Careless driving plea bargain 39:4-97

39:4-97 Careless driving
Fine or imprisonment not exceeding 15 days, or both
Fine $50-$200 2 MVC points plus court costs and 2 Car insurance points and possible non renewal by insurance company penalty at 39:4-104
Plus Judge Can Suspend DL for Willful Traffic Offense.
State v. Moran 202 NJ 311 (2010)
The license suspension provision of N.J.S.A. 39:5-31, which is published in the Motor Vehicle Code of the New Jersey Statutes Annotated, is not “hidden,” and defendant, like all motorists, is presumed to know the law. To ensure that license suspensions meted out pursuant to N.J.S.A. 39:5-31 are imposed in a reasonably fair and uniform manner, so that similarly situated defendants are treated similarly, the Court today defines the term “willful violation” contained in N.J.S.A. 39:5-31 and enunciates sentencing standards to guide municipal court and Law Division judges
39:4-97 . Careless driving 39:4-97 . A person who drives a vehicle carelessly, or without due caution and circumspection, in a manner so as to endanger, or be likely to endanger, a person or property, shall be guilty of careless driving.
The NJ Appellate Division in held in State v Lutz 309 N.J. Super. 317 (App. Div. 1998) that merely because an accident took place a driver does not been the driver is guilty of careless driving. The court wrote:
"Finally, we find merit in defendant's contention that the State failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was guilty of careless driving.
The court wrote:
 It appears that both the Municipal Court judge and the Law Division judge applied a res ipsa loquitur analysis in finding defendant guilty of careless driving.   The doctrine of res ipsa loquitur, however, has no application in the determination of careless driving due to the quasi-criminal nature of the proceeding in which the State has the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt all elements of the offense.   See State v. Wenzel, 113 N.J.Super., 215, 216-18, 273 A.2d 395 (App.Div.1971) (the mere fact of an “otherwise unexplained jackknifing” where a tractor-trailer entering a construction area had jackknifed on the wet roadway, crossed into the opposite lane and broadsided another truck fatally injuring the truck's driver, did not establish that the defendant had been driving carelessly.)
The careless driving statute provides:
[a] person who drives a vehicle on a highway carelessly, or without due caution and circumspection, in a manner so as to endanger, or be likely to endanger, a person or property, shall be guilty of careless driving.
.... More info at www.njlaws.com/...
KENNETH VERCAMMEN & ASSOCIATES, PC
ATTORNEY AT LAW
2053 Woodbridge Ave.
Edison, NJ 08817
(Phone) 732-572-0500
Kenneth Vercammen’s office represents persons charged with Serious Traffic offenses. Criminal and Motor vehicle violations are expensive. If convicted, you will have to pay high fines in court, face probation, and other serious penalties that may effect future employment.
You should consider hiring a Certified Municipal Court Law Attorney such as Kenneth Vercammen to Represent you . Very few attorneys in New Jersey have been able to pass the rigid test to be recognized by the Supreme Court as a Certified Municipal Court Law Attorney.
When your job or driver's license is in jeopardy or you are facing thousands of dollars in penalties you need excellent legal representation. The cheap attorney is never the answer. Schedule a free in-office consultation if you need experienced legal representation in a traffic/municipal court matter.
Our website www.njlaws.com provides details on jail terms for criminal offenses and other traffic matters. Call the Law Office of Kenneth Vercammen a to schedule a free in-office consultation to hire a trial attorney for Criminal/ DWI/ Municipal Court Traffic/ Drug offenses. Please call us to schedule an appointment if you need experienced legal representation in a criminal matter. Save this letter for future reference.
Kenneth Vercammen, Certified Criminal Trial Attorney
Past NJSBA “Municipal Court Attorney of the Year”
Former Prosecutor of Cranbury Municipal Court
and co-Author of: ABA "Handling Drug and DWI Cases."
Celebrating 30+ years of providing excellent service to clients since 1985. We fight to win!
For information on points, fines, jail and suspension for this violation, go to KennethVercammen.com/traffic_minimum_penalties.htm
More info at www.njlaws.com/...