Category Archives: Criminal Defense
As New Jersey Gets Close To Legalizing Marijuana, Let’s Look At What Expungement Involves
We’ve discussed the potential legalization of marijuana in New Jersey before, and the state may, at last, be very close to legalizing it, however, the governor has also promised to expunge previous marijuana-related convictions. Still, that process may be easier said than done; as New Jersey’s expungement process is incredibly complex. There is no… Read More »
New Jersey Moves Closer To Decriminalizing Medically Assisted Suicide
In New Jersey, lawmakers are considering decriminalizing euthanasia for terminally ill patients. While similar legislation has previously been proposed and previously stalled in the Senate, in February, a Senate committee voted to approve this latest “medically assisted suicide bill” and many now expect it to pass in the full chamber. While a number of… Read More »
Are CBD Edibles Illegal In New York?
Where the line between legal and illegal is when it comes to Cannabidiol (CBD) edibles has come under strict scrutiny here in New York, as officials with the city’s Department of Health have recently started cracking down and dropping in on CBD businesses, confiscating products and prohibiting them from being sold. CBD is currently… Read More »
Would This New York Bill Make It A Crime Not To Vaccinate Your Children?
A new bill proposed by New York lawmakers would undo New Yorkers’ right to cite to non-medical exemptions from vaccination requirements for children– including an exemption due to religious beliefs–essentially making it a crime for children not to receive certain required vaccinations, even if their religion does not allow them to do so. The… Read More »
New Gun Control Laws in New York
In late January, New York State Legislators expect to pass eight new gun-control bills that would allow people to seek court orders to ban “dangerous” individuals from owning guns, bar schools from allowing teachers to be armed, ban bump stocks, and extend waiting periods for relevant background checks. This is the first set of… Read More »
The “Gay and Transgender Panic Defense” Could Be On Its Way out Across the Nation
Although laws have been proposed in the states of New York and New Jersey to render the defense unavailable, the “gay and transgender panic defense” has long been available in most-all states, allowing criminal defendants who had allegedly engaged in assault or murder to have their charges downgraded to manslaughter, negligent homicide, or a… Read More »
New York’s Criminal Laws Surrounding Abortion & the History of Fixing Them
The New Yorker recently published an interesting piece on how the new abortion law in New York—the Reproductive Health Act—will change things regarding what is and is not considered to be a crime when it comes to women’s reproductive rights, and what it won’t do. While abortion was legalized in New York in 1970,… Read More »
Legislation Introduced In New Jersey That Will Affect Criminal Prosecutions
Below, we discuss various proposals and new laws in New Jersey and New York that could significantly affect the prosecution of certain crimes: Preparations for Legalizing Recreational Use of Marijuana in New Jersey According to New Jersey Attorney General Grewal, New Jersey is close to legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, perhaps as early… Read More »
Judge Rules That New York City’s Airbnb Laws Violate Fourth Amendment
New York City has, for years, viewed Airbnb rentals as a hotbed of illegal activity and tried to ban and/or heavily regulate and restrict this rental activity. A law was passed in July 2018, and designed to go into effect in February 2019, which would have required that Airbnb and similar vendors provide New… Read More »
Report Calls for Marijuana Legalization in New York
Overall, the report calls for marijuana legalization in New York to be guided by three main principles: equity, health, and safety. According to de Blasio, his administration has already halted the vast majority of arrests for low-level possession and smoking; legalization now offers the state the ability to automatically expunge low-level marijuana convictions; working… Read More »