illegal arrest, illegal search and seizure, mistaken identity, fabricated testimony, profiling, poor or faulty forensic testing
We can also fight the charges you face from another angle, which may involve the following:
- Disputing the ownership and property rights of the property in question
- Demonstrating a lack of intent to damage said property
- Proving a false claim of damage or disputing the value of the property or the extent to which it was damaged
- Arguing on the grounds of coercion, entrapment, or some form of inducement that you are not guilty of the alleged crime
- Using various justification rules such as those outlined in NJ Rev Stat § 2C:3-10 (2021) to dismiss the charges you face
Contact Our New Jersey Property Crime Attorneys Today
To many, it may seem like charges of vandalism, trespassing, shoplifting, or robbery are minor and will not have any serious or long-term impacts on you. Do not make this mistake, and do not risk potentially harsh punishments – not to mention the likelihood of a permanent record – for a temporary lapse of judgment, a minor misunderstanding involving someone else’s property, or a one-off mistake that you did not intend to make. Call the dependable property crime defense lawyers in Haddonfield, NJ at Agre & St. John today for a free legal consultation about the property crime charges you face and to learn more about how we can help you beat them.
