New Jersey Office of Public Defender’s Special Hearings Unit North District

The New Jersey Office of Public Defender's Special Hearings Unit (SHU) North District Office is a regional Office located in Newark. SHU office has an attorney on staff and serves Covers Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic and Sussex counties. SHU regional offices provide legal representation to clients at Megan's Law Tier Classification Hearings. These hearings, held in each of New Jersey's 21 counties, give clients the chance to challenge a prosecutor's decision about the client's proposed risk (tier) level and the public notification to which the client may be subject. In addition, the Public Defender's office provides legal representation to indigent defendants who cannot pay for private counsel and who are at risk of losing their liberty if convicted. The Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees the rights of criminal defendants, including the right to a public trial without unnecessary delay and the right to a lawyer. The privilege of offering representation to those in need is why the law has offered public defense services. Public Defenders have an ethical responsibility to work for the best possible resolution of the case for the client. Please contact the New Jersey Public Defender's Special Hearings Unit North District Office directly if you need any further information.