An Introduction to Municipal Courts
Date: May 30, 2025 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: New Jersey Law Center, New Brunswick, and Online
Member Price: $159.00
Non-Member Price: $199.00
Section Price: $149.00
Areas of Law: Municipal Court Practice
Earn up to 3.3 credits! (More Information)
Keynote
Moderator
- Greggory M. Marootian, Esq.
- Marootian Law Office, Livingston
Presenters
- Hon. Jonathan H. Rosenbluth
- Presiding Municipal Court Judge
Madison Joint Municipal Court - Annette Depalma, Esq.
- Township of Maplewood, Maplewood
- Howard Egenberg, Esq.
- , Kearny
- Marc D. Garfinkle, Esq.
- The Law Office of Marc Garfinkle, Morristownmaintains a solo practice in Morristown, New Jersey, where since 2012 he has limited his practice to matters relating to legal ethics, bar admission, judicial misconduct and attorney discipline. He has also been the municipal public defender in Livingston, New Jersey.
Admitted to practice in New Jersey and California, and before the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and the Northern District of California, Mr. Garfinkle is a former New Jersey ethics investigator and has been a member of the American, New Jersey State, Morris County and Essex County Bar Associations, as well as the Association for CLE Administrators (ACLEA). He is Past Chair of the District VB Ethics Committee, has written a monthly “Practice Paper” on legal ethics for the New Jersey Law Journal, and is a frequent guest of the media in professional responsibility matters. In addition to lecturing for ICLE, Mr. Garfinkle produces live ethics and “new lawyer” CLE for attorneys coast to coast, and his clients have included state bar associations in Ohio, Missouri, South Carolina, Alaska and Oregon, as well as the ICE trial attorneys for the United States Department of Homeland Security. His online programs have been produced by Lawline.com, West LegalEduCenter, Solo University.com and RocketMatterCLE, among other providers. Having taught Persuasion and Advocacy at Seton Hall Law School since 2007, he is also the self-published author of several books including $olo Contendere: How to Go Directly from Law School into the Practice of Law Without Getting a Job (3d. Ed.), The Hip-Pocket Guide to Testifying in Court, The New Lawyer’s Hip-Pocket Guide to Appearing in Court and The Hip-Pocket Guide to Speaking in Public.
Mr. Garfinkle received his B.A. from Marietta College and his J.D. from UC Hastings (formerly Hastings College of the Law, University of California).
(9/23)
Whether you’re new to municipal court practice or need a refresher, this seminar, presented by a prominent and experienced panel, will provide important information to understand the municipal court system in New Jersey. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your skills and prepare to practice effectively in the municipal courts.
Topics include:
- Common Municipal Court charges & Court’s jurisdiction
- Client Intake
- Getting the MVC Abstract
- Fees
- Using the NJ Municipal Court Case Search Portal
- Entering the appearance and waiving the 1st appearance
- Use of JEDS & Email
- Discovery Requests
- How to make a request and what to include
- Discovery, Motions, and Holup relief
- Unwritten rules of engagement
- Dealing with court staff, judges, and prosecutors
- View from a Prosecutor
- View from the Bench
- Motion Practice
- Orally or in writing
- otion to Suppress
- Plea-Bargaining & Pleas
- Civil reservations
- Conditional dismissals
- Pleas by mail
- Taking a factual basis
- Expedited expungements
- Sentencing
- Advocating in cases where there is sentencing discretion like license loss, State v. Moran
- Trials
- Appeals
- Conditional appeals
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