Sussex County Criminal Restraint Lawyers
Defense Attorneys for False Imprisonment Charges in Sparta, New Jersey
Criminal Restraint
If you are charged with criminal restraint in Sussex or Warren County, New Jersey, the criminal defense attorneys at our law firm can help. Criminal restraint is considered a third degree crime pursuant to the New Jersey Criminal Code, Section 2C:13-2 and the consequences include prison time. Often, criminal restraint charges result from situations where one person restrains another in such fashion as to expose the other to risk of serious bodily injury by creating a risk of death or permanent disfigurement. Other circumstances of criminal restraint include holding another person in a condition of involuntary servitude. Either way, charges for criminal restraint will be adjudicated in the Superior Court, Criminal Division, and having an experienced criminal defense lawyer on your side is a smart move.
Our skilled criminal defense team is dedicated to achieving the best possible outcomes for clients charged with criminal offenses such as criminal restraint, false imprisonment, and kidnapping, in Phillipsburg, Sparta, Andover, Newton, Belvidere, and throughout Warren and Sussex County, NJ. Our firm includes former a Municipal Court Prosecutor, former Assistant County Prosecutor, and former Deputy Attorney General, who now help us formulate the best defenses for our clients. Led by Travis J. Tormey, who has been named among the Top 100 Criminal Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers Association, our attorneys fight tooth and nail to protect your innocence. If you or your loved one has been arrested for criminal restraint charges in Sussex or Warren County, contact us anytime at 973-755-1695, or you can fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation.
New Jersey Criminal Restraint Law: N.J.S.A. 2C:13-2
New Jersey’s criminal statutes set forth in N.J.S.A. 2C:13-2 that a person commits a crime of the third degree if he knowingly restrains another unlawfully in circumstances exposing the other to risk of serious bodily injury or holds another in a condition of involuntary servitude. The statute further sets forth that “the creation by the actor of circumstances resulting in a belief by another that he must remain in a particular location shall for purposes of this section be deemed to be a holding in a condition of involuntary servitude.” Thus, there are many cases in which one person merely blocks a doorway or locks a door and then gets charged with criminal restraint.
The only affirmative defense against criminal restraint recognized under the law is that if a person is charged with holding another in a condition of involuntary servitude, if the person held was a child and the actor was a relative or legal guardian of such child, then assuming control of the child is not considered criminal restraint.
Phillipsburg Criminal Restraint Attorneys
Many cases of criminal restraint will also include charges of false imprisonment and kidnapping because the underlying circumstances and elements are generally related to each other. In any event, whether you are facing a multitude of charges or only a charge for criminal restraint, the consequences include imprisonment for three to five years and a fine of up to $15,000. Contacting an experienced criminal defense attorney is the first and most important step to fighting to avoid these consequences. Don’t hesitate to call us at 973-755-1695 if you are charged with criminal restraint in Sussex or Warren County – we are available 24/7 to defend your good name.
