NEW JERSEY GUN LAWYERS

The preamble to the United States Constitution reads: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” This landmark document was quickly followed by the Bill of Rights, and the two together form the foundation of the greatest superpower in the modern world.

The Bill of Rights establishes the fundamental liberties guaranteed to all U.S. citizens, among the first and most significant of which is “the right to bear arms,” outlined in the Second Amendment. Over the years, the right to bear arms has been called into question, the true meaning debated, and the underlying issues becoming the source of highly contentious debates among Americans on both sides of the political spectrum. With adversaries invoking mass shootings and gun violence as arguments against the right to bear arms, supporters point to the framers of the U.S. Constitution and the principles upon which this country was founded.

New Jersey Gun Laws

It has been difficult to reach consensus with regard to the true meaning, intention, and application of the Second Amendment, but America is indeed a republic, which allows the states significant discretion in determining the gun laws that apply within their jurisdictions. As a result, your gun rights and responsibilities can dramatically change based on where you live, work, visit, or even travel through. New Jersey is a prime example of the implications of gun policy, enacting some of the strictest gun laws in the nation with stringent requirements for gun owners and a policy of extreme enforcement against weapons offenders.

So, how does an average American exercise their gun rights without violating the law? And what do you do if, for some unfortunate reason, you are accused of a criminal offense involving a weapon?

Criminal Defense Against Weapons Charges In New Jersey

At The Tormey Law Firm, it is our purpose to provide the knowledge and resources that you need to enjoy your rights in full compliance with New Jersey weapons laws, and when necessary, to provide the most comprehensive and vigorous defense for those charged with weapons offenses. With members who previously served on behalf of the State prosecuting gun offenders, we utilize our unique insight to construct the most innovative and effective defense strategies.

Our New Jersey weapons defense team includes several former gun prosecutors, one of whom served in the weapons forfeiture unit of the Morris prosecutor’s office, attorneys who held positions in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and highly acclaimed attorneys who have established a reputation for excellence through their many successes in Superior Courts across New Jersey, including in Bergen, Morris, Essex, and Passaic counties. Our firm’s founder, Travis J. Tormey, has received the Avvo.com Client’s Choice Award every year for the last ten years and was recently named among the Top 10 Criminal Attorneys in New Jersey by the American Jurist Institute.

Whether you have been charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, a certain persons offense, or another weapons crime, or you are seeking the return of your weapons in connection with an alleged domestic violence incident, our seasoned New Jersey firearms attorneys are poised to attack the State’s case in pursuit of the best possible outcome.

With decades of experience fighting for clients’ Second Amendment Rights, our team of accomplished NJ gun lawyers is dedicated to helping individuals facing guns and weapons charges, those whose firearms have been seized due to restraining orders and extreme risk protective orders, people who have been denied gun permits, others who are seeking to restore their 2nd Amendment rights by first obtaining mental health or criminal expungements, as well as many other residents and visitors with legal issues involving guns and weapons in New Jersey.

Who We Are

Our criminal trial team is composed of multiple former gun prosecutors and experienced criminal defense lawyers who are intimately familiar with the legal system, firearms offenses, and all of the potential defenses that may apply to your case. For instance, John Graves, one member of our team, served in the weapons forfeiture unit at the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.

Another experienced criminal defense attorney who handles a wide range of firearms cases for the firm, Nicholas Moschella, served as a former prosecutor in 22 towns throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties. He also previously represented several police departments in southern New Jersey on firearms appeals filed by their residents. Using his strong foundation in weapons laws, combined with years of experience as a criminal defense lawyer at one of the state’s largest firms, Mr. Moschella has continuously delivered tremendous results for clients facing gun charges in Monmouth County, Middlesex County, Ocean County, and Atlantic County. He also frequently assists our clients with firearms permit appeals and litigation.

