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New jersey criminal charge

Official misconduct in New jersey

Current through 2026 New Jersey legislative session

Official misconduct is a criminal offense under New jersey law, defined by N.J.S.A. 2C:30-2. Its classification is not fixed: New jersey assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by N.J.S.A. 2C:30-2.

What is the penalty for official misconduct in New jersey?

Penalties for Official misconduct
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prison5 years to 10 years (Official misconduct — general — Applies to official misconduct generally, when the value of the benefit involved exceeds $200.00.; presumption of imprisonment (2C:44-1(d)))presumptiveN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Fineup to 150000 usd (no statutory minimum) (Official misconduct — general — Applies to official misconduct generally, when the value of the benefit involved exceeds $200.00.; or up to double gain/loss (2C:43-3); offense-specific ceilings may exceed)discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Jail / prison3 years to 5 years (Official misconduct — benefit value $200 or less — Applies when the benefit obtained, sought, or of which another is deprived or sought to be deprived, is of a value of $200.00 or less.; first-offender presumption of non-incarceration may apply (2C:44-1(e), carve-outs))presumptiveN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Fineup to 15000 usd (no statutory minimum) (Official misconduct — benefit value $200 or less — Applies when the benefit obtained, sought, or of which another is deprived or sought to be deprived, is of a value of $200.00 or less.; or up to double gain/loss (2C:43-3); offense-specific ceilings may exceed)discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6

Applies to current.

How is official misconduct classified in New jersey?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Official misconduct
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
Official misconduct — generalcrime of the second degreeApplies to official misconduct generally, when the value of the benefit involved exceeds $200.00.N.J.S.A. 2C:30-2undefined
Official misconduct — benefit value $200 or lesscrime of the third degreeApplies when the benefit obtained, sought, or of which another is deprived or sought to be deprived, is of a value of $200.00 or less.N.J.S.A. 2C:30-2undefined

Common questions about official misconduct in New jersey

What degree of offense is official misconduct in New Jersey?

It depends on the circumstances: official misconduct ranges from a crime of the third degree to a crime of the second degree in New Jersey under N.J.S.A. 2C:30-2.

Official misconduct — general: crime of the second degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:30-2undefined) · Official misconduct — benefit value $200 or less: crime of the third degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:30-2undefined)

What are the penalties for official misconduct in New Jersey?

Penalties for official misconduct in New Jersey depend on how it is classified — from a crime of the third degree up to a crime of the second degree — with the ranges set by N.J.S.A. 2C:43-6; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which New Jersey statute covers official misconduct?

Official misconduct is governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:30-2 (Official misconduct).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.