Getting your name changed in New Jersey is a surprisingly complicated process. A judge might deny your application for many reasons, so it’s a good idea to get a lawyer to help you.

How do I get my name changed?

If you’re getting married or divorced, it’s easy. Upon marriage, you can request the name change on the marriage certificate; upon divorce, you can request it as part of the divorce proceeding.

But otherwise, it’s a complicated process with a lot of steps. You’ll need to fill out a set of forms including a civil case complaint, file them with the court, wait for a response with a hearing date, publish a notice in the newspaper, and then appear for a hearing. If you have pending criminal charges, you also need to notify the prosecutor.

Once you’re at the hearing, the judge will want you to answer questions about why you want your name changed. The judge isn’t required to grant your name change; he might refuse your request if he thinks you have a fraudulent intent like avoiding creditors, or if you made an error in the paperwork, or if you have a criminal history.

Because this process is so lengthy and complicated, there’s a lot that can go wrong. A paperwork error or failure to publish a proper notice could get you sent back to square one. There’s a $250 filing fee for a name change, so having to repeat the process is both time-consuming and expensive. If the judge denied your request because of fraud or criminal history, you can’t start over and you’ll need to appeal, which is even more complicated.

To make sure it goes as smoothly as possible, it’s best to hire a lawyer. At Rosenblum Law, we’re experienced in dealing with name changes. We can fill out the paperwork for you and make sure all the technical requirements are met. We’ll also accompany you to the hearing and help you answer questions in a way that will persuade the judge to grant your name change.

What should I do if I want my name changed?

Schedule a free consultation with Rosenblum Law. Our experienced attorneys will guide you through the process and get you the best outcome possible. Our contact information is on the screen and further down on the page.

Driving with a suspended license can have surprisingly severe consequences. In addition to a $500 fine, you can face surcharges, and lengthened suspension, and more expensive insurance premiums. If you’ve been accused of driving while suspended, an experienced lawyer may be able to help you avoid the worst of these consequences.

Why might my license be suspended?

Generally, your license can be suspended by a judge if you’re convicted of a traffic offense, or by the Motor Vehicle Commission for administrative reasons, like failing to pay surcharges. It’s possible for your license to be suspended without your knowledge. Although the MVC has to send you a notice of suspension, if your contact information is out of date, you might never receive the notice.

Even after a suspension expires, your driver’s license isn’t automatically restored. If you didn’t apply to get your license back at the end of a suspension, you can be charged with driving while suspended.

What are the penalties?

For a first offense of driving while suspended, you face a $500 fine, a $250 surcharge, a 6-month extension of your suspension, and insurance points that will increase your premiums. Repeat offenses or driving on a license that was suspended for severe traffic violations like a DWI result in even steeper fines and jail time. Because these penalties can be so steep, you’re best off having a traffic attorney represent you.

How do I beat a charge of driving while suspended?

As always, the best way to beat the charge depends on the facts of your case. If the MVC never sent you a notice that you were suspended, that’s a defense. Or, if you were suspended for failing to pay a surcharge but you did pay the surcharge, that’s a defense too. Sometimes, the best option is to negotiate with the prosecutor to reduce the charge to driving without a license, which has lower fines and doesn’t extend your suspension.

What should I do if I’m charged with driving on a suspended license?

Don’t try to fight the charge on your own. We might be able to find a defense for you that can get the charge dismissed or reduced. Contact Rosenblum Law for a free consultation. Our contact information is on the screen and further down on the page.

Speeding tickets are so common that you might think you don’t need an attorney. However, there are hidden costs to speeding tickets that most drivers don’t realize. The smart thing to do is hire a lawyer to help you beat the ticket or negotiate it down.

What are the penalties for a speeding ticket?

A speeding ticket will result in a fine and points on your license. The penalties vary from $85 and 2 points for 1-9 mph over the speed limit to $269 and 5 points for 35-39 mph over the speed limit. If you were driving more than 10 mph over the speed limit in a 65+ zone, your fine gets doubled. If you have more than 6 points and you’re convicted of a speeding ticket, you also need to pay a $150 surcharge plus an additional $25 per point over 6. If you have 12 or more points within 3 years, your driver’s license gets suspended.

In addition to the legal consequences, speeding tickets will increase your car insurance premiums. One study found that a single New Jersey speeding ticket will increase your premiums by 15%. Over the course of your life, this could cost you thousands of dollars.

What if my driver’s license is from another state?

Even if you’re from another state, a New Jersey speeding ticket can have consequences for you. If you’re convicted of speeding, New Jersey will report the ticket to your state. Plus, you’ll still be on the hook for fines in New Jersey.

What should I do if I get a speeding ticket?

You should hire a lawyer to help you fight the ticket. The prosecutor has to turn over any evidence that you were speeding. If the radar gun or laser the police used to measure your speed weren’t calibrated properly, or if the prosecutor fails to turn over the evidence, the ticket can be dismissed. We can also determine whether the speed limit signs in the area were valid; if not, the ticket can be dismissed. In some cases, we can negotiate with the prosecutor to reduce the fine or the points.

Contact Rosenblum law for a free consultation. We’re experienced in fighting traffic tickets and will get you the best outcome possible. Our contact information is on the screen and at the bottom of the page.

Drug possession charges in New Jersey can be very severe. If you’re charged with possessing drugs or paraphernalia, you could face prison time. Your liberty is at stake, so make sure to hire an experienced lawyer to defend you. Drug charges can be beaten, and your chances are best if you have a good lawyer.

