New Jersey Criminal Defense Attorneys

Law Offices of John J. Zarych

1555 Zion Road
Suite 201
Northfield, New Jersey 08225
USA

(609) 641-2266 or (866) 605-5115

(609) 641-3677

www.johnzarych.com

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Law Firm Overview Free Consultation

The Law Offices of John J. Zarych exclusively handles criminal defense cases. Our attorneys believe that knowledge of the law is the foundation of an aggressive defense. To that end we keep abreast of all new developments in criminal law. As members of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey, the American Bar Association and the New Jersey State Bar Association, we receive daily updates on changes in criminal law.

Criminal defense is the focus of our practice. Our attorneys are not intimidated by complex criminal law issues such as motions to suppress evidence, Miranda hearings, challenging breathalyzer and Alcotest evidence, challenging forced confessions, challenging blood evidence, assessing crime scenes and cross examining expert witnesses about DNA and other forensic evidence at trial. Our lawyers regularly deal with issues regarding the selection of a jury, removing biased jurors for cause, drafting and selection of jury instructions, strategies for obtaining favorable juries, handling juror questions to the court in the course of trial, dealing with motions for a new trial, and judgment of acquittal and mistrial.

Additionally, our attorneys have experience handling complex evidence issues during pre-trial and trial phases, such as, Crawford v. Washington Sixth Amendment confrontation issues, hearsay and exceptions to the hearsay rule such as fresh complaints, prior consistent statements, and prior inconsistent statements. These evidential issues commonly arise in criminal cases along with a host of sub-issues which usually cannot be handled effectively by a criminal lawyer unless that lawyer handles those issues on a regular basis.

Practice Areas

Additional Practice Areas: Casino Crimes, Probation Violation, Underage Drinking

Practice Areas Description

Our areas of practice include:

- DWI/DUI

We have obtained many acquittals and dismissals in DWI/DUI cases. This does not come without knowledge, effort and a willingness to fight. Our philosophy with respect to DWI/DUI charges is that if you want to have your case dismissed or result in a not guilty verdict you must have an attorney who is willing to do the work necessary to achieve that result.

- Drug Charges

We aggressively defend drug charges in the Federal, Superior and Municipal courts. Drug cases frequently arise from warrantless police searches conducted without probable cause, false information provided by addicted and unscrupulous informants and outright entrapment. If you have been charged with a drug crime the best way to protect yourself and your rights is to consult with an attorney immediately.

- Assault

Our attorneys have a great deal of experience handling assault charges. Generally speaking, assault refers to causing or attempting to cause some level of bodily injury to another person. In New Jersey there are two main types of assault charges, simple assault and aggravated assault. Most simple assault charges are on the disorderly person’s offense level. The maximum sentence of imprisonment authorized for a disorderly persons conviction is six months and the maximum fine authorized is $1,000.

- Sexual Assault

Sexual assaults, commonly called "rape", are indictable crimes in New Jersey and carry a lengthy prison sentence. Depending on factors such as your relationship to the victim, the age of the victim, your age, whether there was penetration, and whether force or a weapon was used, you could be facing a sentence of up to 20 years for each charge. If you plead guilty or are found guilty of a sex crime, you could potentially face a lifetime of registration as a sex offender under Megan's Law and parole for life. No other area of criminal law carries a greater potential for personal, family, social and financial devastation or a greater potential for a false accusation and wrongful conviction.

- Gun Charges

Simple unlawful possession of a firearm, such as a handgun or shotgun, in New Jersey is an indictable crime and is punishable by up to five years in prison. However, possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose or possession of a gun by a felon is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Given the current wave of anti-gun hysteria, many innocent citizens are wrongfully charged with gun crimes. We are extremely aggressive in defending these cases.

- Casino Crimes

Our attorneys are highly skilled in casino crimes defense. We have provided a successful defense in numerous cases involving bad checks, casino markers, money laundering, financial structuring, dealer-player conspiracies, counterfeit coins and tokens, past posting, and charges of outright theft or robbery of chips. We know from long experience that persons charged with casino crimes are often the innocent victims of set-ups and scams. We are also quite familiar with defending cases in which individuals have gambled and lost millions of dollars at casinos and, after they have lost their businesses and homes, are charged with theft or bad checks when they are unable to pay the last markers held by casinos.

- Probation Violations

Probation and parole violations are very serious offenses in New Jersey. If you are found guilty, you can be sentenced to the maximum term for the crime for which you are on probation or parole. For example, if you received a sentence of probation and no jail for possession of a small amount of cocaine, you could receive a sentence of 5 years in state prison for violating that probation. If you commit another crime while on probation, you can be held in jail without bail by the judge who sentenced you to probation and you can be sentenced to a consecutive state prison sentence for the new crime.

- Theft

A theft conviction on your record can have a devastating effect on your ability to earn a living. Many employers do not hire employees who have theft convictions. Our attorneys fight hard to resolve these cases without a conviction. Since theft is a non-violent crime, hard work by a criminal defense lawyer can often result in a disposition that does not involve a criminal record.

- Juvenile Crimes

We strongly recommend that you hire a criminal defense attorney to represent your child in any juvenile matter, no matter how seemingly slight. Many parents make the mistake of not hiring an attorney when the court notice they receive states that an attorney is not required such as a notice for a Juvenile Conference Committee hearing or a Counsel Non-mandatory hearing before a Juvenile Hearing Officer. These proceedings can result in a juvenile record. There is also a common misconception that juvenile proceedings are dismissed and expunged when the juvenile turns 18 years of age. That is absolutely not the case. The advice of a criminal defense attorney skilled in juvenile matters should be sought upon your child's first contact with law enforcement or court personnel.