Clifton Municipal Court

How Avery & Avery Practices Here

A Former Judge. A Father-Son Trial Firm. Fifty Years of New Jersey Practice.

Clifton Municipal Court — 900 Clifton Avenue — the canonical address, phone, hours, and Avery & Avery practice-notes anchor.

Clifton sits at the Route 3 / Route 21 split — DWI arrests originate from both highway corridors and feed this courthouse’s Title 39 calendar.

Clifton’s calendar division separates Title 39 (traffic/DWI) from Title 2C DP/PDP — confirm your case division at the front desk.

Address and contact

• Name: Clifton Municipal Court
• Address: 900 Clifton Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07013
• Phone: (973) 470-5278
• Vicinage: Passaic Vicinage (Vicinage 11)
• Divisions: Municipal Court (Title 39 + Title 2C DP/PDP)

What this courthouse hears

Clifton Municipal Court is a municipal court. It hears Title 39 traffic offenses, DP and PDP criminal matters, ordinance violations, first-offense DWI under N.J.S.A. 39:4-50, refusal under N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.4a, and after-hours TROs under N.J.S.A. 2C:25-17.

How matters are routed here

For first-offense / municipal-tier matters arising in the Passaic (Vicinage 11) jurisdiction, defense filings, motions, and appearances all proceed at this courthouse complex.

Appeals from this municipal court route to the corresponding County Superior Court — Law Division on the trial-de-novo standard.

Notes from our practice

John S. Avery handles the firm’s day-to-day appearances at this courthouse. Across two generations and fifty years of New Jersey practice, Avery & Avery, Esqs. has appeared at this courthouse — and at the sister courts across Passaic County — on a regular basis. Where calendar tendencies, prosecutorial offer patterns, and judge dispositions matter, that depth is the basis of strategy.

If you have a matter scheduled at Clifton Municipal Court — 900 Clifton Avenue, call (201) 943-2445 for a free first consultation. Same-day callbacks during business hours.

Practical tips for appearances

Clifton Municipal Court is part of the Clifton Municipal Complex on Clifton Avenue. Lot parking is free; arrive 30 minutes early on Wednesday calendar days when DWI/refusal cases concentrate.

• Calendar position confirms morning-of. Vicinage portals and njcourts.gov post calendar updates the night before or by 8 AM the day of — confirm before leaving home.
• Photo ID, no exceptions. A driver’s license or state ID is required; expired ID gets you turned away at security. Military ID covers federal court entry.
• Documents in three copies. Court takes one, opposing counsel takes one, and you keep one. Pre-marked tabs help when a courtroom moves quickly.
• Arrive early, expect a wait. Even a 9 AM hearing often runs 30-90 minutes past the call time once the daily docket settles. Plan a half-day buffer.
• Phones go silent or surrender. Municipal courts vary; the entry deputy will direct. Plan for full surrender on bigger DWI calendar days.
• Professional dress reduces friction. Business or business-casual; clerks notice and judges absolutely notice.
• Parking — pay for the lot. Adjacent metered street is the most-ticketed parking in the state. The county or municipal garage at $5-10 is the cheaper outcome.

Surrounding court complex

This courthouse sits within a multi-building NJ judicial complex that typically includes:

• The Municipal Court itself (this entry)
• The Passaic County Surrogate’s Court — uncontested probate, executor qualification, minor guardianship
• The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office — indictable charge prosecution; PTI applications under N.J.S.A. 2C:43-12
• The Passaic County Sheriff’s Office — service of process, courthouse security
• The Passaic County Clerk’s Office — civil filings, judgment search, recording

Cross-courthouse moves between these offices are routine on a single appearance day.

What to expect after a hearing

Most NJ courts issue an order on the bench at hearing’s end; the written order follows by mail or email within several business days. The order’s effective date is typically the bench-ruling date unless the order specifies otherwise. Appeals run to the next level (Superior Court Law Division for municipal appeals; Appellate Division for Superior Court rulings) on the calendar set by Court Rule.

Recurring procedural questions

Appeals from this court

Appeals from a municipal court decision proceed to the corresponding County Superior Court — Law Division on a trial-de-novo standard under R. 3:23. The notice of appeal must be filed within 20 days of the municipal-court ruling. The Law Division reviews the record below and may take additional testimony if good cause is shown.

Subsequent appeals

A Superior Court Law Division ruling on a municipal trial-de-novo can be appealed to the Appellate Division under R. 2:2-3. The notice of appeal runs 45 days from final judgment.

Post-disposition compliance

Most NJ municipal-court orders require:

1. Fine and court-cost payment within 30 days
2. License surrender or DRP-receipt to NJ MVC where the order specifies
3. IDRC scheduling and payment for first-offense DWI under N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.7
4. Substance-evaluation reporting where ordered

Expungement after disposition

Title 39 matters are not subject to expungement (motor-vehicle violations are not records under N.J.S.A. 2C:52-1). Title 2C disorderly-persons offenses become eligible for expungement five years after completion of sentence per N.J.S.A. 2C:52-3.

Related practice resources

• Passaic County Lawyer
• DWI Practice
• Criminal Defense Practice
• Traffic Practice
• Personal Injury Practice
• About Avery & Avery
• Robert W. Avery, Esq.
• John S. Avery, Esq.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Call (201) 943-2445 or submit through the form.