One constitutional right that everyone has after they have been arrested is the right to a speedy trial. The state of New Jersey has to present their case to the Grand Jury within a certain time frame. The right to a speedy trial applies to those who had a warrant issued against them and were arrested on or after January 1, 2017, even if the offense occurred prior to that date. In addition, this law is applicable when the defendant is detained in jail because they could not or did not post bail or if they were detained in accordance with the state’s bail law. The speedy trial law doesn’t apply when a complaint summons was issued or when the warrant or arrest took place before January 2017.
The three standards involved in a speedy trial include that the defendant should only remain in jail for 90 days or less pre-indictment, 180 days after the unsealing of an indictment, or 2 years in total excluding the time when the prosecutor is not ready to go to trial.
Understandably, these legal terms can be very confusing to a person who is unfamiliar with them but it is important that you know what your rights are when you have been arrested in the state of New Jersey. The best thing you can do when you have been arrested on a criminal charge in New Jersey is to hire an experienced criminal defense attorney who can explain your rights and give you a better understanding of what you can expect as you wait for your trial. Contact our firm today if you need strong legal representation.
