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

Avery & Avery, Esqs. handles Criminal Defense cases for Montclair residents and arrestees across the Essex County jurisdiction. The firm has appeared in Montclair-area Criminal Defense matters as part of its ongoing six-county trial practice.

For a free first consultation on a Montclair Criminal Defense matter, call (201) 943-2445.

Inside Montclair Municipal Court — Criminal Defense Path

Disorderly persons and petty disorderly persons offenses charged in Montclair stay in Montclair Twp Municipal Court. Indictable charges (third degree and above) route to Essex County Superior Court — Criminal Division at Wilentz Justice Complex, 212 Washington Street, Newark, NJ 07102. Pretrial Intervention (PTI) applications go through the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. Conditional Discharge for first-offense drug possession remains available in municipal court.

Montclair Twp Municipal Court

Address: 647 Bloomfield Ave
Phone: (973) 509-4774
Court days: TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY
Office hours: MON-FRI 8:30AM - 3:30PM

Essex County Superior Court (Newark)

Address: Wilentz Justice Complex, 212 Washington Street, Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (973) 776-9300
Vicinage: Essex Vicinage (Vicinage 04)

The Legal Framework

Criminal Defense matters in Montclair are controlled by:

N.J.S.A. 2C:1-1 et seq. — primary criminal defense statute
N.J.S.A. 2C:43-12 — companion / procedural authority
State v. Hagans, 233 N.J. 30 (2018) — leading NJ case-law

DP and PDP Montclair matters stay in the local Municipal Court; indictable matters (third-degree and above) escalate to Essex County Superior Court. Pretrial Intervention (PTI) under N.J.S.A. 2C:43-12 runs through the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

About Montclair, NJ

Montclair sits in Essex County, NJ. Key facts:

Density: 6,409 per sq mi
2020 Census population: 39,980
Land area: 6.2 sq mi
ZIP codes: 07042, 07043
Mayor: Renee Baskerville
Incorporated: April 15, 1868 (as township)
Elevation: 299 ft

Montclair Local Context

Montclair Twp Municipal Court sits at 647 Bloomfield Ave, phone (973) 509-4774; court days TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY.
Montclair Township Police Department is led by Chief Todd M. Conforti at 647 Bloomfield Avenue Montclair NJ 07042.
Montclair ZIP codes: 07042, 07043.

The Avery Advantage for Montclair Criminal Defense

Bench to defense bar. Robert W. Avery spent fifteen years as a Municipal Court Judge (1986-2000) before returning to full-time trial practice. That vantage point — knowing how judges think, what makes a case credible, and where prosecutors have flexibility — shapes every Montclair Criminal Defense engagement.

John S. Avery, second-generation. John joined the firm in 2012. Across both attorneys, Montclair clients have same-day callback access and direct attorney contact — no paralegals, no hand-offs.

Statewide reach. Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Passaic, Morris, and Sussex — the firm covers all six counties from its Ridgefield base.

Sister Essex Cities We Cover

We routinely appear in Montclair’s neighboring Essex County municipalities. See:

And the Essex County Criminal Defense landing covers the full county.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do Montclair Criminal Defense cases go?

Montclair Twp Municipal Court for first-tier matters; Essex County Superior Court (Newark) for indictable / over-threshold matters.

How fast can you respond to a Montclair arrest / hearing?

Same-day callback during business hours; same-evening for arrests on weeknights. Call (201) 943-2445.

Do you handle other Essex County practice areas?

Yes — see our Essex County Lawyer page for the full practice list, and the practice tops at /practice-areas/criminal-defense/.

No-Cost Initial Consultation — Montclair Criminal Defense

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