John Graves

Former Morris County Domestic Violence Prosecutor

Handling Restraining Order Trials with offices in Morristown, New Jersey

John Graves headshot Mr. Graves obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware. He then attended the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in Michigan. After graduating from law school, Mr. Graves had the privilege of serving a judicial clerkship in Passaic County with the Honorable Joseph A. Falcone, J.S.C., who Chief Justice Stuart Rabner described as a “giant in the legal community.” This allowed Mr. Graves to begin his legal career under the mentorship of one of the most experienced and respected judges in the state.

Following his clerkship, Mr. Graves served as an assistant prosecutor with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office for approximately four-and-a-half years. As an assistant prosecutor, Mr. Graves handled numerous criminal matters at the indictable level and was responsible for handling expungement petitions, name change applications, search warrant applications, civil forfeiture hearings for firearms and weapons, as well as firearm appeals in matters where individuals applied for and were denied a firearm identification card, a carry permit, or a permit to purchase a handgun.

While serving as an assistant prosecutor, in addition to appearing in court on an almost daily basis, Mr. Graves honed his writing and legal research skills by doing appellate work representing the State of New Jersey on appeals to the Appellate Division, appeals from Municipal Courts to the Superior Court, and petitions for post-conviction relief. He has also argued cases before the New Jersey Appellate Division in Trenton on various occasions, and he served as an assistant prosecutor assigned to the Juvenile Unit and the Firearms Return Unit.

In 2012 Mr. Graves left the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office to go into private practice. He continues to focus his practice on restraining order defense and firearms issues including illegal weapons charges, weapons forfeiture hearings, and firearms permit applications and denials.