Camden County Auto Theft Lawyers
Criminal Defense Attorney in Collingswood, New Jersey
In New Jersey, there are two crimes that involve stealing another person’s automobile; joyriding and auto theft. Both of these crimes can subject a person to consequences such as time in prison and drivers license suspension which can have a significant impact on your future opportunities. If you have been charged with auto theft, you will need an experienced and skilled attorney that knows the details of theft law to help you get the most desirable result in you case.
The criminal defense team at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall defends clients charged with theft related offenses such as credit card theft, theft of movable property, and shoplifting in Camden County including Cherry Hill, Brooklawn, Lindenwold, and Gloucester. With around 40 years of combined experience, our defense attorneys know what it takes to help get you the most desirable result in your case. In fact, one of our attorneys has handled countless theft related cases and has been featured in the Daily Record from Morris County as a result of his success in several of these cases. The importance of this sort of expertise can be extremely valuable in your case. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall are available anytime for a free initial consultation to speak with you about your case. Call us today at 877-450-8301.
Joyriding/Unauthorized Use of an Automobile in New Jersey
New Jersey’s joyriding statute, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-10 explains that this crime is committed when a person takes the automobile with the intention of temporarily depriving the owner of it. The statute provides:
a. Disorderly persons offense: if, with purpose to withhold temporarily from the owner, he takes, operates, or exercises control over any means of conveyance, other than a motor vehicle, without consent of the owner or other person authorized to give consent.
Note: “Means of conveyance” includes but is not limited to motor vehicles, bicycles, motorized bicycles, boats, horses, vessels, surfboards, rafts, skimobiles, airplanes, trains, trams and trailers.
b. Fourth degree: if with purpose to withhold temporarily from the owner, he takes, operates or exercises control over a motor vehicle without the consent of the owner or other person authorized to give consent.
c.Third degree: if with purpose to withhold temporarily from the owner, he takes, operates or exercises control over a motor vehicle without the consent of the owner or other person authorized to give consent and operates the motor vehicle in a manner that creates a risk of injury to any person or a risk of damage to property.
d. Fourth degree: if he enters and rides in a motor vehicle knowing that the motor vehicle has been taken or is being operated without the consent of the owner or other person authorized to consent.
Note: It is an affirmative defense under subsections a., b. and c. of this section if the defendant reasonably believed that the owner or any other person authorized to give consent would have consented to the operation had he known of it.
New Jersey Auto Theft Statute: N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3
Auto theft is covered under N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3. A person is guilty of this crime if he or she takes an automobile with the intention of permanently depriving the owner of it. Since this is a third degree crime, a person can receive 3 to 5 years in New Jersey State Prison and a license suspension of 10 years if found guilty.
Contact a Cherry Hill Joyriding Lawyer for a Free Consultation
The criminal defense attorneys at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall are always available to speak with you about your case and begin to formulate an aggressive strategy to defend you against your auto theft charge. Our criminal defense team understands the details of theft law in New Jersey and we will use this knowledge to help you best defend against these charges. Call us today at 877-450-8301 for a free initial consultation about your case.