Effective October 1, 2010; the Borough Municipal Court will be relocated to the Mansfield Township Municipal Complex http://www.mansfieldtownship-nj.gov/municipal-court.html
Who is the judge?
Washington Borough's Municipal Court Judge is J. Edward Palmer.
Who works for the Court?
The Court Administrator is Virginia Cortese and the Deputy Court Administrator is Lisa Rudd.
Who is the Prosecutor?
Roger J. Skoog, Esq.
Who is the Public Defender?
Scott M. Wilhelm, Esq .
I need to talk to the Judge and/or the Prosecutor about my case
You may speak with the Prosecutor only on your court date. You may not call him prior to your court date. The Judge is prohibited from speaking to either party prior to the disposition of the case.
When are you open?
The Washington Borough Municipal Court hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. until noon and 1 p.m. unti14:30 p.m. We close daily from 12 noon until1 p.m. for lunch.
What is your mailing address and phone number?
Washington Borough Court
l00 Belvidere Ave.
Washington NJ 07882
908-689-3603
FAX 908-689-9485
When do you have court?
Typically, court is held every Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. However, court dates are subject to change due to weather, illness, emergencies and/or vacation scheduling.
When is my payment due on this ticket?
The payment is due by the court date listed at the bottom of the summons.
How much is this ticket?
A listing of some of the most common violations (including local violations) is on the back of the summons. However, not all violations are listed. If your violation is not listed on the back, you may either contact the court at (908) 689-3603 or check out the web site www.njmcdirect.com for the violation amount.
Can I pay by phone?
No, this court does not accept credit cards. However, you may access www.njmcdirect.com to pay via credit card. You will need some information from your summons order to pay the correct ticket, so please have it available when you visit this website.
How many points does this ticket have?
Municipal Court Employees are prohibited from giving you this information. However, if you access www.njmcdirect.com there is a listing of the points assessed for specific violations by DMV.
Will this be reported to my insurance company?
A record of all moving violations is reported weekly to NJ DMV .You may wish to contact your insurance carrier as to how point information is relayed to them from the DMV .
I don't have the full amount for this ticket. Can I pay in installments?
Partial payments cannot be accepted on payments received through the violations bureau. In order to receive a partial payment agreement, you must appear in court. However, a short extension period may be granted if you need additional time to pay the summons in full.
When is my partial payment installment due?
Everyone's due date is different. The due date is the date you appeared in court. For example if you appeared on January 3rd, and you are making installments every month, your payments are due on the 3rd of every month.
What happens if l don't have the full payment or my payment is late?
Delinquent notices are generated each week for those accounts that are past due, or when a payment is received that is less than the amount due. If your payment fails to "catch up" with the payment schedule, a delinquent notice will be mailed to you. Failure to maintain a partial payment agreement will result in suspension of your driving privileges and/or a warrant for your arrest. Additional costs may be incurred.
I have several tickets, but only one of them is marked "Court Appearance Required", can I pay for the other tickets now?
No, when one summons is marked "Court Appearance Required", all of the summons are Court Appearance required even if the summons are not marked as such.
I need a public defender, how do I get one?
When you appear in court to have your first appearance (to enter a plea), please request a SA form from the court administrator. You will need to complete this form immediately so it is presented to the Judge for a determination of your eligibility for a public defender.
I'm not working right now, can I get a public defender?
Only the Judge can determine if you are eligible for the services of the public defender. Your income is only one criteria that the Judge uses to determine your eligibility.
The Judge will review the charges against you in order to determine if a conviction of this charge would result in a "Consequence of Magnitude". If that possibility exists, the Judge may appoint the Public Defender after reviewing the completed SA form submitted by the defendant.
What is a "Consequence of Magnitude"?
A conviction of an offense resulting in a "Consequence of Magnitude" would consist of:
1. Any sentence of imprisonment
2. Any period of (a) driver's license suspension, (b) suspension of the defendant's non-resident reciprocity privileges or (c) driver's license ineligibility; or
3. Any monetary sanction imposed by the court of $750 or greater in the aggregate, except for any public defender application fee. A monetary sanction is defined as the aggregate of any type of court imposed financial obligation, including fines, costs, restitution, penalties and/or assessments.
I need to file a complaint, how do I do that?
The municipal court is open Monday -Friday from 8:30 a.m. until noon and 1 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. to accept your complaint.
What charges can I make against this person?
Municipal court staff cannot help you in the preparation of your complaint. We can advise you on how to complete the forms, but we cannot tell you what to put on them. We will give you manuals to help you decide what charges to file, but we cannot tell you what charge to file. You must understand that the Municipal Court must remain as a neutral party and we are prohibited from saying anything that would constitute "legal advice" .
When will this be scheduled for court?
It is Judge Palmer's policy to refer all eligible citizen non-indictable complaints to the "Community Dispute Resolution Program" as a first step in resolution of any incident.
What kind of complaints won't be referred to the Community Dispute Resolution Program?
Any complaint that is indictable charge, a traffic violation or any complaint involving domestic violence will not be referred to the Community Dispute Resolution Program. Any complaint signed by an officer cannot be referred to the Community Dispute Resolution Program. All other complaints of Disorderly Persons and Petty Disorderly offenses, as well as local violations will be referred to the Community Dispute Resolution Program.
What is the "Community Dispute Resolution Program "?
Community Dispute Resolution Program is mediation --a forum with the participation of local citizens, to resolve minor disputes between parties which would otherwise have to be referred to the Municipal Court. This procedure results in the following:
I) It encourages citizen participation in local community problems.
2) It avoids the possibility of a defendant obtaining a criminal record which may not be appropriate for a relatively minor infraction.
3) It provides a forum for the parties to mutually resolve their differences and to shape a solution rather than impose a penalty.
4) It results in a better community and a better understanding of the judicial system.
What if I don't want to participate in the "Community Dispute Resolution Program"?
Judge Palmer orders both parties in a conflict to attend the Community Dispute Resolution program. Should either party fail to appear, court sanctions may be imposed.
What happens at this Community Dispute Resolution Program?
Both parties meet together with a group of three mediators. Each side has approximately 15 minutes to present his/her side of the situation. The mediators try to work out an amicable solution to the problem.
What happens if we don't come to an agreement?
If the mediators are unable to help resolve the matter through an agreement between the parties, it will be scheduled for another court date to appear before Judge Palmer .
What happens if we come to an agreement?
Judge Palmer will dismiss the summons.
What happens if he/she violates the agreement?
The original complaint would have been dismissed. You must then file a new complaint with the municipal court. This new complaint would not be referred to the Community Dispute Resolution Program.
