Jay Arnesen

Jay was open and honest from the moment we spoke. He informed me what to expect when in court. Once in court, he commanded the room and got the results he expected.

Jay represented me for a DUI and I can't say enough good things about him. Every other attorney I met with told me how hard the case was and how I would be lucky to stay out of jail. It wasn't my first arrest but the others were a long time ago. Now I am married and have children who rely on me for everything. Jay was different because he explained how he would attack the case without giving me false hope. I knew he would give it his best effort. His experience as a police officer really showed as he worked the case and he followed through with everything he said he would. The result of his hard work ended with a great outcome. I'm glad I met him.

Jay is a great attorney and he helped me through the most difficult time in my life. I was charged with DUI and was facing jail time and the loss of my license. I didn't know where to turn but somehow found Jay. Just talking with him gave me comfort because I knew he would be the best man for the job. He's a former cop and knows police procedure better than anyone else I talked to. Once my case got underway, I spoke to him often and always knew what was coming next. The decisions I had to make in my case were never easy but I was always well informed. In the end, Jay's knowledge of DUI saved me from having a criminal conviction on my record. I am indebted to him for what he did for me and recommend him to anyone who is in need of help.

Hiring Jay to defend me was the best decision I could have ever made. He was easy to talk with and comforted me during a very difficult situation. He is extremely knowledgeable in the law and confident in his abilities to help me. I trusted him and he delivered. Being that he was a former cop, he knew more about street arrests than anyone else I spoke with. If you are arrested and facing jail time, I strongly recommend you speak with Jay before hiring someone else.

Jay was relentless in defending my DUI case. I was scared I would go to jail, lose my license and have a criminal record. Hiring Jay was the best decision I could have made. It was clear from the beginning that he had the knowledge and skills necessary to bring me safely through this ordeal. He was always accessible, encouraged me to participate in my case and made sure I was well-informed as to what was going on. My case turned out much better than I expected and I strongly recommend him to anyone in need of a DUI attorney.

I had the misfortune of a DUI arrest a few months ago. What made this a particularly difficult case, was the fact I had had 2 prior arrests---one in 1998 for DUI and the other in 2000 for refusal---and the laws had changed significantly since that time. The lawyer handling my former cases was no longer in practice, and I was scared to death, to say the least. I came to this site hoping to find someone I thought I could put my trust in. I had read several profiles (one of which was Jay's) and sent an e-mail question to my top 3. I received retainer agreements from the other 2 via e mail within the first hour, but Jay actually called within 15 minutes, to ask specifics of my case and my prior history BEFORE agreeing to meet that day, to go over the rest. 3 things that appealed to me were he was a former police officer, he was certified in the new Alcotest and could serve as his own expert if we went to trial, and he was licensed for less than 10 years. Sometimes, the longer a lawyer is in practice, the more he or she tends to do things according to routine. Within 5 minutes of speaking to Jay, I knew that he still had a passion for the law, and he saw my case as a challenge. He asked me to put my trust in him---which wasn't easy, because I knew the worst case was I could be charged as a third-time offender. He gave me no false hope, but did tell me he was relatively certain I'd only be charged as a first-time offender, due to the 10 year step down rule, and the refusal charge (back then) not carrying the same penalties as DUI,( which it does now). I had a high BAC reading as well, which from everything I've read carries with it mandatory ignition lock for a year with even a first-time conviction, over .15. It's safe to say, I didn't give this man very much to work with, but he told me to trust him---and strangely, he made that very easy for me to do. His voice was calm, confident, and he was non-judgmental. This enabled me to give him every detail of that night, past history, etc, confident that it wasn't for his own amusement, but to give me the best defense possible. He always ended his conversations with "leave the rest to me", which made me feel safe, and protected. I'm a self-proclaimed control freak, and for once, I really didn't feel the need to call everyday for an update. I truly felt once I had chosen him for legal representation, he had it ALL covered, and I paid him to worry for me, so I literally left it all in his hands, and didn't worry until my final court date. The final result was he was able to get me a plea, as a first-time offender. I did lose my license for 90 days, but he also managed to have the BAC reading suppressed. This was HUGE because I knew I not only faced the ignition lock and costs related to that, but also my insurance company dropping me as a customer. The DUI laws and consequences are VERY harsh in NJ, and extremely costly to say the least. All the facts stay on your driving record---permanently--and even if you decide to move out of state, you'll not get away from paying that grand a year in surcharges to NJ to get licensed elsewhere. Now, I'm sure you could find a less expensive lawyer. I had plenty of advertisements in my mailbox from lots of them, and you'll have your pick of the litter of those types of attorneys. On the other hand, if you want a man that knowledgeable, professional, and has a true passion for what he does and wants to win your case as much as YOU want him to win your case? Hire him without hesitation. Write the check, and don't even THINK about what is going on, until you go to court! Follow his instructions to the letter, and remember that he's a whole lot smarter about this stuff than you are. I took the time to write this, because I know what it's like to be frantically looking through reviews, for someone you can trust! I hope this saves you some time. If you're reading this, Jay, thank you again ;) ,

