Have you been arrested and charged with a third degree indictable offense in Mercer County? Was it in Trenton? West Windsor? Hamilton? Princeton? Ewing? If so, we strongly urge that you speak to an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible about your options. It is important to understand that “indictable offenses“ are New Jersey’s version of a felony. They are broken down into four different degrees: first, second, third and fourth, with a first degree being the most serious. As you will see below, the potential sentence for anyone convicted of a third degree indictable offense in New Jersey can be life altering. If you have bee charged with aggravated assault, possession of heroin, terroristic threats, shoplifting, distribution of cocaine, burglary or any other offense in Mercer County, Keith Oliver Criminal Law can help. If you would like to set up a free initial consultation with one of our Mercer County criminal defense attorneys today, please contact our Hamilton office at 609-789-0779 or you can try contacting us online.
Is a Third Degree Indictable Offense Serious?
Although a third degree indictable offense is not the most serious degree of a felony in New Jersey, the potential sentence is devastating. Anyone convicted of a third degree felony in New Jersey will be subject to the following potential penalties:
- 3 to 5 Years in Prison
- Up to 5 Years of Probation
- Up to a $15,000 ($35,000 if Drug Related)
- Felony Criminal Record
Typically, if this is the individual’s first offense, they would obtain a presumption against incarceration if convicted. However, not only could the presumption be overcome if the facts are egregious enough, but the presumption only applies to State Prison sentences and not a potential County Jail, which can range up to 364 days.
Furthermore, anyone convicted of a third degree felony would have to wait at least fives year before they could petition the court to expunge the conviction. For more information on expunging a felony criminal charge in New Jersey, please click the link.
How Come I have to Appear in Trenton for a Third Degree Felony?
Regardless of where the incident happened, all indictable offenses must be transferred from the local municipal court to the county superior courthouse in the county where the incident occurred for disposition. In addition to that, all disorderly persons offenses (misdemeanors) and traffic offenses that arise out of the same incident will be transferred to the county courthouse as well. For example, if an individual is arrested in West Windsor Township for DWI, assault by auto, eluding and reckless driving, all charges must be transferred from the West Windsor Municipal Court to the Mercer County Superior Court in Trenton for disposition.
Common Third Degree Felony Offenses Charged in Mercer County
As stated earlier, New Jersey has broken down felony offenses into four different degrees. Some of the more frequent third degree indictable offenses that we see being charged in towns throughout Mercer County include:
- Aggravated Assault
- Assault by Auto
- Heroin Possession
- Stalking
- Theft by Deception
- Shoplifting
- Marijuana Distribution
- Car Burglary
Need Lawyer for 3rd Degree Felony in Trenton
The criminal defense attorneys at Keith Oliver Criminal Law have been defending those accused of serious indictable offenses for the better part of the last decade. As you can see from reading above, the applicable penalties for a third degree indictable offense are not something to take lightly. If you have unfortunately found yourself in this type of situation and would like set up a free consultation, then please contact our Hamilton office at 609-789-0779. Our attorneys serve all of Mercer County, including towns like Hopewell, East Windsor, Lawrenceville, Trenton, Hamilton and Princeton.