My question involves criminal law for the state of: New Jersey
I know there is another closed topic about this from a couple of years ago on this forum, but I am looking for a little more information.
My incident:
I am from NY and was visiting my friend at Rutgers New Brunswick.
While outside a house with an empty red cup that was previously filled with beer talking with friends (we are all over 21) a cop pulls up and asks me to give him the cup. He smells it and asks for my id and starts writing me a ticket for drinking in public (9.04.020).
I wasn't too concerned about it because I thought it would just be a fine I can pay online, but no they are making me appear in court for this. My biggest issue is whether this is going to be on my record (something that employers could see) or just a fine I have to pay once I get to court.
Also I do plan on speaking to a lawyer asap, but really I just want to see if it is worth spending the extra money on a lawyer or if I am just blowing this out of proportion and its just a simple fine.
If anyone has any knowledge about how this type of penalty is handled in NJ or New Brunswick I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks!

