Arrested or Charged With Disorderly Conduct at a Giants or Jets Game at MetLife Stadium?
What Football Fans Need to Know About MetLife Stadium Charges and East Rutherford Municipal Court
Football season brings tens of thousands of fans to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, to watch the New York Giants and New York Jets.
For most fans, game day means tailgating, cheering on their team, and heading home after the final whistle. But with large crowds, intense rivalries, alcohol, and heightened emotions, an argument in the stands, confrontation in the parking lot, or interaction with stadium security can quickly turn into a legal problem.
In some cases, a fan may leave MetLife Stadium with a complaint charging disorderly conduct or another New Jersey offense.
If you were arrested, detained, or charged following a Giants or Jets game at MetLife Stadium, you may be wondering:
- Will this go on my record?
- Could I go to jail?
- Can the charge be dismissed or reduced?
- Can I be banned from MetLife Stadium?
- Do I have to appear in East Rutherford Municipal Court?
- What happens if I live in New York or another state?
- What should I do if there is video of the incident?
At Sutnick & Sutnick Attorneys at Law, our Hackensack, Bergen County criminal defense attorneys regularly represent individuals charged with disorderly persons and petty disorderly persons offenses in New Jersey Municipal Courts, including cases arising in East Rutherford.
Being charged after an incident at MetLife Stadium does not mean you will be convicted. The allegations, the evidence, and what actually happened all matter.
What Is Disorderly Conduct in New Jersey?
Disorderly conduct is governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:33-2 and is classified as a petty disorderly persons offense under New Jersey law.
The statute generally prohibits certain types of improper behavior in public when committed with the purpose of causing public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, or while recklessly creating a risk of doing so. The statute also addresses certain forms of unreasonably loud and offensively coarse or abusive language when used with the required purpose.
At a Giants or Jets game, allegations of disorderly conduct may arise from situations involving:
- Arguments between opposing fans
- Confrontations in the stands or concourses
- Altercations during a tailgate
- Incidents involving alcohol
- Disputes in stadium parking lots
- Confrontations with stadium employees or security personnel
- Disruptive behavior while entering or leaving the stadium
But the fact that police issued a complaint does not mean the State can necessarily prove the charge.
Football games are loud, crowded, and emotional environments. Witnesses may have different versions of what occurred. Stadium security or law enforcement may arrive only after an incident has already begun.
The circumstances surrounding the incident matter.
What Happens if I Am Charged at MetLife Stadium?
MetLife Stadium is located in East Rutherford, Bergen County, New Jersey.
Depending on what allegedly occurred, police may issue a complaint or summons requiring you to appear in East Rutherford Municipal Court.
If the allegations involve more serious conduct, additional charges may be filed. Depending upon the nature and grading of those charges, the matter could potentially be handled in Superior Court rather than Municipal Court.
One of the first things a criminal defense attorney should do is determine exactly what you have been charged with and what evidence exists.
That evidence may include:
- Police reports
- Police body-worn camera footage
- MetLife Stadium surveillance video
- Stadium security reports
- Cell phone videos
- Photographs
- Witness statements
- Statements allegedly made by the defendant
- Ticket and seating information
- Evidence relating to alcohol consumption
- Testimony from stadium employees, security personnel, or other fans
The police report may not tell the entire story. Video evidence and witness accounts can sometimes provide important context about what happened before police or security became involved.
What Court Handles Disorderly Conduct Charges From MetLife Stadium?
Because MetLife Stadium is located in East Rutherford, many disorderly conduct and other lower-level cases arising from stadium incidents are handled in East Rutherford Municipal Court.
Having an attorney who regularly handles Municipal Court matters in Bergen County can be important.
Sutnick & Sutnick is located in Hackensack, New Jersey, in Bergen County. Our attorneys regularly handle criminal and Municipal Court matters throughout Bergen County and understand the procedures involved in defending these cases.
We can review the complaint, investigate the evidence, explain the court process, and advise you about the options available based upon the particular circumstances of your case.
What Are the Penalties for Disorderly Conduct in New Jersey?
Disorderly conduct under N.J.S.A. 2C:33-2 is a petty disorderly persons offense.
A petty disorderly persons offense can carry up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $500, in addition to applicable court costs and other consequences.
That does not mean a person charged with disorderly conduct after a football game will necessarily receive a jail sentence.
The potential outcome depends upon many factors, including:
- The specific allegations
- Whether anyone was injured
- Whether there was physical contact or an actual fight
- The defendant’s prior record
- Whether additional charges were filed
- The available surveillance or cell phone video
- Witness accounts
- The strength of the State’s evidence
For someone who has never previously been in trouble, receiving a complaint after attending a football game can be particularly alarming.
Before pleading guilty or accepting a proposed resolution, it is important to understand what the State can prove and what alternatives may be available.
Can a Disorderly Conduct Charge Be Dismissed or Reduced?
Possibly. The outcome of every case depends upon its particular facts and evidence.
