Lacey Township Municipal Court

Lacey Township Municipal Court cases in Ocean County, Forked River, NJ

Lacey Township Municipal Court in Forked River, NJ, is a municipal court within New Jersey's judiciary. It has limited jurisdiction over matters arising in Lacey Township, including motor vehicle and traffic offenses (speeding, DUI/DWI, parking), municipal ordinance and code violations (zoning, health, noise), and minor criminal charges classified as disorderly persons or petty disorderly persons offenses, as well as certain fish and game and weights-and-measures violations. The court does not hear civil lawsuits, landlord-tenant, small claims, or family matters; those are handled in the Superior Court. For indictable criminal offenses originating in the township, the municipal court conducts initial proceedings such as first appearances, probable-cause determinations, and the issuance of warrants or summonses before transfer to the Superior Court, Criminal Division. Municipal judges may also issue temporary restraining orders when the Superior Court is unavailable.

Lacey Township Municipal Court Contact and Location Information

Services and Case Types Handled in Lacey Township Municipal Court

Lacey Township Municipal Court serves the public by handling:
- Case types: traffic and parking violations; DWI/DUI; municipal code/ordinance violations; disorderly and petty disorderly persons offenses (e.g., simple assault, harassment, shoplifting under statutory thresholds); fish, game, and boating violations.
- Services: intake of citizen complaints/case filings; Violations Bureau payments and fine processing; scheduling and conduct of court sessions (arraignments, first appearances, pleas, bench trials, sentencing, compliance hearings); issuance of warrants and subpoenas; interpreters and ADA accommodations; payment plans and referrals to community dispute mediation when appropriate.
- Protective orders: municipal judges may issue temporary domestic-violence restraining orders when the Superior Court is unavailable; final restraining orders are handled by the Superior Court Family Division.
- Jury services: municipal courts do not conduct jury trials; jury duty is administered by the Ocean County Superior Court.