If you have been charged with a criminal offense, you may have received a notice to appear in the Special Remand Court. What does this mean? Well, most of the times, it can be considered a good thing. Your case may be heard in the Remand Court if your original charges (which were indictable offense(s)) were downgraded. Downgraded means that the original charge has been amended (changed) to a less serious offense and now you case will be handled the same way, but the charges are different. You can still go to trial, plea bargain, etc.
Sometimes cases end up in the Special Remand Court before Judge Frasca (Presiding Judge Municipal Courts) because the screening prosecutor decides to downgrade the charges before they reach the courts. Other times, a lawyer may negotiate a downgrade at a CJP conference or through a conference with the prosecutor handling the matter for the State. There are lots of benefits to having a charge downgraded. Although, there are also some disadvantages in my opinion, including the unavailability of PTI.
For more on this topic, please contact my office.
Essex County NJ Criminal Attorney Blog 