Burlington County Weapons Offense Lawyers
Aggressive Criminal Defense Lawyers Represent Clients Accused of Weapons Offenses in Moorestown and Throughout Burlington County
Under New Jersey law, weapons offenses involve both the illegal possession of legal weapons—including situations where you may have failed to obtain the proper registration or permits—and situations, where a weapon is used in the commission of some other criminal act or possession of the gun, is in and of itself illegal. A state permit is required in order to legally possess an otherwise legal weapon, and certain types of assault rifles are outright prohibited in New Jersey unless subject to a grandfathering provision. The intricate nature of New Jersey’s weapon laws often results in situations where an individual finds himself or herself facing weapons offense charges without even realizing that the relevant actions were of a criminal nature.
Our criminal defense lawyers have over five decades’ worth of collective experience effectively representing clients accused of weapons offenses in Burlington County and throughout the state of New Jersey, so you can rest assured that your case will be handled by a skilled criminal defense team. While other law firms may commonly accept the first plea bargain offered by the prosecution, at Attorneys Hartman, Chartered, we have developed a reputation for fighting tirelessly in weapons offense cases so that we can get the best possible outcome under the circumstances for every one of our clients.
Range of Weapons Offense Cases We Handle in Medford, NJ
At Attorneys Hartman, Chartered, our experienced weapons offense lawyers handle all types of weapons offense charges in Medford and the surrounding areas, including:
- Possession of a weapon for use in an illegal purpose, such as robbery,
- Unlawful possession of the weapon itself, such as in cases where the defendant had a prior felony conviction,
- Possession of an illegal weapon, such as certain types of assault rifles,
- Illegal possession of an imitation weapon, such as a BB gun or paintball gun (permitting is required in New Jersey even in cases where the gun is an imitation weapon),
- Possession of a rifle or other weapon without the necessary permits,
- Possession of a weapon or imitation weapon while in a school,
- Failing to surrender a weapon when the court orders surrender, such as while on conditional release.
Arrested on Weapons Offense Charges? You Need a Strong Legal Advocate in Your Corner
Weapons offenses must be taken seriously in New Jersey, and our team of weapons offense lawyers have the skills necessary to formulate the strongest possible legal defense in your case. In many cases, we may be able to challenge the legality of how law enforcement found the weapon involved in the offense. Police must have probable cause to conduct a search of your property, and if the weapon was improperly obtained in an illegal search, it may be possible to have the charges dropped or reduced, depending upon the circumstances of your case. Other potential defenses include:
- Challenges to the police warrant
- Challenges to motor vehicle stops which result in searches
- Constitutional violations that occurred during the arrest and interrogation
- Cases of mistaken identity
It’s important to remember that the prosecution is under no obligation to offer a plea bargain or offer alternatives to formal prosecution in your weapons offense case. It is up to your team of defense lawyers to examine both the prosecution’s evidence and evidence that we uncover in our independent investigation and argue for reduced charges, dismissal or alternative resolution depending upon the circumstances of your case.
At Attorneys Hartman, Chartered, our skilled weapons offense lawyers are committed to putting in the work necessary to build the strongest possible defense strategy in your case. One of our attorneys is a former Burlington County prosecutor, so we know what to expect in weapons offense cases and are well equipped to advocate vigorously for our clients.
Schedule a Confidential Consultation to Discuss Your Weapons Offense Charges with Our Experienced Criminal Defense Lawyers
If you have been arrested on weapons charges in Burlington County, Camden County or the surrounding areas, it is important that you retain an attorney with experience handling weapons offense cases as soon as possible to ensure the greatest chance of success. Weapons offense cases are taken extremely seriously in the state of New Jersey, and they can be complicated in any number of ways. Call or contact the experienced weapons offense lawyers at Attorneys Hartman, Chartered for a confidential consultation to discuss options in your case today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Weapons Offenses in Marlton, NJ
It remains critical that you take the situation seriously even if you have no prior criminal record. Under New Jersey’s Graves Act, you may be facing a mandatory three-year jail sentence before even becoming eligible for parole while serving a sentence that can range up to ten years. This is the case even if you are a first offender, and this could even be the case if you were charged with being in illegal possession of an imitation handgun. Our experienced weapons offense lawyers can help explore both available defenses and potential alternatives, such as obtaining a Graves Act Waiver, in your case.
Weapons offenses pertain to more than just firearms. You can also be charged with a weapons offense with respect to knives, slingshots, stun guns, bludgeons and essentially any components that can easily be assembled into a weapon, depending upon the circumstances.
Yes. In order to transport a legal weapon, the weapon must be stored in a case in the trunk separately from the gun ammunition. New Jersey almost never issues gun carry permits to private citizens, so this is the only way that you can legally transport a weapon that you are otherwise lawfully entitled to possess.