{"id":835876,"date":"2026-09-15T19:11:01","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T19:11:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.abnewswire.com\/pressreleases\/?p=835876"},"modified":"2026-09-15T19:11:01","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T19:11:01","slug":"newark-dui-defense-attorney-rachel-kugel-explains-driving-rights-before-a-court-date-in-new-jersey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.abnewswire.com\/pressreleases\/newark-dui-defense-attorney-rachel-kugel-explains-driving-rights-before-a-court-date-in-new-jersey_835876.html","title":{"rendered":"Newark DUI Defense Attorney Rachel Kugel Explains Driving Rights Before a Court Date in New Jersey"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Newark<\/a><\/div>\n

NEWARK, NJ – September 15, 2026 – Drivers arrested for Driving Under the Influence in New Jersey often assume their license is immediately suspended, but in most cases they may continue driving until their court date. Newark DUI defense attorney Rachel Kugel of The Kugel Law Firm (https:\/\/thekugellawfirm.com\/can-you-drive-after-dui-before-your-court-date-in-new-jersey\/<\/a>) is offering guidance on how a pending DUI charge affects driving privileges and what steps drivers should take before their first appearance in municipal court.<\/p>\n

According to Newark DUI defense attorney Rachel Kugel, a DUI\/DWI charge under N.J.S.A. 39:4-50 is generally handled as a Title 39 traffic offense rather than a criminal offense, which means there is usually no automatic license suspension before a conviction. “A charge is not the same as a conviction, so being charged with a DUI in New Jersey does not automatically take away someone’s ability to drive while the case is pending,” Kugel explains. She notes that a separate court order, a Motor Vehicle Commission issue, a release condition, or an invalid license status can still restrict driving.<\/p>\n

Newark DUI defense attorney Rachel Kugel points out that most drivers are released with a summons that includes a scheduled court date, which often also serves as the arraignment date. Before returning to the road, drivers should confirm that the license remains valid and that no court, MVC, or release condition limits their driving. This is especially important when the stop involved an accident, an injury, a refusal allegation, a suspended license issue, or another related charge.<\/p>\n

At the arraignment, which typically takes place in the municipal court for the town where the stop occurred, the judge reads the charges and advises the driver of the right to retain counsel. “Speaking with a defense attorney before arraignment, ideally as soon as charges are filed, often gives the defense more room to work,” Kugel says. She adds that an attorney can file a notice of appearance, seek a waiver of the arraignment, and request discovery in advance.<\/p>\n

New Jersey municipal courts follow Supreme Court Directive 1-84, which sets a general 60-day target for resolving driving under the influence cases. Kugel emphasizes that this is a guideline rather than a strict deadline, and that many cases take longer because of discovery requests, scheduling, and pretrial motions. “The additional time can be used to review discovery, evaluate motions, and prepare the case, rather than rushing toward a plea,” she observes.<\/p>\n

Kugel also explains the voluntary ignition interlock option. Some drivers charged with DWI may choose to install an ignition interlock device before their case is resolved and then request a license notation from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. The request must include the installer’s certification and documentation of the pending charges. This option may allow certain drivers to keep driving while the case is pending and may affect later license forfeiture credit if the driver is ultimately convicted and qualifies under the statute, though eligibility depends on the BAC, the charge, the license status, and the specific facts of the case.<\/p>\n

Attorney Kugel warns that penalties change significantly after a conviction. Consequences depend on the BAC level, whether the case involves alcohol or another impairing substance, the offense date, and the number of prior offenses within the ten-year look-back period. A first offense can bring license forfeiture until an interlock device is installed, fines, IDRC requirements, and up to 30 days of potential jail exposure, while a second offense within ten years can carry one to two years of license forfeiture and a third can carry an eight-year forfeiture. The MVC also assesses annual surcharges separate from court fines.<\/p>\n

Kugel stresses the importance of not driving once a suspension or forfeiture takes effect. “Driving after a DUI-related suspension can trigger both court and MVC consequences, and in certain repeat or refusal situations it can become an indictable offense under N.J.S.A. 2C:40-26 with a mandatory minimum term,” she advises. She notes that drivers should wait until privileges are restored and the MVC has confirmed restoration before returning to the road.<\/p>\n

The firm’s defense approach often begins with discovery, including recordings from the arrest, breath test results and calibration records, and officer reports. Kugel highlights that challenging how a breath test device was calibrated or how field sobriety tests were conducted may weaken the prosecution’s case. She also notes that under State v. Robertson, 228 N.J. 138 (2017), New Jersey courts may consider staying conviction-related license consequences while an appeal is pending.<\/p>\n

For those facing a DUI charge in New Jersey, contacting an experienced DUI defense attorney before the next court date may help protect driving privileges, avoid missed court steps, and prevent choices that could create additional license problems. Rachel Kugel can review the summons, police reports, testing issues, and case timeline to determine what defenses may apply.<\/p>\n

About The Kugel Law Firm:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Kugel Law Firm is a Newark-based firm focused on DUI and DWI defense for clients throughout New Jersey and New York. Led by attorney Rachel Kugel, who brings more than 20 years of legal experience and membership in the National College for DUI Defense and the DUI Defense Lawyers Association, the firm helps drivers understand their options and protect their driving privileges. The New Jersey office is located at 1 Gateway Center, Suite 2600, Newark, NJ 07102. For consultations, call (973) 854-0098.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Embeds:<\/p>\n

Youtube Video: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wQthty4DWRo<\/a><\/p>\n

GMB: https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps?cid=3822170752710866861<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Email and website<\/p>\n

Email: admin@thekugellawfirm.com<\/p>\n

Website: https:\/\/thekugellawfirm.com\/<\/p>\n

Media Contact<\/span>
Company Name:<\/strong> The Kugel Law Firm<\/a>
Contact Person:<\/strong> Rachel Kugel
Email:<\/strong> Send Email<\/a>
Phone:<\/strong> (973) 854-0098
Address:<\/strong>1 Gateway Ctr SUITE 2600, Newark, NJ 07102
City:<\/strong> Newark
State:<\/strong> New Jersey
Country:<\/strong> United States
Website:<\/strong> https:\/\/thekugellawfirm.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NEWARK, NJ – September 15, 2026 – Drivers arrested for Driving Under the Influence in New Jersey often assume their license is immediately suspended, but in most cases they may continue driving until their court date. Newark DUI defense attorney … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[451],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-835876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-Law-Legal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.abnewswire.com\/pressreleases\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/835876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.abnewswire.com\/pressreleases\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.abnewswire.com\/pressreleases\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.abnewswire.com\/pressreleases\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.abnewswire.com\/pressreleases\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=835876"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.abnewswire.com\/pressreleases\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/835876\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.abnewswire.com\/pressreleases\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=835876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.abnewswire.com\/pressreleases\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=835876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.abnewswire.com\/pressreleases\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=835876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}