Blog: Disorderly Persons Offenses

What to Do If You’re Charged with a Disorderly Persons Offense in NJ

Jul 10, 2025

Facing a disorderly persons offense in NJ can be stressful and confusing, especially if you’ve never been in legal trouble before. These offenses are handled in New Jersey’s municipal courts and, while not considered “indictable crimes” (felonies), they can still carry serious penalties. A conviction can affect your job prospects, and reputation. At the Law Offices of Howard N. Sobel, we understand how disruptive a municipal court charge can be. Whether you’re dealing with a...

Disorderly Persons Offenses in New Jersey

Aug 14, 2018

Unlike other states, New Jersey does not categorize criminal offenses as misdemeanors or felonies. Instead, under New Jersey statute, a criminal violation is deemed either a disorderly persons offense or an indictable offense. Within the category of disorderly persons (DP) offenses, there’s a further breakdown between petty disorderly persons offenses and disorderly persons offenses. As a general rule, a disorderly persons offense is a lesser crime, involving a small amount of a controlled substance, the...