Hackensack Municipal Court

Hackensack Municipal Court cases in Bergen County, Hackensack, NJ

Hackensack Municipal Court is a municipal court of limited jurisdiction serving the City of Hackensack, New Jersey. It adjudicates motor-vehicle and parking violations; municipal ordinance and code violations; and non-indictable criminal matters, including disorderly persons and petty disorderly persons offenses such as simple assault, harassment, shoplifting at disorderly-persons levels, trespass, and alcohol or controlled-substance possession. It also hears driving while intoxicated and other traffic-related offenses, and certain state regulatory violations (e.g., fish and game, weights and measures). The court conducts first appearances and other preliminary proceedings for indictable offenses before referring those cases to the Bergen County Superior Court. It does not hear civil claims or family matters, which are handled in Superior Court.

Hackensack Municipal Court Contact and Location Information

Services and Case Types Handled in Hackensack Municipal Court

Hackensack Municipal Court serves the public by handling:
- Traffic and parking offenses, DWI, and municipal ordinance violations.
- Disorderly and petty disorderly persons offenses (e.g., simple assault, harassment, shoplifting), and local code/health matters.
- Case intake: citizen complaints, probable-cause review, issuance of summonses and warrants.
- Proceedings: arraignments, pretrial conferences, plea hearings, bench trials, sentencing, and compliance reviews.
- Payments/compliance: fines, fees, restitution, time-payment plans, community service monitoring, and record requests/certifications.
- Protective orders: judges may issue emergency temporary restraining orders when Superior Court is unavailable; ongoing domestic-violence cases are in Superior Court.
- Jury services: not provided; jury trials occur in Bergen County Superior Court.
- Accessibility and scheduling: interpreter/ADA accommodations and hearing scheduling or adjournments, including remote appearances when authorized.