In addition, criminal defense lawyer and zealous defender of Second Amendment rights, Jeffrey Skiendziul, concentrates on the area of gun laws in New Jersey, handling countless gun permit applications and appeals, extreme risk protective orders, and weapons forfeiture cases arising from domestic violence allegations on behalf of the firm’s clients. He is also a seasoned defender of those charged with crimes involving weapons and firearms across the state. In fact, prior to joining our legal team, he worked at one of the most prominent firearms defense firms in southern New Jersey.

Finally, our managing partner, Travis J. Tormey, was recently recognized as one of the Top 10 Criminal Lawyers in New Jersey by the American Jurist Institute. He has a perfect 10.0 attorney rating on Avvo.com and has received their Client’s Choice Award every year for ten straight years. With our knowledge and experience representing clients in a vast array of gun and weapons cases in Bergen County, Essex County, Hudson County, and statewide, we are frequently called upon as a respected legal resource in the area. For example, our firm was recently featured in The Bergen Record as a legal authority on New Jersey gun rights. Overall, we are the team to have on your side when dealing with a gun or weapons related issue in New Jersey.

Nuestra firma se enorgullece de representar a clientes acusados ​​de delitos con armas.

Jeffrey Skiendziul

Associate

• Over ten years of experience practicing criminal defense in New Jersey
• Previously worked as a firearms defense attorney at one New Jersey’s most notable defense firms in this realm of law
• Listed for inclusion in the SuperLawyers Rising Stars list every year from 2014 to 2023
• Has successfully handled a multitude of cases involving seizure of weapons for domestic violence in Bergen County, Passaic County, Union County, Hudson County, and other counties
• Admitted to practice in New Jersey, as well as before the United States Supreme Court
• Personally assists hundreds of clients with firearms permit applications and appeals of firearm permit denials

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Louis Keleher

Associate

• Combines unique experience in criminal and civil courts to address a myriad of aspects of firearms law in New Jersey, from criminal charges for weapons, to weapons forfeiture matters, extreme risk protective order hearings, and gun permit appeals
• Avid gun owner and advocate for Second Amendment Rights on behalf of those who stand to lose their ability to possess and own weapons
• Has accomplished multiple major victories while arguing appeals before the New Jersey Appellate Division
• Confidently confronts defense and appeals related to firearms applications, charges involving weapons offenses, and civil gun cases intersecting with domestic violence and extreme risk protective orders in Union County, Essex County, Somerset County, Warren County, and many others

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Nicholas Moschella

Of Counsel

• Served as a former prosecutor in over 20 towns throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties
• Previously represented several south Jersey police departments on firearms appeals
• Worked as a criminal defense attorney at one of the largest criminal defense firms in New Jersey
• Listed for inclusion in the SuperLawyers Rising Stars list in the area of criminal defense in 2017 and 2019.
• Has successfully handled a number of gun cases in Ocean County, Monmouth County, Atlantic County, and Middlesex County
• Assists clients with firearms permit appeals and litigation
• Represents clients in weapons forfeiture hearings, including those involving domestic violence

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Charles Centinaro

Of Counsel

• Has accumulated nearly thirty years of experience handling criminal cases through every phase of the legal process in New Jersey
• Formerly worked an Assistant Prosecutor with the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, handling investigations and prosecutions of serious felony-level crimes
• Fearlessly takes on the most challenging guns and weapons cases, often involving complex evidentiary and other issues that must be addressed in pre-trial motions, trial litigation, as well as argued on appeal
• Admitted to practice in New Jersey, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, and the United States Supreme Court

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 John P. Graves

Of Counsel

• Previously served as a judicial clerk for a highly-respected judge in Passaic County
• Served as a former assistant prosecutor in Morris County for over four years, where he handled cases involving felony criminal charges, as well as weapons forfeiture hearings, and gun permit appeals
• Served as an assistant Morris County prosecutor in the Firearms Return Unit
• Skillfully represents clients in domestic violence cases involving weapons
• Assists with firearms permit applications and denials

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