College and University Students and Criminal Charges

We have something in common with Rutgers University. We are both are based in New Brunswick. We are well-positioned to defend Rutgers students charged with criminal offenses in either the New Brunswick Municipal Court or the Middlesex County Superior Court. Further, our experience gives us special insight into the needs of students at other colleges and universities who are facing criminal charges.

The college years can be the most exciting time in a young person's life. However, students - like any young person - do not always exercise the best judgment. Their time away at school may be the first time they are out of the house. They are on their own, and must make independent decisions as to how to conduct themselves. Given their relative lack of experience coupled with their new found freedom, they may not make the best choices. Under these circumstances, even a momentary lapse in judgment can lead to charges for disorderly conduct, DWI/DUI, drugs, theft, assault, or even a sex crime.

A criminal charge can be a life altering experience for a college or university student. Students face the same consequences as any other criminal defendant, which can include a term of probation, untold hours of community service, stiff fines, and even jail time.

But the consequences of a criminal conviction for a student go far beyond that. The student can be disciplined by his or her school, which can include a permanent notation on his or her academic record, suspension, and even expulsion. If the student lives in university housing, he/she can be evicted. A criminal conviction may also affect a student's eligibility for financial aid.

Additionally, a criminal case, depending on how it is resolved, can leave the student with a criminal record. This will follow the student to the next step in his/her educational career, such as graduate or professional school, and may ultimately inhibit the student's acceptance into the program of his/her choice. It can also prevent students from obtaining a required professional license. It may affect them as they enter the job market and become subject to employee background checks. Depending upon the type of positions they seek (e.g., as an employee of a security-conscious corporation, or in a government post that requires a security clearance), a conviction for a sufficiently severe offense can potentially bring the student's career to an end before it even starts.

Finally, foreign students convicted of certain offenses may find themselves subject to deportation.

With so much at stake, any college or university student with a criminal case should be represented by a New Jersey criminal defense attorney who understands their unique needs and circumstances.

We defend college and university students charged with non-indictable (disorderly persons or petty disorderly persons) offenses, and indictable (felony) offenses. We understand that students and their parents have made huge investments of time, money, and other resources in a young person's future, and believes strongly that this should not be jeopardized or sacrificed because of what is usually am impetuous act stemming from a momentary loss of foresight.

If you are a student at any campus of Rutgers University, or any other college or university in New Jersey (including but not limited to Princeton; Seton Hall; Rowan; The College of New Jersey; Fairleigh Dickinson; Kean; Drew; Monmouth; Montclair State; William Paterson; or any community college) that has been charged with a criminal offense in a Municipal Court or the New Jersey Superior Court, contact us immediately. You want to be represented by a New Jersey criminal defense lawyer who will work tirelessly to protect your rights, your educational investment, and your future.