State v. Rondinone
State v. Rondinone
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
Defendant appeals a conviction of N.J.S.A. 39:4r-50 by the Superior Court on his de novo appeal from a conviction by the municipal court. The trial court’s opinion is reported at 291 N.J.Super. 489, 677 A.2d 824 (Law Div. 1996). Defendant’s primary contention is that N.J.SA 39:5-3, which provides for issuance of a summons within 30 days for a violation of Title 39 offenses, bars his conviction under the circumstances here.
Judge Conte concluded that N.J.S.A. 39:5-3 did establish a period of limitation for the issuance of a summons under Title 39. But he rejected defendant’s claim that the charge against him was time-barred. In doing so, he said:
[D]efendant’s argument that the summonses should be dismissed ... fails since the defendant was issued a summons at the scene of the violation on August 20,1994, albeit in the wrong name. The fact that the summons was issued in the name of Michael Ottomanelli does not change the fact that defendant was personally issued process thereby giving him sufficient notice of the violation so that he was not forced to defend a stale claim. Therefore, process was issued within thirty days of the occurrence as directed by N.J.S.A. 39:5-3 and defendant’s convictions for N.J.S.A. 39:4-50 and 39:3-39c must not be reversed on statute of limitations grounds.
[291 N.J.Super. at 496, 677 A.2d 824.]
We agree with this rationale. And see State v. Sirvent, 296 N.J.Super. 279, 289-90, 686 A.2d 1202 (App.Div. 1997).
Judge Conte also concluded that R. 3:23-8(c)
Affirmed.
In pertinent part, R. 3:23-8(c) provides:
*498 The appeal shall operate as a waiver of all defects in the record including any defect in, or the absence of, any process or charge laid in the complaint, and as a consent that the court may, during or before the hearing of the appeal, amend the complaint by making the charge more specific, definite or certain, or in any other manner____
See also R. 7:10-2.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.