Category Archives: Criminal Defense
Could Legalized Recreational Cannabis Be New York State’s Ticket to Economic Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic?
When you look at the history of cannabis policies, it becomes obvious that New York was miles ahead of the rest of the country for decades. In some ways, it is surprising that New York has not legalized recreational cannabis use for adults at the state level, when eleven other states, including deep red… Read More »
Rockland County Drug Court Aims to Help Defendants in Their Paths to Society
Does it make sense to send someone to prison for years, or even decades, for possession of a single dose of illegal drugs? Given our society’s current understanding of substance use disorder as an illness, it is cruel and unfair to compound the suffering of people struggling with addiction by imposing prison sentences, followed… Read More »
Cyber-Harassment Can Land You in State Prison, as Well as Costing You Your Job
You know you are dealing with a member of the older generation when they attach the prefix “cyber” to words referring to activities that involve devices that connect to the Internet, but cyber-bullying, also known as cyber-harassment, is distinct from old-fashioned schoolyard bullying and is even more insidious. In the old days, victims of… Read More »
The New Jersey Pretrial Intervention Program: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity, but Not a “Get Out of Jail Free” Card
As you ride to the county jail after getting arrested, you probably wish that the preceding minutes or hours had never happened. You wish that there could be a way to turn back time. In fact, the New Jersey Pretrial Intervention (PTI) program is the closest thing there is to erasing your criminal case… Read More »
What’s Next for New Jersey Marijuana Laws If the Recreational Cannabis Referendum Passes?
It is an understatement to say that a lot is at stake in this year’s presidential election, and in New Jersey, voters will have a chance with a big decision about one of the most fragrant, and most polarizing, plants in the Garden State. On Election Day, New Jersey voters will have a chance… Read More »
ICE Agents Fraudulently Identifying Themselves as NYPD to Evade Warrant Requirements
Recent reports indicate that certain officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been fraudulently identifying themselves as New York Police Department (NYPD) officers or members of “narcotics squads,” and even actively lying to people, misinforming them that they are not ICE agents, in an attempt to get people to voluntarily let them into… Read More »
Appeals Court Suspends New Jersey’s First “Pilot” Criminal Trial Due to Potential for Juror Bias
In early October, oral arguments would have begun in New Jersey’s first socially-distanced (criminal) trial after Bergen County Judge Robert M. Vinci dismissed a motion to delay the trial in September due to concerns over the jury selection process and the various constitutional and civil rights issues associated with it. However, an appeals court… Read More »
Justice Department Brings Wave of New Fraud Charges In New York & Elsewhere in Connection with Small Business Loan Program
We previously warned that the US government was on the warpath in bringing fraud charges connected to the small business administration‘s Paycheck Protection Program, especially as we get closer to the election and the administration may be concerned about the appearance of being taken advantage of in connection with a program started to provide… Read More »
Can I Be Arrested for Spanking My Child?
Unfortunately, messy divorces between parents can sometimes involve accusations of child abuse that stem from spanking or other corporal punishment. While the US Supreme Court has upheld a parent’s fundamental right to raise their child as they see fit, which includes reasonable acts of corporal punishment, still, this can be an extremely confusing topic… Read More »
New Jersey Supreme Court Rules That Defendants Must Provide Cell Phone Passcodes to Investigators Under Some Circumstances
In August, the New Jersey Supreme Court made an important decision in a criminal case that will have far-reaching implications for criminal investigations throughout the state. Specifically, the Court ruled that criminal defendants can be compelled to reveal their cell phone passcodes to investigators who have obtained search warrants, and this does not violate… Read More »