A defense attorney can examine whether the State can prove each required element of disorderly conduct beyond a reasonable doubt. The attorney can also investigate inconsistencies in witness accounts, available video evidence, what occurred before police arrived, and whether the alleged conduct actually satisfies the requirements of N.J.S.A. 2C:33-2.
Depending upon the facts, the evidence, the defendant’s history, and other circumstances, there may be grounds to seek dismissal, amendment of the charge, or another favorable resolution.
No particular outcome can be guaranteed, but you should know what defenses and options are available before deciding how to resolve the case.
What if Alcohol Was Involved?
Alcohol is common at NFL games and tailgates, and many incidents at MetLife Stadium involve allegations that one or more people had been drinking.
But drinking alcohol does not automatically establish disorderly conduct.
The State still has to prove the elements of the offense charged.
The circumstances surrounding the incident, including what occurred before police or stadium security became involved, can therefore be extremely important.
Do not assume that having consumed alcohol means there is no reason to defend the charge.
Can I Be Charged With Something More Serious Than Disorderly Conduct?
Yes.
What begins as an argument between fans can potentially result in other charges depending upon what allegedly occurred.
These may include:
- Simple Assault — N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1
- Harassment — N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4
- Resisting Arrest — N.J.S.A. 2C:29-2
- Criminal Mischief — N.J.S.A. 2C:17-3
- Other offenses depending upon the allegations
The situation can become considerably more serious if someone is accused of causing an injury, damaging property, threatening another person, or interfering with law enforcement.
That is why it is important to have an attorney review the actual complaint rather than assuming that an incident at a football game amounts to nothing more than a minor ticket.
What if There Is Video of the Incident?
Video evidence can be particularly important in a case arising at MetLife Stadium.
Police may have body-worn camera footage. The stadium may have surveillance footage. Other fans may have recorded the incident on their phones.
Video may show what happened before security or police arrived, who initiated an encounter, how the individuals involved behaved, and whether witness descriptions are accurate.
If you or someone who attended the game with you has video or photographs of the incident, preserve the original files and do not delete or alter them.
An attorney can determine what additional video or other evidence should be sought.
I Live in New York or Another State. Do I Have to Come Back to New Jersey?
MetLife Stadium attracts Giants and Jets fans from New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and throughout the country. Many people charged following an event at the stadium do not live in New Jersey.
Whether you must personally appear depends upon the charge, the particular proceeding, and the court’s requirements.
Some Municipal Court proceedings may be conducted remotely, while others may require a personal appearance.
A New Jersey attorney can determine what East Rutherford Municipal Court requires in your particular case and, when appropriate, seek to minimize unnecessary appearances.
Do not ignore a New Jersey court notice simply because you live in another state.
Can MetLife Stadium Ban Me After an Incident?
A stadium ban is separate from the court’s determination of whether you are guilty of a New Jersey offense.
Depending upon the circumstances, MetLife Stadium or its representatives may impose restrictions concerning a person’s future access to the property.
If you receive a trespass notice, stadium ban, or other communication concerning your ability to return to MetLife Stadium, keep a copy and provide it to your attorney.
Do not assume that the terms of a stadium restriction are the same as the terms of your Municipal Court case.
What Should I Do After Being Charged at MetLife Stadium?
If you are charged following a Giants game, Jets game, tailgate, concert, or other event at MetLife Stadium, avoid discussing the incident publicly or posting about it on social media.
A social media post intended to explain your side of the story could potentially become evidence.
You should also preserve anything that may help establish what occurred, including:
- Photographs and videos
- Text messages
- Tickets and seating information
- Names and contact information for witnesses
- Police paperwork
- Court notices
- Communications from MetLife Stadium or stadium security
Do not alter or delete potentially relevant evidence.
You should also speak with an attorney promptly so the allegations and available evidence can be evaluated before you make decisions about the case.
Do I Need a Lawyer for a MetLife Stadium Disorderly Conduct Charge?
A disorderly conduct complaint should not automatically be treated like a routine ticket.
A New Jersey criminal defense attorney can review what the State must prove, investigate the evidence, identify potential defenses, determine whether additional charges have been filed, and explain the possible ways the case could be resolved.
This can be especially important if you have no prior record, live outside New Jersey, are concerned about your employment or professional reputation, or believe the police or stadium security did not see how the incident actually began.
Charged After a Giants or Jets Game at MetLife Stadium? Contact Sutnick & Sutnick
A trip to MetLife Stadium should not have lasting consequences for your future.
If you were charged with disorderly conduct, simple assault, harassment, resisting arrest, criminal mischief, or another offense following a Giants game, Jets game, tailgate, concert, or other event at MetLife Stadium, speak with an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney before deciding how to handle the case.
Sutnick & Sutnick Attorneys at Law is located in Hackensack, Bergen County, New Jersey. Our attorneys regularly represent clients in criminal and Municipal Court matters throughout Bergen County, including matters arising in East Rutherford.
We can review the complaint and available evidence, explain what to expect in court, and determine the appropriate strategy for protecting your rights and your record.
If you have been charged following an incident at MetLife Stadium, contact Sutnick & Sutnick to discuss your case before your East Rutherford Municipal Court appearance.