I would like to begin my review with some background info on Jay M. Arnesen; my super lawyer and savior. Jay is an ultra hardworking, compassionate, and diligent attorney. He is highly trained in DWI and criminal defense and regularly attends the best training nationwide. He has the same training as police in field sobriety testing and is a certified operator of the breath testing device known as the Alcotest 7110. The Alcotest is the breath test machine used throughout NJ to test motorists accused of drunk driving. He is committed to maintaining expertise in all aspects of blood alcohol science and trial advocacy. Additionally, Jay is ingenious in exploiting potential weaknesses and defenses in drug recognition expert (DRE) cases. He is experienced in every step of DWI litigation, including: complex pre-trial motions, brief writing, hearings and trial, handling expert testimony, and appeals. He has spent years honing his skills in this particular area of law. He has the knowledge, experience and training to get results that other lawyers simply may not be able to achieve. DWI defense is a mixture of law and science and knowing the science is crucial to defending these types of cases. Jay has devoted a lot of time and effort to get the proper education and training required to masterfully handle a DWI case. He is well-acquainted with case law and is constantly updating himself to new legal issues. He is an active member of several prestigious local and national bar associations. His commitment and passion for excellence is unsurpassed. Knowledge is power and this holds true for him. Jay is an exceptionally stellar trial attorney. This is an understatement of biblical proportions! He has a well-deserved and excellent reputation within the law community. He is a passionate advocate who takes his job very seriously. After having him represent me at trial, I can say without hesitation that he fights extremely hard for those whom he defends. Jay has gone above and beyond in his rigorous efforts to beat my charges and has always maintained my innocence from day one, regardless of any accusations made by the police or prosecutor. I owe this man my life for everything he has done for me. He never attempted to take advantage of my situation and always delivered on his promises. He listened to my every need and did what was in my best interest. He was a straight-shooter and never gave me false hope but remained steadfast and confident throughout the whole ordeal. Jay planned, prepped and executed to perfection. He fought for me as if it was his own freedom at stake. He treated me like family during a time of difficulty. I could not have asked for a better lawyer to be on my side. His level of representation, service and advocacy has been remarkable and exemplary. He always kept me in the loop and regularly updated me on my case's progress. He even took time out on weekends and during his vacation to return my phone calls, text messages, and emails and answered whatever questions and concerns I had. His communication and responsiveness was incredibly fast. He was very patient and explained everything in layman terms. Quite honestly, I am not the easiest client to deal with but Jay never made me feel as if I was bothersome. It felt as if I was the only case he was working on, when in reality, he had many other matters to attend to and deal with. He truly cared about me and the outcome of my case. He has shown and proven to me the difference between a good attorney and an excellent attorney. No matter what I write today, words cannot express how well Jay represented me at trial. Jay will always be my go-to-guy in case of any future problems that may arise. I hope I don’t need his criminal defense services again but if I ever do, he will be the attorney I reach out to. I want to take this opportunity to specially thank him for all his hard work and dedication in defending me to the fullest degree of the law. You truly are one of a kind!

Jay is a brilliant trial lawyer, period. Jay was recommended to us by a family friend in law enforcement who said he'd trust Jay if his own child had a case. We handed Jay my brother's case (3rd offense DUI along with citations for possession and traffic offenses) at the 11th hour, less than a month before trial. Before we even left Jay's office for our initial consultation, we instantly had a little hope. My brother was looking at a mandatory six months in jail and having his license suspended for a decade. The very day Jay's office got the case, he started firing away immediately with motions, investigations, and a couple of bold, novel theories that turned out to be winners. By the time we left the court room less than two months after meeting Jay, he not only kept my brother out of jail, he got the case set aside and helped him hang on to his license. It was absolutely incredible. Sure Jay isn't the cheapest defense lawyer out there. My brother's previous lawyer was dirt cheap though. That same lawyer also told my brother to get prepared to spend some time in jail because he had such a "weak case." We fired him. As they always say, you get what you pay for, especially when your freedom and reputation are on the line.

"I must say, Mr Arnesen made me feel as if i was speaking with a friend I have known for years. His knowledge of the law, specific to my case and needs was above and beyond a normal lawyer/client interaction. He made me feel confident, his advice was genuine and most importantly I trusted him. Jay Arnesen is a terrific lawyer, and a wonderful compassionate human being. Considering this world we live in today, that is one in thousand." I would recommend Jay Arneson to all of my family and friends. Thanks Jay! Keep up the GREAT work!

Jay's hard work and dedication to my case resulted in a dismissal of all charges. If you find yourself in trouble, I strongly recommend you call him. It was the best decision I ever made. Hopefully I will not need to use him again but if trouble finds my way again, he will me my man.

I was charged with DWI in a school zone and refusal to take a breathalyzer. Mr. Arnesen challenged the field sobriety tests that were given to me at the scene and had the case thrown out. He was easy to speak to and always made himself available for me. I can't thank him enough.

Excellent service! Was able to answer questions immediatly and explained in a way that was completly easy to understand. Best criminal defense lawyer ive dealt with. Helped my family immediatly. Great experience!

Excellent service. Was able to answer every question immediatly and explained in a way that was easy to understand. Helped my family out immediatly. Best criminal defense attorney exerience ive ever had