Municipal Court

Last modified: Aug 15, 2023

MISSION STATEMENT:

The Hillside Municipal Court is 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.

The Municipal Court hears motor vehicle traffic violations, township ordinance matters, disorderly persons and petty disorderly criminal cases, municipal and county ordinance violations, health code violations, weights and measures, and all other proceedings within territorial jurisdiction of the municipality. Practice and procedures are governed by New Jersey Court Rules. We strive to accomplish our mission and four paramount values representing the core of what we stand for as an organization:

Independence
Integrity Fairness
Quality Service

NOTICE:

Due to COVID-19 Pandemic there are no in-person Municial Court sessions. We are rescheduling court sessions via ZOOM. Virtual court sessions will begin on May 11, 2020. Virtual sessions will be three (3) Monday's per month at 10:00 am and three (3) Thursday's per month at 4:00 pm. Please contact the court if you have a minor local ordinance, criminal charge, or traffic tickets that you would like to contest. The court will continue to schedule all mandatory court sessions via ZOOM. Please contact the court to advise us of your email/contact info.

New Online Municipal Case Resolution - No Court Appearance Required!

TOWNSHIP OF HILLSIDE Municipal Court now offers online tickets review to dispute certain moving violations through the ONLINE MUNICIPAL CASE RESOLUTION SYSTEM. By having a moving violation reviewed online, it is not necessary to make any court appearance. Simply visit www.njmcdirect.com and enter your ticket information to see if your offense is eligible and select the option for Case Dispute. Eligible traffic tickets will be reviewed by a prosecutor and you will be notified with his recommendation. To see if you are eligible to have your matter reviewed online, please visit njmcdirect.com.

If your matter is not eligible for online ticket review, you can still request to have certain tickets heard in the TOWNSHIP OF HILLSIDE Virtual Municipal Court.

Please be advised that during this pandemic the municipal court building is officially closed until further notice. We are not accepting any in person payments at the court window. Defendants may continue to submit their payments by mail, pay online at WWW.NJMCDIRECT.COM, or drop off check/money order payments at our drop box located at the Hillside Police Dept. Please submit payments with an envelope. Please write your name, ticket/complaint # and contact # on your envelope. If you would like a receipt to be returned to you, please submit a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Plea by Mail: https://www.njcourts.gov/forms/10715_plea_mail.pdf?c=uQC

Municipal Court Opening Statement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_zJg-XLde0

Do I qualify for a Public Defender: https://njcourts.gov/courts/assets/municipal/indigencyguidelines.pdf?c=KRC

Court Fines: https://www.njcourts.gov/attorneys/violations.html

NJ Motor Vehicle Commission Point Schedule: http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Violations/penalties_pointSchedule.htm

Records Request Application Form Online at: https://www.njcourts.gov/selfhelp/index.html

Violation Bureau Contact Info

Hillside Municipal Court
1409 Liberty Avenue
Hillside, NJ 07205
Phone: (973) 926-1881
Fax: (973) 849-6544

Violation Bureau Hours:
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Court Clerk Contact Information:

Veronica Acosta - Acting Deputy Court Administrator
862-227-5385
Veronica.Acosta@NJCourts.Gov

Chinwe Ezeokoli
848-666-0483
Chinwe.Ezeokoli@NJCourts.Gov

Dina Slade
848-666-0784
Dina.Slade@NJCourts.Gov

Judges:
Marvin Braker, Chief Judge

Prosecutors:
Milva Alcantara & Landry Belizaire

Public Defender:
Samuel Manigault

Make an Appointment