Stafford Township Municipal Court

Stafford Township Municipal Court cases in Ocean County, Manahawkin, NJ

Stafford Township Municipal Court in Manahawkin, NJ, is a municipal court of limited jurisdiction within New Jersey's judiciary. It handles cases arising in Stafford Township involving motor vehicle and traffic offenses (including DWI/DUI, speeding, and parking), violations of municipal ordinances and local code, and non-indictable criminal matters such as disorderly persons and petty disorderly offenses. The court also processes complaints, issues warrants, and conducts first appearances and other preliminary proceedings for indictable crimes before those matters are transferred to the Ocean County Superior Court. It does not hear civil, family, probate, or indictable offense trials, which are within the jurisdiction of the Superior Court.

Stafford Township Municipal Court Contact and Location Information

Services and Case Types Handled in Stafford Township Municipal Court

Stafford Township Municipal Court serves the public by handling:

- Case intake/filings: traffic and parking tickets (including DWI/DUI), municipal ordinance/code violations (property maintenance, noise, animal control), and disorderly persons/petty offenses (simple assault, harassment, shoplifting under threshold, trespass, fish/game/boating).
- Court proceedings: scheduling and conducting arraignments, first appearances, pleas, bench trials, and sentencings; issuing subpoenas and warrants; setting release conditions; managing fines, restitution, and payment plans.
- Records and support: processing discovery requests, providing certified dispositions/records, interpreter services, and ADA accommodations; referring suitable matters to community mediation.
- Protective orders: may issue temporary restraining orders in emergent domestic-violence situations when the Superior Court is unavailable, and impose no-contact orders in municipal cases.
- Jury services: not provided; municipal matters are heard by a judge without a jury. Jury duty is handled by the county Superior Court.