A plea bargain is agreement between the defendant and the prosecutor whereby the defendant pleads guilty to a reduced charge in exchange for some concession from the prosecutor. Ultimately, the judge presiding over the case must approve any plea deal reached between the defendant and the prosecutor.
Plea bargaining is permitted in New Jersey municipal traffic court matters, and defendants may attempt to negotiate a plea deal on their own behalf or elect to have an attorney negotiate with the prosecutor on their behalf. Most NJ traffic court matters are resolved by way of plea bargain, with only a small percentage ever going to trial. Securing the best possible plea deal in New Jersey traffic court matters typically, but not always, requires the services of a lawyer.
If you have questions about your New Jersey traffic court matter and whether a lawyer’s services might help you obtain a better plea deal than you would otherwise achieve on your own behalf, please contact us for a free consultation.