Hopewell Township Obstructing the Administration of Law Lawyer

There are plenty of individuals in Hopewell Township who find themselves in trouble with the law for engaging in conduct that obstructs, impairs or prevents police or prosecutors from performing their job duties. When someone prevents police officers from doing their job it is referred to as obstructing the administration of law, and when someone interferes with how prosecutors perform their job it is referred to as obstructing the administration of justice.

Conduct of this nature is illegal in New Jersey. A conviction for obstructing the administration of law or justice can mean a criminal record, jail time and the payment of a steep fine. Since your rights and freedom are at stake it is important that you retain a highly skilled obstructing the administration of law defense attorney to fight for you. The criminal defense team at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall have a proven track record of successfully defeating these types of charges and we can help you with your defense too. Contacting us by calling 609–683–8102 today for a free initial consultation.

Obstructing and Hindering Charges

Charges of obstructing the administration of law generally take one of two forms under N.J.S.A. 2C:29-1 : obstruction charges or hindering charges. Based on what type of conduct the defendant has engaged in, law enforcement will generally charge one or the other of obstruction charges or hindering charges.

Obstruction charges. Someone can be charged with obstruction under a broad range of circumstances. Obstruction involves someone purposely acting in a way to obstruct the administration of law, or to impede an investigation. Generally speaking, it is obstruction if you prevent a civil servant, such as a police officer or detective, from doing their job. Several specific acts of conduct that constitute obstruction include:

• Fleeing from police, meaning that the defendant takes flight or runs from the police.
• Intimidating a witness, police officer, judge, etc.
• Using force, such as creating an obstacle for law enforcement to overcome in order to conduct their job duties.
• Engaging in any other unlawful act.

The seriousness of an obstruction charge is based on how serious the obstruction is, and can result in either a disorderly persons offense or a fourth degree criminal offense.

Hindering charges. Someone can be charged with hindering in several ways. For instance, a person can be charged with hindering if he or she aids in someone’s escape or flight from the police, conceals or hides someone who is wanted by the police, or provides law enforcement with false or misleading information about someone that the police are interested in locating or speaking with. Hindrance also occurs if someone is involved in witness tampering or involved in concealing, hiding or altering evidence that is pertinent to a criminal case or other investigation.

Hindering charges are usually a disorderly persons offense, but in the most serious instances hindering charges are a third degree criminal offense.

Requisite Intent or State of Mind. Anyone who has been charged with obstructing the administration of the law or justice will have to attend a hearing at Hopewell Township municipal court. In court, the state’s prosecutors must prove each and every element of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt in order to obtain a conviction against the defendant. One of the important elements that must be proven by the state is that the defendant had the requisite intent, or state of mind, at the time of the alleged obstruction or hindrance. The state must prove that the defendant acted intentionally or purposefully to obstruct the administration of law of justice, which can often be challenging for the prosecution to do.

Speak With An Experienced Hopewell Township Obstructing the Administration of Law Attorney Today

Obstructing the administration of law or justice charges are not something that should be taken lightly. Convictions for these types of charges can have a significant negative impact on your life that can last for a long time. Take your criminal defense seriously and contact one of the professionals at Mathe Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall. Our team of criminal defense attorneys know how to handle these types of cases and will do everything that we can to help you with your defense. Reach us by calling 609–683–8102 for a free consultation about your situation.