Municipal Court

Mission Statement
We are an independent branch of government constitutionally entrusted with the fair and just resolution of disputes in order to preserve the rule of law and to protect the rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States and this State.

Responsibilities
The Fair Lawn Municipal Court is responsible for the prosecution, trial and ultimate disposition of offenses committed within the territorial limits and boundaries of the Borough. These offenses include, but are not limited to, all motor vehicle and traffic laws; all violations of the New Jersey Criminal Justice Code classified as disorderly persons and petty disorderly persons offenses; all violations of Borough Ordinances and Codes. The responsibility also includes the prosecution of DWI (driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drug) offenses, and issuance of temporary restraining orders involving incidents of domestic violence.

The Court handles the processing of initial complaints, summonses, arrest warrants, search warrants, probable cause hearings, suppression of evidence motions, subpoenas, failure to appear notices, motor vehicle suspension notices, and commitments to the jail and/or county mental health facilities, discharges, bail determinations, and arraignments.

In addition, its duties also include the appointment of public defenders for indigent defendants, and determinations regarding jail or alternative sentencing options like drug and alcohol intervention programs, mental health intervention programs, violence counseling and complimentary dispute resolution (mediation).

Core Values

• Independence
• Fairness
• Integrity
• Quality Service
  
  

Matters Heard By Municipal Court

• Traffic and Parking violations
• Town Ordinance violations
• Disorderly person offenses
• Petty disorderly person offenses
• Weights and Measure violations
• Private Citizen complaints-traffic and criminal