If you are facing criminal charges and do not have a criminal record, you could benefit by hiring an experienced pre indictment lawyer, also called a PIP attorney, who may be able to help you settle your case with fewer penalties and less jail and court time.
Monmouth County Superior Court instituted what is called the Pre-Indictment Court in 2005 in order to relieve congestion in the courts. To settle the less serious cases in PIP Court, the Monmouth County prosecutor presents the lowest plea offer allowable under the law, and this may apply to charges of both misdemeanors and felonies.
These types of PIP proceedings allow the prosecutor to avoid conducting hearings and having to present less serious cases to the grand jury, which requires the subpoena of witnesses, including police officers—a process that takes them away from their normal duties.
David P. Donnelly, LLP has more than 25 years of criminal defense experience, including work as a PIP attorney and can help you present your application for a pre-trial intervention (PTI) and avoid a lengthy and potentially costly litigation process. He has handled more than 1,600 cases in PIP Court in Monmouth County and has the unique experience to determine whether you are getting the best offer from the prosecutor and to help you negotiate a better deal.
Pre Indictment, Hearings, Expungement, Litigation, Misdemeanors & Felonies
A PTI trial is granted to defendants who have no criminal record and who have never before received PTI or a conditional discharge. Once the defendant completes the probationary period, the case is dismissed and the person has no criminal record and there is no need for an expungement.
In some cases, the PIP attorney can help you with reducing a charge to a disorderly persons charge, to which a defendant often may plead to and be sentenced on in the same day. This occurs, for example, if your PIP attorney examines the police reports and sees there was an unconstitutional search. If successful, you may spend much less time in court and receive a more lenient sentence.
If your case involves a first-offense, you have no existing criminal record and you have never been granted a pre-trial intervention through the assistance of a pre indictment lawyer, consider hiring David Donnelly to serve as your PIP attorney to help you bargain for a lighter sentence and a lot less time in front of a judge.