Penalties

Possession of marijuana can carry a sentence of up to 3 years in prison, a $15,000 fine, a loss of your driver’s license, and mandatory rehab. Possession of harder drugs can result in up to 5 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. Even just possessing paraphernalia can land you in prison for up to 6 months. Being a first-time offender doesn’t mean the prosecutors will go easy on you either. And regardless of your sentence, any drug conviction will end up on your criminal record, making it harder for you to find employment, housing, or credit. Bottom line: the stakes are high, so make sure you find a lawyer who will fight for you.

How do I beat a drug possession charge?

The prosecutor has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you knowingly possessed drugs. There are several ways we can make it harder for them to do that. You have Fourth Amendment rights, and if the police violated those rights when they searched you, a good lawyer can have the evidence suppressed, which could defeat the prosecutor’s entire case. Even if your rights weren’t violated, it’s also possible to beat the charge by proving you didn’t know about the drugs or they belonged to someone else. Both constitutional and factual arguments can be complicated, and your odds are best if you have a lawyer to make them for you.

Sometimes, prosecutors are also willing to negotiate charges down, especially if they know your lawyer can poke holes in their case. You may be able to avoid prison time by attending rehabilitation.

What should I do if I’ve been charged with drug possession?

If you’re facing drug charges, get a lawyer as soon as possible. This is critical because your best defense might be that the search was unconstitutional, and that argument needs to be made to the judge early on. Contact Rosenblum Law for a free consultation.

Weapons possession charges are some of the most serious you can face in New Jersey. They often result in incarceration, and higher level offenses carry mandatory minimum sentences that require the judge to send you to prison for years. The stakes are very high if you’re charged with unlawful weapons possession, so make sure you find an experienced attorney to represent you.

What is unlawful weapons possession?

New Jersey law has two categories of unlawful weapons possession. First, there’s possession of a weapon “under circumstances not manifestly appropriate for lawful use.” That is, the weapon itself isn’t illegal, but there’s some evidence the purpose wasn’t lawful. For example, bringing a gun to the airport. 

Second, there’s possession of an unlawful weapon. Some weapons are always illegal no matter the circumstances, like explosives, sawed-off shotguns, certain types of knives, and brass knuckles.

What are the penalties for unlawful weapons possession?

The exact penalties vary based on the charge and the weapon. If you’re charged with possessing a weapon under unlawful circumstances, you face up to 18 months in prison. If the weapon was a gun, it’s 3 to 5 years in prison. If there’s some evidence you intended to commit a crime with the weapon, you could face additional charges that also carry prison sentences.

If you’re charged with possessing an unlawful weapon, you face up to 18 months in prison, or 3 to 5 years if the weapon was an explosive or a sawed-off shotgun. And, like any other conviction, you’ll have a permanent criminal record that will make your life harder in many ways.

Some of the higher-level offenses have mandatory minimum sentences, meaning that the judge has to sentence you to prison time if you’re convicted. As you can see, the stakes of any weapons charge are extremely high.

How do I beat a weapons charge?

The best defense strategy varies based on the circumstances of the case. Sometimes, the search that uncovered the weapon violated the Fourth Amendment, and we can get the evidence thrown out that way. Other times, it’s possible to prove someone else possessed the weapon. These are complicated arguments to make, and it’s best to have an experienced attorney to make them for you. It’s also possible to negotiate the charge down or enroll you in a diversionary program to avoid a conviction.

What should I do if I’m charged with weapons possession?

As you can see, weapons charges are extremely serious, and you’ll need a good lawyer to represent you. Contact Rosenblum Law for a free consultation. Our contact information is on the screen and further down the page.

Having a criminal record makes life harder. It can impact your ability to find housing or a job, receive financial aid, and much more. Fortunately, the state of New York makes it possible to seal your criminal record, which makes your record unavailable to anyone except certain legal officials. Basically, once your record is sealed, it’s like you don’t have one at all.

When can I have my record sealed?

New York law imposes some conditions on people who want their records sealed. While records of arrests that don’t lead to a conviction or convictions for minor offenses are sealed automatically, sealing the record of more serious convictions involves a process. Convictions for a few major crimes, like murder, sexual misconduct, or arson, can’t be sealed.

However, if it’s been more than ten years since you were last convicted or incarcerated, you have fewer than two convictions on your record, and your convictions aren’t on the prohibited list, you can apply to seal your record. Even if you have more than two convictions, you might still be eligible to have your record sealed as long as the convictions weren’t based on more than two incidents. Both misdemeanor and felony convictions can be sealed.

What do I have to do to seal my record?

To seal your record, you have to submit an application to the court that presided over your conviction and the district attorney’s office that prosecuted you. The application must contain the Certificates of Disposition for your convictions and a list of reasons why the conviction should be sealed.

Should I hire a lawyer to help me seal my record?

It’s a very good idea to have a lawyer help you with this process. Record sealing isn’t automatic; the judge can summarily deny your application, and even if he doesn’t, there will be a hearing with the district attorney. Some district attorneys work hard to make sure criminal records don’t get sealed. They’re trained lawyers with a lot of experience, and you don’t want to face them alone. For the best chance at getting your record sealed, you should hire an attorney who’s an expert at having records sealed. We can advocate for you and make sure your arguments are strong enough to persuade the judge and the DA that you deserve to have your record sealed.

What happens when my record is sealed?

When your record is sealed, files related to your conviction only become available to certain legal authorities. That means employers, landlords, and lenders can’t see it, and you can get on with your life. Contact Rosenblum Law for a free consultation about record sealing.