Essex County, New Jersey

Essex County is the third largest county in New Jersey by population. The county seat and Superior Court are both in Newark. The Essex County Veterans Courthouse, the base for the Superior Court Criminal Division and the Essex County Prosecutors Office, is located at 50 West Market Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.

Essex County has 10 major colleges and universities, and an elaborate system of public parks. The County may be accessed through the New Jersey Turnpike; Garden State Parkway; Interstates 280, 80 and 78; and Routes 1-9, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 46. Adjacent counties include Passaic County, Bergen County, Union County, Morris County and Hudson County.

Essex County includes the following municipalities, each of which has a Municipal Court:

• Newark
• Belleville
• East Orange
• Orange
• Montclair
• West Orange
• Millburn
• Nutley
• Livingston
• Roseland
• Bloomfield
• Maplewood
• South Orange
• Caldwell
• Cedar Grove
• Fairfield
• Verona
• Essex Fells

Several of these municipalities (Newark, Orange, East Orange, and Irvington) also include Urban Enterprise Zones.

Newark Municipal Court is easily one of the busiest courts in the State, if not the country. Newark is the State’s largest city, and generates a substantial caseload. Further, one of the most distinguishing features of Essex County is the fact that it is home to Newark Liberty International Airport. Numerous criminal offenses arise from conduct in the Airport. Many of these cases involve non-indictable offenses, and are heard in Newark Municipal Court. The County is also home to Newark Penn Station, and Port Newark.

Newark is also one of the three federal vicinages in the State for the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the largest and busiest county prosecutors office in the State, includes the following special investigative units:

Arson – Hundreds of vehicles are set on fire in Essex County every year. This is due, in part, to the number of major roads leading into and out of the County, which makes it an inviting place to torch a car. The Arson Unit investigates and prosecutes suspicious vehicle and house fires. The Unit works closely with the State's Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor on such cases. Cyber Crimes – The Cyber Crimes Unit was originally created to investigate and prosecute internet-related offenses involving child pornography and fraud. Over the years, this Unit has developed considerable expertise in computer forensics. It also works with the Megan's Law Unit to investigate the use of the internet by convicted sex offenders in violation of the terms and conditions of their parole supervision.

Financial Crimes – This Unit investigates and prosecutes offenses involving the theft of money or property, including fraudulent activities relating to checks, credit cards, bank accounts and mortgages. The Unit also investigates matters involving "knockoffs" or "bootlegged" merchandise.

Homicide – Investigates and prosecutes murders and vehicular homicides. Narcotics and Gangs - Heroin, cocaine (including crack), and marijuana continue to be the most commonly sold and abused controlled dangerous substances in Essex County. Further, and in the view of law enforcement, the narcotics trade in Essex County has become considerably more violent over the last decade. In response, the Narcotics Task Force focuses its activities and resources on middle and upper level drug dealers. Further, because of the increased involvement of gangs in the drug trade, the Narcotics Task Force works closely with the Office's Gang Intelligence Unit.

Professional Standards - This Unit investigates, among other things, crimes involving public employees, including criminal police misconduct.

The Office also has a special investigative unit for domestic violence cases involving allegations of criminal conduct.

Have you been charged with an indictable/felony offense in the Essex County Superior Court or with a non-indictable offense in a Municipal Court located in Essex County? Do you have a Federal criminal matter pending before the United States District Court in Newark? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, contact an experienced Essex County criminal defense lawyer to start planning your defense.