Call 24/7 to Book a Free Consultation (732) 709-7757

NJ Law Blogs

Obstruction Of Justice in New Jersey

Posted by Carmine R. Villani | May 09, 2015 | 0 Comments

 
Being uncooperative during the course of an investigation such as lying, giving a police officer a false name or misleading information, destroying evidence, interfering with an arrest or providing a fake ID can all be considered serious criminal offenses in New Jersey. 

Obstruction Of Justice in New Jersey

Spoliation of Evidence

Spoliation of evidence has become a hot topic in both civil and criminal courts as advances in technology arise and electronic communications increase. Spoliation of evidence is the intentional, reckless, or negligent “destruction or significant alteration of evidence, or the failure to preserve property for another's use as evidence in pending or future litigation.”

Protect Your Future

A conviction for a criminal offense in New Jersey can become part of your permanent record. If you are convicted later of another crime, the court can consider your prior conviction and impose a harsher sentence in the new case. The criminal defense attorneys at Villani & DeLuca have an extensive knowledge of the New Jersey legal system and can begin building a strategy for your defense immediately.

Think Twice About that Lie

If you lie to a police officer about a crime that you…or a friend committed, you could face significant consequences. So, if you think you're protecting your friend by lying about their criminal activity, you could be charged with one or more crimes of your own. For example, if your friend was charged with a DWI in Point Pleasant, NJ after a night out drinking and the police come to you with questions, any misleading statements about the evening's happenings could lead to charges of obstruction of justice. Though you think you're just trying to protect your friend, it could land you with fines and jail time.

Obstruction of Justice is a Disorderly Persons Offense (N.J.S.A. 2C:29-1)

Under New Jersey law, a charge of obstruction of justice is a disorderly persons offense, commonly called a “misdemeanor” in other jurisdictions. Other examples of misdemeanors in NJ include shoplifting items under ($200), simple assault, and disorderly conduct. Under the Obstruction of Justice New Jersey Statute, N.J.S.A. 2C:29-1, obstructing the administration of law involves purposefully obstructing, impairing, or perverting the administration of law (or another governmental function) or attempting to prevent (or actually preventing) a public servant from lawfully performing an official function by means of flight, intimidation, force, violence, physical interference, or through any independently unlawful act.

Obstruction of Justice Penalties

The penalties for a disorderly persons offense typically involve a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail. There are also even more minor violations called petty disorderly persons offenses that could result in only a fine of up to $500 if found guilty.

Call an Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney Today About Your Charge

If you are facing an obstruction of justice charge, contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at Villani & DeLuca, P.C. to discuss your case. Call 732-709-7757 for a free initial consultation. A knowledgeable criminal law attorney will be able to review your charges with you in detail and answer any questions you may have. We represent clients throughout Ocean and Monmouth County New Jersey.

About the Author

Carmine R. Villani

Founding partner, Carmine Villani, Esq. is a former municipal prosecutor with over three decades of experience in Criminal and DWI Defense.

Comments

There are no comments for this post. Be the first and Add your Comment below.

Leave a Comment

Contact Us Today

Villani & DeLuca, P.C. is committed to answering your questions about Divorce & Family Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and DWI & Traffic Law issues in New Jersey. We offer a Free Consultation and we'll gladly discuss your case with you at your convenience. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Menu